Da Vinci Eye App For Artists Update | Shark Tank Season 15

Samuel Gherman realized that many people want to draw but don’t know where to start or how to get better. So he created Da Vinci Eye, an app that uses your phone’s camera to project images onto paper, making it easy to trace and learn. It helps beginners feel confident and makes drawing less frustrating. Will any of the sharks eye a good investment opportunity? Find out in our Da Vinci Eye update and pitch recap.

If you’re short on time, here’s a quick overview of what happened to Da Vinci Eye after Shark Tank.

Samuel pitched his art app on Shark Tank Season 15, seeking $350,000 for 5% equity. Despite a polished pitch, he was unable to secure a deal with any of the sharks.

In terms of a Da Vinci Eye update, the company is still in business, and the app received tons of downloads after appearing on the show. The app has rave reviews in the App Store and secured the #1 spot in the New and Noteworthy section of the App Store during the launch week of the Apple Vision Pro.

Shark:	Result:
Mark Cuban	No offer
Daymond John	No offer
Lori Greiner	No offer
Kevin O’Leary	No offer
Daniel Lubetzky	No offer

Shark Tank Da Vinci Eye Pitch

• Entrepreneur: Samuel Gherman
• Business: App for artists
• Ask: $350,000 for 5% equity
• Result: No deal
• Shark: None

Samuel walked into the Tank with a clear goal to help anyone draw like a pro, even like Da Vinci himself. To do that, he created an app called Da Vinci Eye.

The app uses augmented reality to project images onto paper so users can trace them. It turns your phone into a drawing tool.

Samuel didn’t stop there. He also introduced a second app called Mural Maker. This one lets users create large-scale wall art using multiple devices.

Both apps include a patented system that breaks down any image into a step-by-step drawing tutorial.

He got the idea after watching Tim’s Vermeer, a documentary about recreating art through optical illusions.

Around the same time, Samuel was teaching himself how to code. He decided to combine his interest in tech and art. That’s how Da Vinci Eye was born.

He launched the app in 2016. Within the first five weeks, he had 50,000 downloads. But downloads didn’t bring revenue right away.

He didn’t make real money until June 2020, when the app brought in $450,000.

By 2021, the company made $890,000 in sales. The following year, revenue dipped slightly to $860,000.

Then, in 2023, Samuel introduced a major shift. He moved to a subscription model, charging $19.99 per year. He told the sharks that this would push revenue higher.

Additionally, he expected to close the year at $1.1 million in sales and projected $1.6 million for the year after.

However, this created some confusion. The sharks believed he had already hit the $1.6 million mark. That misunderstanding didn’t help the pitch.

At first, the pitch got the sharks’ attention. The concept was clear. The numbers looked promising.

But things changed once Samuel began giving the numbers. He responded vaguely and indirectly, which created gaps in the story.

The more he explained, the more the sharks struggled to follow. His communication style became a problem.

In fact, Daymond John abruptly dropped out for this reason.

Lori Greiner followed. She admitted the pitch had become too confusing to follow and decided not to move forward.

Kevin O’Leary asked about customer acquisition costs. Samuel said it ranged from $0.10 to $0.21.

Mark Cuban went out next. He said the numbers didn’t add up.

Guest shark Daniel Lubetzky echoed that concern and stepped out too.

That left Kevin as the last shark in. But not for long.

He told Samuel the pitch felt disorganized and hard to follow. Without a clear understanding of the business, he couldn’t invest. Kevin dropped out, too.

In the end, all five sharks passed, and Samuel left without a deal.

What happened following Shark Tank? Keep reading our Da Vinci Eye update to find out!

Shark Tank Da Vinci Eye Update

We were able to catch up with Samuel for an exclusive Da Vinci Eye update. “When we had the opportunity to go on Shark Tank, we weren’t looking for funding anymore as we were finally in a place with steadily growing revenue,” Samuel told us.

He went on to tell us that his goal in a partner would be someone who could help them grow, and that’s why going on Shark Tank was the perfect fit.

Even though he walked away without a deal, Samuel told us that being on the show was a once-in-a-lifetime experience that he was grateful for. And of course, the exposure from the show was great too!

“While the boost from Shark Tank was great, it’s still too early to tell its full impact,” Samuel told us.

“I expect reruns and social media highlights will have long-term benefits, too. An interesting outcome from appearing on the show was that it helped us reach a different demographic than our usual social media channels.”

Another great boost was that Da Vinci Eye secured the number one spot in the New and Noteworthy section during the first week of the Apple Vision Pro launch.

A look at the Apple App Store reveals that customers are loving the program. There are close to 5,000 ratings with 4.6 stars, which is pretty good.

It’s been over a year since we last spoke with Samuel, and here’s what they are up to today;

Through their Da Vinci Eye shop, they launched branded phone stands (including AR and MagSafe versions), art merch, and art supply bundles.

One standout section of the store features independent artists, like SarahdaArt, whose prints are available for purchase.

In early 2025, their projected revenue had climbed to over $3.6 million, with app store earnings hitting $10,000 per day at times.

Around June of the same year, the app released a new version (v4.5.24) that introduced a Community Feed inside the app.

This feature allows users to post inspiration photos and drawings, giving artists a new space to share and learn from one another.

That same update included fixes for iOS 18, performance upgrades to Breakdown Mode (which turns any photo into step-by-step instructions), and smoother scrolling.

You can check out Da Vinci Eye’s products on their website. Also, follow their community and see real artists’ work on Instagram.

We’ll bring you more when we have it in our next Da Vinci Eye update.

In the meantime, you can check out our other company updates from Season 15 Episode 16 by following the links below!

• Funky Mello Update
• Mella Pet Care Update
• Fila Manila Update

Before you go, be sure to check out our list of all the Shark Tank Season 15 products.