As as a curator for online exhibitions at Manhattan Arts International and The Healing Power of ART & ARTISTS we require that artists have their own websites. Why? Because like most art professionals I believe every artist who wants to be taken seriously needs one.
Prospective art buyers expect artists to have a platform where they can view more of their art and read their career credentials. Additionally, artists who take good care of maintaining their websites stand out as more desirable to gallery directors, art consultants, art writers, and buyers.
There’s no excuse not to have one given the ease and options that come along with them. This article shows you how to get started with your new art website.
It’s Important to Have an Up to Date Artist Website
An increasing number of art sales originate from the Internet, according to experts like money.cnn.com. And, mobile devices account for more than 50% of Internet usage in the United States so you want to be sure you have an up to date, mobile ready artist website.
The good news is, it is easier than you may think to build and maintain your own website. There are a myriad of options that have built in templates, drag and drop capabilities, and technical support. Many themes come with shopping carts for online sales.
Popular Low-Cost Website Platforms
Some of the most popular platforms are WordPress.org, Squarespace.com, Wix.com and Weebly.com. There are lots of free or low cost templates, also known as themes, with many design options.
Most recently, I’ve seen some spectacular artists’ websites using Squarespace. And it takes you through a step-by-step process to make sure you choose the best template for your site. (However, below you’ll find a link to an article about the differences between these platforms.)
After you choose your template you’ll be able to add a plethora of free and low-cost plugins to manage your images and allow you to add features including setting up a PayPal or similar account and adding the code for “Buy” buttons. You’ll also find other shopping cart software programs available such as http://www.shopify.com.
Platforms to Avoid
Don’t use WordPress.com for your art website. (That is totally different from WordPress.org, which I do use and recommend.) You may think this is the only free platform to choose from. It’s not. If you design your art website using this platform third party ads appear on your website — for weight loss products and cars, etc. — which looks horrible and cheapens your presentation, is obviously unprofessional, and detracts from the quality of your art. Use WordPress.org instead — a completely different world. Check out the many free themes from which to choose that are designed for the artist in mind.
Also avoid using third party websites where thousands of artists can be found as your primary website. What I object to about using these platforms is that you are inviting and encouraging your prospective art buyers to compare your art to thousands of other artists. Instead, you should promote yourself and your art on your own. Does that make sense? And, by the way, I have rarely if at all met an artist who sells any significant amount of art on those megasites, except for perhaps a few inexpensive prints.
Squarespace or WordPress? Good Question!
We use WordPress for all of our websites so I was delighted to read this very detailed article on Main Street ROI. I recommend you also read it before you make a decision. In the article Pete Kennedy writes “Squarespace is much more limited in that it has predefined options for you to choose from, but deviating from these is either difficult or not possible at all. If you want to build a custom website or even tweak an existing theme, you’re much better off using WordPress.” Read the article here: wordpress-vs-squarespace-which-is-better
Don’t Know Which to Choose? It’s Easy!
Do your research. Visit other artists’ websites.
Choose your favorites. Ask them how they designed them.
How to Get Started
• Visit websites that offers various templates.
• View the demos.
• Compare prices and services.
• Ask fellow artists who have great looking websites what platforms and themes they have chosen and about their good and bad experiences.
Look For these Services
Before you choose make sure your website service satisfies these requirements:
• Your website looks good on mobile devices.
• It will adapt to your visitor’s screen size and gives them the optimum viewing experience.
• Your site, pages and images load quickly as a result of ‘state of the art code”.
• You have the ability to add slideshows to your website with easy to use “drag and drop” image capability
• You may choose gallery plugins to showcase your artwork in the best possible manner.
• Your plan comes with built-in search engine optimization (SEO), which means every page of your website gives you the best advantage with the major search engines.
• You are able to customize and modify your appearance throughout various areas of your site to suit your particular requirements.
• The theme comes with unlimited theme updates, which means that your site is always up to date and compatible with the latest version.
Site Tutorials and Email Support
If you’re stuck, SquareSpace.com offers on site tutorials. The email support is pretty seamless but if you prefer to get help from live people this may not be your best route. I prefer WordPress.org because when you are frustrated, that’s what you want. WordPress also offers an online forum that offers solutions to most problems you may encounter.
And, there are tons of Youtube videos given by technological experts that provide step-by-step instructions on many different website platforms, apps and plugins.
Have Fun Modernizing Your Artist Website!
When you take the plunge you may feel like a kid in a candy store at first with all the different templates, widgets and gadgets. Take one step at a time. Don’t be surprised if you later ask yourself, “What took me so long?”
Final Note: Small Budget? Get A Student to Help!
Still don’t want to bother creating your own website? Contact your local high school or college and offer the opportunity to a student. Most schools teach the skills and many students would be delighted to have the experience and apply their skills.
Yes, such good info. In the process of revamping mine now. Love the ideas of praise and faq page.
Thank you as always!
Paula, I’m so very happy this article was helpful. I look forward to visiting your newly updated website very soon. Keep us all posted!
Hi, Renée,
I am kind of a greenhorn on the online e-commerce, but I am sure that I want to be part of it. I mean no site, no CV, no nothing for the moment, but I study in order to know the how to’s. I think that I will need your help with a professional biography, and maybe other things. What could I do for being able to be more clear?
Thank you for your attention,
Yours sincerely,
Valentin Gorunescu
Thank you Valentin, I’d be happy to help you “be more clear”. In case you haven’t already searched the website for articles on how to write your Artist’s Statement and Artist’s Biography, just place the words in the search box and several articles will appear. And, if you live in the U.S. or Canada, consider arranging a phone consultation with me to help you even further. Here’s a link to info: https://renee-phillips.com/career-coaching-for-artists/