This might be the worst website ever.
Developing a web page is one of them.
Just because you are artistic, does not mean you are graphic design savvy.
Having an idea in your head does not give you the ability to code it.
Creating a web page that represents you and your art is difficult.
Its also…dare I say it…unnecessary.
Think for a minute about your favorite websites. Most likely, they are basic…not flashy, and easy to navigate.
You want the same for your site.
But…you ask….how will people know what I’m all about if my website is boring?
They will know by clicking through and looking at the artwork you are selling, instead of being overwhelmed by background colors, multiple fonts, and links on the home page. Keep people trolling though your site, don’t send them elsewhere. Let your art sell itself.
Make sure to update your website regularly. Many artists think of the website as a tertiary way of sales…after art shows and fairs. But your website is a way to sell art with very little effort, and you should make sure that it is always up to date. If you haven’t updated since October, people won’t know if you are still painting, or if the works are still for sale.
Re-size your images so they load quickly.
There’s nothing worse than waiting for a page to load. If a prospective buyer is interested in seeing more, they can load the full-size image…but thumbnails are better for window shoppers.
The more art those shoppers see, the better chance of them making purchases.
To summarize what we’ve learned:
-Basic is better.
-Try to minimize links that take users outside of your website
-Let your artworks sell you – the web site is merely a mechanism to get those arts seen.
-Update your site regularly
-Have first views of your pictures be small, so they load faster. If people are interested, they can load a larger size image.
Good luck! And if you need some ideas on what to do and what not to do, see what some other ArtVenue artists’ pages look like.