Website Workshop
Making a website for your artwork can be a lot of work, but you should aim for a few important traits:
1. It matches the style of your work (or at least doesn’t overpower it)
2. Cost- can you afford to maintain it?
3. Ease of use- will you update it, or is it too hard to mess with?
4. Dependability- Will it break?
5. Expandability- Can it grow with you? Is it flexible?
6. Archivability
The most important reason to make your own site is that you need a place that you are in control of! You are not in control of instagram, facebook or google related sites!
Your page should be somewhere for people to go and learn more about your work. It should be professional, easy to navigate and be updated regularly.
All in one Hosting Solutions
Free tier
50% off with student email (time?)
50% off first year with gmu email
Free tier
50% off with student email (time?)
Free Tier
Pros:
Ease of use
Some tiers come with free domain name (Might be for a limited time, then you have to pay for it)
Less technical interface for managing site- most are drag and drop
Some have mobile apps to post and manage
Mobile ready sites
Cons:
Closed platforms (Except maybe WordPress) Cant easily migrate to another platform
Limited number of sites (Ex. Squarespace- you only get 1 site, have to pay subscription for each.
Site may look similar to other artists (Not always a con!)
May have limited bandwidth
Separating Services
Having all your eggs in one basket can be a limiting thing. If you separate your hosting, domain registrar, and content management application, you can have the flexibility to move, rebuild, and put your content wherever and however you want It.
Pros in separation:
Flexibility, customizability, not overly reliant on someone else’s business. Cost can be cheaper for what you get. Lots of bandwidth depending on plan
Cons:
Complexity
Hosting options:
There are lots of options, prices range from $60 to $150 a year, most offer domain registration and other services as well.
Domain Registration
There are lots of options, prices range from $5 to $20 a year, most offer email and other services as well.
https://www.register.com/register-domain-names.rcmx
Content Management Software (CMS)
This is the software that runs on your web host and powers your site. Most hosts off some sort of simple installation of WordPress and some other CMSs. If you have to install it yourself, it can get quite complicated. Technically, the all-in-one hosting services are CMSs, but you can’t install them on your own servers.
https://wordpress.org/ (not wordpress.com)
My Workflow
I primarily host 2 sites, this one, atimidmule.org, and the one where my work is inadvisabledrain.com
I also try out different sites in WordPress and on Squarespace.
Hosting: Dreamhost
Registrar: Hover
CMS: WordPress
Additional software : MarsEdit https://www.red-sweater.com/marsedit/
Artist Website Examples: