CanvasForCause is a full-stack MERN application that bridges technology and art to create a supportive community platform for self-expression. The platform enables users to create digital artwork through a virtual canvas, upload physical artwork, share personal stories behind their creations, and connect with others through a community gallery.
Art has always been a universal language of self-expression, offering individuals a therapeutic outlet for emotions and creativity. However, existing platforms don't fully address emotional expression through art and its impact on mental well-being. CanvasForCause aims to fill this gap by creating a space where art becomes a medium for connection, storytelling, and personal growth.
- User Management: Registration, authentication, and profile management
- Virtual Canvas: Interactive tool for digital art creation
- Artwork Upload: Share both digital and physical artwork
- Community Gallery: Explore artwork with likes, comments, and personal stories
- Dashboard: Personal space to manage artwork and activity
- Communication: Private messaging and notification system
- MongoDB: For storing user profiles, artwork metadata, and interactions
- Express/Node.js: API endpoints and server-side functionality
- React: Interactive user interfaces and components
- Cloudinary: Cloud storage for artwork images
- Day 1: Initialize GitHub repository, create README, set up project structure
- Day 2: Design database schema for users, artwork, comments, and messages
- Day 3: Set up Express server and basic API routes
- Day 4: Create MongoDB connection and models
- Day 5: Design UI wireframes for main components
- Weekend: Review progress, adjust plans if needed
- Day 1: Implement user registration functionality
- Day 2: Implement login functionality and JWT authentication
- Day 3: Create user profile components and forms
- Day 4: Implement profile management (edit, delete)
- Day 5: Build avatar upload with Cloudinary integration
- Weekend: Test and debug authentication flows
- Day 1: Design canvas component structure
- Day 2: Implement basic drawing functionality
- Day 3: Add color selection and brush options
- Day 4: Implement save and download features
- Day 5: Connect canvas to backend storage
- Weekend: Test canvas on different devices, fix issues
- Day 1: Create artwork upload interface
- Day 2: Implement Cloudinary integration for image uploads
- Day 3: Build artwork metadata forms (title, description, stories)
- Day 4: Create artwork edit and delete functionality
- Day 5: Implement user's personal gallery
- Weekend: Test upload flows and optimize image handling
- Day 1: Design and implement gallery layout
- Day 2: Create artwork cards with preview functionality
- Day 3: Implement liking and saving features
- Day 4: Build commenting system
- Day 5: Add personal story display and interaction
- Weekend: Test gallery performance with multiple entries
- Day 1: Design dashboard layout
- Day 2: Implement artwork management section
- Day 3: Create activity feed component
- Day 4: Build notification display
- Day 5: Add saved artwork collection
- Weekend: User testing and UI refinements
- Day 1: Design messaging interface
- Day 2: Implement real-time messaging with Socket.io
- Day 3: Create conversation management
- Day 4: Build notification system
- Day 5: Implement real-time notifications for interactions
- Weekend: Test messaging and notifications
- Day 1: Integrate all components
- Day 2: Implement responsive design for all screen sizes
- Day 3: Add loading states and error handling
- Day 4: Conduct comprehensive testing
- Day 5: Fix bugs and performance issues
- Weekend: Prepare final deployment
- Implement advanced gallery features (sorting, filtering)
- Enhance notification system
- Refine user dashboard UI/UX
- Optimize performance
- Implement remaining communication features
- Add final optimizations
- Deploy to production