The mobile-art platform works for young artists, who sell prints of their works as it lets them sell their works at affordable prices.

Meanwhile, the sale of limited-edition prints also does well on Ywart, an online art platform that also has an app.

Zhong, the oil painter, sells a lot of prints of his works.

Ywart founder and former museum director Zhu Tong says a client once bought 900 prints of an established artist's work.

Then, in January, another client ordered 350 prints of a particular work as gifts for her company's clients.

The client told Zhu that she was bored of buying scarves or tea as gifts and never imagined that works from renowned artists could be so affordable.

"The demand for art is always there, but we fail to meet it. With mobile technology, people can access high-quality art easily," says Zhu.

Zhu says the number of users has crossed 10,000. Many buy original works that are priced from 5,000 to 50,000 yuan.

Zhu says abstract works and those with bright colors are favored by buyers who mainly buy art for decoration. A user from Changsha in Hunan province bought three works worth more than 200,000 yuan.

Zhu has also opened physical stores in big cities, including in Nanjing, Suzhou and Shenzhen. He also works with real estate companies and hotels to help them decorate.

"People see art pieces at our stores or spaces and they then turn to our app to buy them," he says.

"The market is huge and will continue to grow. It is just like sitting atop a volcano waiting for it to erupt."

According to a report on the online-art trade by insurer Hiscox, online art sales hit a record high of $3.27 billion in 2015,which sets the market on course for sales of $9.58 billion by 2020.

Separately, the mobile-art market is also drawing traditional dealers.

In March, Zhu says his app will collaborate with 10 galleries in China and some collectors to sell high-end pieces online, including works by big names like Wu Guanzhong, an oil painter whose works often fetch millions of yuan.

Zhu says his ultimate goal is to offer quality art to anyone with an internet connection and a smartphone.

"Stop saying that the Chinese don't have a taste for art. All they need is a good channel to access it," he says.