#artsonline

Being accessible for most people in the world who have enough money to buy a personal computer and  pay for internet connection, the internet is home to some useful, useless and outright bizarre content.  Of course there are your social networking websites such as facebook and twitter. There are also sites  more catered to image sharing like imagur, and even a fusion of the two such as the likes of instagram  and pinterest. Other artist websites are also ready for viewing through the internet. The creation of the  net has all but broken down borders; you can send messages to anyone at anytime.  

Other websites also exist for socializing like well – known forums reddit and 4chan where there are  threads for almost anything under the sun. The way I see it, the internet serves various functions. More  often than not, they are used for fun. Sometimes they are used for convenience like file sharing,  tutorials and many more.  

Other websites serves multiple purposes. For example, facebook is primarily used for keeping up with  your real life friends but it is also used for sharing files, fighting for an advocacy, sharing information  with others, sharing pictures, etc. Another example will be youtube. While videos exist for the purpose  of entertainment, some are more instructive such as how to cook, how to clean and other diys. Some  videos exist to scare people while others exist to keep people informed of pressing issues.  

With all the many preoccupations we have today, it is often the case that we forget to nurture the soul.  You might ask me how people do that? Simple; through art. When the routine of every day is wearing  you down, it might be a good idea to head to your local art gallery and look at some fine works of  creativity. Going through a gallery is like looking at different thought processes. At least for me, it gets  me thinking what the artist could have been thinking when he painted this, what could’ve been his/her  inspiration, and such things. Art gives us a space for interpretation, and in the quiet of a gallery, you can  set your mind to wander.  

However, for many people who really cannot get out of their daily grind to visit art galleries, well, the  age of technology may still have the solution for you – artist websites. Such websites offer you online  galleries where paintings of artists are uploaded for your viewing pleasure. Artists are increasingly  turning to creating their own artist website to promote and market their own works, which may be a  good decision for both the artist and people who love art. Visit ArtSpan for example, where you can  already view several websites in one go. Although the experience is virtual, you can still see the different  styles of different artists reflected even in their home pages. It is interesting to notice that as well – that  even in the online space, artists can still find a way to show their own individual color.  

Artist Websites are supposed to be an environment where artists can freely explore and express their  creativity – the same as when they are making an actual artwork. There are sufficient materials on the  web that warn artists of the many damages that free web hosting can do to you as an artist, and to your  artist website. So allow us to make a case for using paid hosting for your artist websites. After all,  whatever your purpose for building your artist website – whether for mere promotion, selling, or  building networks – the artist website you create will represent the kind of artist you are.  

So, what’s in it for you if you decide to spend that few extra bucks wisely for a website builder that  allows you to create a custom artist website? Well, as the name already implies, customizability. Custom  design will allow you to have hands-on involvement in building your artist website, giving you complete  control over its direction. Unlike free web hosting services, paid ones no longer limit you to ugly and  basic lay-out designs and themes, nor does it restrict the availability to use crucial functions. Also, no  advertisements! This will avoid distraction and focus emphasis on your work, plus adds to your  professionalism and credibility as an artist. Not only that, access to all functionality will help you draw on  your inspiration to really create a unique artist website that shows your color, not to mention that it will  improve your knowledge of creating an artist website (from simple ones to more complex and tricky  ones) that you can apply later on. With a custom artist website, you can have fun and play with the  features, experiment, and yes, unleash your creativity.  

You've already created an online portfolio. The layout is well-curated, navigation links are in  place, and captions have been proofread. You wait. But months pass, and your visitor counter  barely reaches the three-digit mark.  

Have you done something wrong? Haven't you done enough? Or, have you missed something  in the process?  

Creating an online presence is as laborious as creating artworks, BUT, it is also equally as  important. No matter how unique and outstanding your works are, visitors are not expected to  come pouring.  

Here are some tips to help your website have an online presence.  

● Be known. Put yourself or your website in the Internet scene. Create advertisements to  your website. Maximize the advertising features of social media platforms.  

● Lure your target audience in. When creating your ads, see to it that it is attractive even to  you. Put yourself in the minds of your audience, and assess if your link is click-worthy.  Remember that in these times, scrolling down news feeds is the new past time.  

● Maximize social media platforms in expanding  your reach. Create a like page in  Facebook for your website . Post some of your works there and link this account to  Twitter and/or IG. Just make sure that you never miss to include your website link in your  posts.  

● Add a Facebook like button to your website. This way, when a visitor scrolls through  your website and likes a post, this activity is reflected in their activity feed in Facebook.  You can also add a share button to your site. This makes sharing your works easier for  the visitor. Just search for Facebook for Developers.  

Gaining recognition and popularity through your works of art is more difficult in the modern age. The  steadily increasing human population and the availability of the internet has erased borders and made  things easily accessible to everyone in the planet with an internet connection and a personal computer.  With increased competition, an artist must have other means of sharing his or her work to the rest of  the world.  

With the advances in modern technology; having people see an artist’s masterpiece have become an  easier task. Artist Websites are one such means to showcase your work. Much like having an album in  facebook on your recent adventures, having an online album for creative work would be in the favor of a  budding new artist. The amount of money and time it takes for an artist to display his or her work in an  art gallery is outstanding. For people who are just starting out their artistic careers, Artist Websites are  the way to do it.  

Aside from having your work displayed online for the viewing of the world, it also comes with several  other benefits. Some artists sell their prints online for a fee which is another way to make money out of  one’s talent. Other artists choose to make a business out of their talents by putting them in merchandise  such as shirts, hoodies and whatnot. There are hundreds of ways an artist can use this opportunity to  advance their career in art and at the same time make a living.