What to Put In Your Art Website

  You've searched the internet and have chosen a hosting website. You've been sitting on a chair for perhaps, an hour or so, and finally have come up with the perfect website name. Now then. What should you put into your website?

Your home page
  It's the first thing people see when they arrive on your site. It should have your name, what you are (an Artist), and perhaps two or three introductory lines. Also, some curators say to choose one Art work that you really like, and place it somewhere on that page.

Your Gallery
  "Works", "My Paintings", "My Art Works", you can title it lots of things, but make it clear and short, because that's what people are most interested in- your Art.

  If you have lots of paintings, you should split the them into a few series, or categories. Categories could go according to medium used, (Oil, Acrylic, Watercolor) or subjects, (Portraits, Landscapes, Still Life) or they could go according to series. (Bird Series, Blue Series, Abstract Series)

  Make sure that there are large enough thumbnails to show the Art works, so that viewers can decide whether they want to click on them. Also, it is a personal choice whether you want to show which Art works are sold, or otherwise. You could always have a separate gallery showing Art works that have been sold.

Artist Bio & Portfolio
  Your Biography is an introduction of you, your beliefs in Art, and where you see yourself heading. Stay away from politics, religions, and other unnecessary topics that are not related to your Art. (Unless of course, that is what your Art is about.)

  Your Portfolio should include what competitions, exhibitions (be they solo or group), awards, and other recognitions you've ever received/taken part in. You could, if you'd like, to include which Art school you graduated from, or what kind of formal training (if any) you've received. Most of the time, I am not interested in the school the Artist has graduated from, but if it adds to your Portfolio, then I say, go for it.

  A Portfolio can be written in a time-line form, or it could be written as an essay, whichever you feel suits your needs.

Contact Me/ Contact the Artist
  It should be on the navigation links and not hidden somewhere deep within your website.

  You must (yes, must.) include at least one contact detail. Be it, a phone number, an e-mail, or a gallery address. It'll be lovely if you could include all of them. I would say to NOT put private details, like where you live. However, Twitter/Facebook accounts are according to what you prefer. Also, whether you choose to place your blog in this tab, or in another tab altogether, is to your preference.

Design Layout
  Not something that you can put in your website, but it is something you need to consider. The navigation bar should ALWAYS remain in one place. The design should stay the same throughout the website. Colors should be complementary/neutral, which means no blood red, or bright yellow. Finally, never underestimate the legibility of Times New Roman font.

Other things that are worth a mention
  You should learn how to take good pictures of your Art works, in good lighting. Edit your images, and color correct them always, for they are representations of whom you are as an Artist.

  Make sure that your website can be viewed in Firefox, Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, and in Iphones and Android phones. Which means to make sure whether your website is phone compatible. It'll be a real waste if you've designed your website brilliantly, but have it to be incompatible with phone devices.


  And... That's it. These are all the things to consider for your website. Do you have an Art Website? Are there things I missed? Leave me a comment in the section below.