The 3rd thing that every artist and designer needs for the New Year is …a WEB SITE.
Gone are the days of a website being a “nice to have”, it’s a “need to have”.
Why?
It’s the most immediate method of showing your work to the people that need to see it.
If your plan is to sell more work, display more work or do more freelance work as a designer; you must make sure that the patrons or buyers can view your work when they want to and from where they want. And even if the goal is not to sell your work, you need to be able to show it to your audience 24/7.
I have had so many opportunities come open because I either passed someone my business card that sent them my website, or sent them an email with a direct link to my work.
Now, I know that most of you already agree with this. You’ve known for quite some time that you need some form of web presence as an artist or designer. The problem is that you STILL have yet to take action. The paradox about this situation is that many artists that know that they need a website go on the web everyday.
Tips:
Don’t forfeit showcasing your work on the web because you’re waiting until you BIG website is fully designed and launched. That could be part of what’s taken so long already. Start out small, but professionally. Many artists are using blogs as a way to showcase their work and tell more about themselves at the same time. One of our subscribers, James Ramos, does a great job of promoting his work on his blog; even allowing his audience to see his work created step-by-step. The beauty of this is that many blogs are hosted free and can be maintained with little to no “high tech” knowledge.
Definitely feel free to go that route, just maintain a professional look. When you’re ready to begin spending a little more, invest in working with a professional web designer who can design your site.
Your web presence does not only have to present a gallery of your art. Many artists use additional tools such as web video to create an additional experience for their users. Take a look at Charlene Rice’s site and how she’s created a bond with her patrons through her use of video.
Recommended Blogging resources:
WordPress.com (Can be used to host your blog FREE)
WordPress.org (If you already have paid hosting)
Recommended Web Hosting services:
Recommended Web Designer:
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Hi Teresa!
What you’re doing in China sounds exciting! Feel free to email me at tony@artlessonsfromgod.com so we can further discuss your vision and what steps can be taken to walk it out.
Also, I’d love to see the photos of the photos of their items. Would you post them here to share with the rest of us:
http://artlessonsfromgod.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=1
Thank you for sharing what you have learned about using your God-given talents as a professional artist. I live in China and work as a teacher. I made friends in a small town and would like to help artists sell their items in the US. I tried working for a non-profit and they didn’t want to pay the people properly. I would like to set them up and then they would have sustainable income. The ladies love Father and He has gifted them to run the business. I also would like to have a site with my own work. These ladies are the priority. I have excellent photographs of the items they will sell. Do you have any contacts that have this type of business set up? I would appreciate any suggestions. Very thankful to find you on Twitter.
Teresa
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