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Shopify Studio Theme Review: Best Free Theme for Artists?

June 26, 2024
Written and researched by experts at AvadaLearn more about our methodology

By Sam Nguyen

CEO Avada Commerce

In this review, we will walk you through Shopify Studio Theme, a versatile Shopify theme that elegantly frames artwork.

Avada’s Verdict
Pros:
  • Minimalistic and Pleasant Designs
  • Easy Check-Out
  • High-Resolution Images
  • Image Galleries
  • Good Tech Support
Cons:
  • Inflexible Options for Color Schemes
  • Steep Learning Curve for Beginners
Rating: 3.5/5⭐
Best For
Visual artists, photographers, handmade goods creators, fashion designers, and performing artists.

What is the Shopify Studio Theme?

The Shopify Studio Theme is a free, versatile theme that merges aesthetics with functionality. The theme features a less traditional yet effective space for performing artists to share their work visually, announce performances, and sell merchandise.

Main features to showcase artworks:

  • High-Resolution Images
  • Image Galleries
  • Vertical Product Filter
  • Animation Options
  • “Click and Hover” Zoom
What is the Shopify Studio Theme

Key Features of the Shopify Studio Theme

Vertical Product Filter

Key Features of the Shopify Studio Theme

This is a game-changer for visual artists. You can categorize your artwork based on different attributes such as style, medium, theme, or size. This helps your audience navigate your collection more efficiently, quickly guiding them to what they’re seeking. It can dramatically enhance the user experience and increase sales conversions.

Cart Drawer

Cart Drawer

A boon for photographers, the cart drawer allows customers to view the items they’ve selected, such as prints or photographs, without navigating away from the current page. This streamlined shopping experience can result in higher customer retention and faster checkout times.

Recommended Products

Artists creating handmade goods will find this feature particularly valuable. By suggesting similar items or best-selling products to customers, you improve the shopping experience and create upselling and cross-selling opportunities, maximizing your revenue potential.

Optimized for Large Images

Crucial for fashion designers, this feature allows high-resolution images that capture every detail of your collections. Large images’ crispness and clarity can significantly enhance your designs’ presentation, engaging your audience and prompting them to explore more.

Optimized for Large Images

Animation Options

With various animation options, performing artists can build vibrant, dynamic pages. This allows you to reflect the energy and movement inherent in your performances, creating an immersive browsing experience for your audience.

Animation Options

Announcement Bar

Versatile and useful for all creatives, the announcement bar can highlight important information like upcoming exhibitions, new arrivals, special promotions, or performance dates. This can help keep your audience informed and engaged, boosting attendance and sales.

Announcement Bar

“Click and Hover” Zoom

This feature is vital for artisans producing handmade goods. By allowing customers to zoom in and appreciate each product’s fine details and craftsmanship, you can effectively communicate the quality and value of your items, encouraging purchases.

'Click and Hover' Zoom

Gift Card Recipient Form

Particularly useful during holiday seasons or special occasions, this feature allows customers to send gift cards directly from your store. This can lead to increased sales and can also help build a wider customer base, as recipients may visit your store for the first time when they redeem their gift card.

Quick Buy

Quick Buy

By simplifying the purchase process, the Quick Buy feature enables customers to add items to their cart with a single click. This feature is perfect for any creative artist selling their work online, as it streamlines the buying journey, reducing the chance of cart abandonment and increasing overall sales conversions.

Customer Reviews of Studio Shopify Theme

The Studio theme has received 22 reviews with a 50% positive rating. Here are some key points from customer feedback:

Positive Feedback

  1. Ashland Gallery Association (August 29, 2023)
    • Comment: “I love this theme! I tried a TON of paid themes before settling on this one.”
    • Highlight: Custom section for pulling blog posts by tag, suggested as a standard option.
  2. ArtfulTea (May 20, 2023)
    • Comment: “Great theme, with a stylish blog layout that many other themes lack.”
    • Highlight: Easy design and continuous updates. Suggestion for adding featured collections to blog posts.
  3. Arpaia® (March 2, 2023)
    • Comment: “I am a jewelry designer/artisan jeweler using the free Shopify Studio Theme since August 2022. I LOVE IT!”
    • Highlight: User-friendly, visually stunning, and impactful. Improved product images in Version 8.0.

Constructive Criticism

  1. Bewusstsein.shop (November 3, 2023)
    • Comment: “It would be great to have an option for multiple images per variant.”
    • Issue: Page scrolls up when using buttons for variants, making them hard to see.
  2. Wyld Fragrance (December 11, 2023)
    • Comment: “Often the images you upload show up blurry, no matter how high resolution they are.”
    • Issue: Blurry images in ‘image with text,’ ‘collage,’ and ‘multirow’ blocks.

Addressed Issues

  1. Colyon (December 9, 2023)
    • Comment: “I like the theme, and I appreciate the work you’ve put into this. How do I add the FAQ page feature and Reviews?”
    • Shopify’s Suggestion (December 12, 2023):
      • Use the Page section or Collapsible Row block for the FAQ page.
      • Product reviews can be shown on the product page within the Related Products section, but an app is needed for full functionality.
  2. Vjuzhanina Inna (April 13, 2024)
    • Comment: “Biggest issue so far has been the inability to have cart notes and no way for customers to use discount codes at checkout.”
    • Shopify’s Suggestion (May 2, 2024):
      • Activate Cart Notes in Theme Settings >> Cart.
      • Ensure an active discount in the admin for the discount field to show at checkout.

How to Customize the Shopify Studio Theme

With the Shopify Studio theme, you can make your online store look just the way you want. 

You can take a look at this Shopify Studio theme tutorial to better understand how to customize this theme. 

Here’s the simplified documentation on how to customize the Studio theme. 

Header:

You can add your logo, set up the menu, and change the colors to match your brand.

customize the Studio theme

Homepage Sections:

Add or remove sections like slideshows and featured collections. You can also move them around to create a fun and engaging homepage.

customize the Studio theme

Product Pages:

Change the layout of product pages. Add pictures and videos of your products. Set options like size and color.

customize the Studio theme

Footer:

Add links, social media icons, and payment icons in the footer to make it easy for customers to find important information.

customize the Studio theme

Theme Settings:

You can freely adjust the overall look by changing fonts, colors, and button styles.

customize the Studio theme

These customization options let you create a unique and professional online store that shows off your brand and products.

Where to purchase Shopify Studio Theme

Where to purchase Shopify Studio Theme

If you want the Studio Shopify Theme, it’s available for preview and download at the Shopify Theme Store. This allows you to see firsthand how the theme would fit your store. 

Additionally, the Shopify Studio Theme is free. It is yours to test and tailor it to your needs.

Who Is Shopify Studio Theme for?

Studio Shopify Theme is ideal for:

  • Art Supplies Stores: This theme would work well for businesses selling art supplies, including paints, brushes, sketchbooks, and more.
  • Photography Equipment Stores: Stores selling professional photography equipment such as cameras, lenses, tripods, lighting, and backdrops can benefit from the Studio theme.
  • Handcrafted Home Decor Stores: Businesses selling handmade home decor items such as pottery, ceramic dishes, hand-woven textiles, or carved wooden sculptures can effectively use the Studio theme.
  • Boutique Clothing Stores: The theme is ideal for businesses selling unique and fashionable clothing and accessories.
  • Music Stores or Dance Studios: The Studio theme can also be used by music stores selling instruments or vinyl records and dance studios offering classes.

Shopify Studio Theme Examples: Top 3 Online Stores Using the Studio Theme

Felice Art

Online Stores Using the Studio Theme

Upon entering Felice Art‘s website, one is immediately drawn into the world of their unique art and craft creations. This immediate engagement can be attributed to the Studio Shopify Theme. 

The theme’s stylized typography and the use of colorful accents lend a distinctive voice to Felice Art’s brand, enhancing the visual appeal. 

The collection-based navigation and creator filters make it easy for visitors to explore the various handcrafted items, each framed by high-resolution images and enticing descriptions. Featured collections provide quick access to their galleries and new arrivals, keeping the content fresh and engaging.

Obelisk Store

Online Stores Using the Studio Theme

Obelisk Store‘s site gives life to the Studio Shopify Theme’s focus on showcasing the revitalization of Classical art through modern fashion and media. The layout places the store’s art prints front and center, with clear, high-resolution images letting the artwork speak for itself. 

The typography complements the artistic aesthetic of the store, with colorful accents that draw the eye to featured collections. 

We can see that the creator filters and collection-based navigation make it easy for customers to find specific artists or styles, promoting a seamless and enjoyable browsing experience.

Mystic Mamma Art Prints

Online Stores Using the Studio Theme

The Studio Shopify Theme on Mystic Mamma‘s website amplifies the ethereal quality of its artwork. The balance of stylish typography and colorful accents frame the artwork well, allowing the unique designs to pop. 

The artist profiles offer a personalized touch, encouraging a deeper connection between the artist and the viewer. 

The collection-based navigation and the quick view of featured collections for galleries and new arrivals provide an intuitive, easy-to-navigate browsing experience.

The Bottom Line

The Studio Shopify theme is, in short, an ideal platform for a diverse array of creative artists. From visual arts and photography to crafts and fashion design, this theme promises an impressive and efficient showcase of their unique creations.


Sam Nguyen is the CEO and founder of Avada Commerce, an e-commerce solution provider headquartered in Singapore. He is an expert on the Shopify e-commerce platform for online stores and retail point-of-sale systems. Sam loves talking about e-commerce and he aims to help over a million online businesses grow and thrive.