What's Your Dream Web Site?

Over the past few weeks I have been looking at artists' websites trying to figure out what works and what doesn't.  I think now, more than ever, an artist's site must both distinguish itself and meet the artist's business needs.

A passive, on-line portfolio lost in a sea of other portfolios seems counterproductive - once you reach a critical mass of participants your individual visibility drops.  And yet the ability of these portal sites to rank high in internet searches remains a strong selling point, and ultimately, it's the artist's responsibility to drive the traffic through his or her own marketing efforts.

So what works and doesn't work for you?

What do you like about your own site?

What frustrates you?

What do your clients look for?

And what works the best to drive traffic to  your site?

Comments

[Melissa Evangeline Keyes]

Hi, happy to have found you! From Art Print Issues.

I am also an Alyson Stanfield graduate, and began my blog as a result of taking one of her online classes. For anyone new to the internet, she really does offer valuable information!

I am sixty years old, and have been a little-producing painter all my life. Had to run around travelling and 'living'. Now I'm trying to settle in to being a painter, and make some money at it. I figure I have twenty or thirty or fifty more years, if the World holds up under us!

Cheers,

Melissa

[Helen Fox]

Hello,

I stopped using a website a while ago after concerns about putting high resolution images of my work online for anybody to download. I now send my work by mail on CD's to the galleries of my choice.

I've started using a program that makes this really easy to do, called the Artists Portfolio Creator (www.artists-portfolio-creator.com).

So far so good. Maybe I will go back to having a website also but I will hold off for now.

[vicki Ross]

Duh. my main website is:
http://www.vickiandrandyrossart.com

my ebsq portfolio is:
http://www.ebsqart.com/Artists/cmd_2071_profile.htm

my blog is:
http://www.vickiandrandyrossart.blogspot.com

vicki airhead ross

[vicki Ross]

Sue, I am a retired (semi) graphic designer/art director/web designer. I learned back in the first days of the internet. I've also been encouraged to develop seminars about art marketing...which I apparently am better at talking about than doing about!

SO, my website is done from scratch. Fairly clean, easy to nagivate...and has not been updated in a YEAR! I am becoming of the mind that a regular blog might be enough.

I started online portfolio with ebsqart. Their portfolio site is easy and more than adequate for most artists. $7.95 or so a month. For a good while I was using that as a record of every painting I did...great idea in conception, 'cause as a beginner I could see my progress. Might re-visit that idea.

I also like Fine Art Studio Online as a replacement for my hosting plan.

Guess the point of my comment is that as a professional, I go without shoes! I have no excuse for not updating my site on a regular basis.

If I get overwhelmed at the possibilities and I've worked in this field as a professional for 25 years...no wonder artists do!

[Casey Klahn]

Don't tell my template web site people, but I'm thinking of ditching it. My blog which is just for selling some originals is cleaner, simpler and makes more sense.

I did try to get a designer to make me a new site, but they must have lost my e-mail as spam, because she never got back to me. The next time I have some marketing cash, I'll be after a new web site.

The most important thing is a page that shows your art that is simple, understated, and not full of "clicks". Those pesky boxes that open (wordpress has them) are awful. I do like the ones that when your mouse hovers over them, an instant big image appears, like a magnifier - but there is no border or "X" or advert to distract.

Other distractions on these gallery pages are bad layout. Say, the first row has 4 works, in landscape profile, then the next has 10 in 2 types of profile, then the next has 3!