How is your website performing? Are you making enough sales? Is it attracting decent traffic? If it’s not meeting your original  expectations, it could be because you aren’t doing all the things available to improve your ranking with the search engines…

OR…

Could it be that your current web-hosting company has limited Search Engine Optimization, limited shopping cart functionality, less-design options, as well as less advertising & promotion of it’s member’s websites. Of course there are the more traditional things you can do, like adding new content, (articles, & product descriptions); that would help the search engines ‘index’ your site…but you probably wouldn’t want to put any more effort into trying to improve it, if what you’ve done so far hasn’t given you decent results!!!

It may not be your ‘FAULT’…

Now that you’ve got your ‘feet wet’ with having a website & you know a LOT more about… how to design one… setting it up with your products… writing descriptions & uploading photos… and you understand ‘something’ about how ‘search results’ work…maybe you’re ready to try something a bit more sophisticated. Perhaps trying another web-development company that offers more options… one that is geared to helping you to sell your products, would give you a lot more ‘bang for your buck’.

Many of the web design/web development companies out there, can design & develop very sophisticated, complex, & feature-rich websites for big companies and corporations, but there ARE other online choices available; ones that have found a way to offer people who have a small budget…easy-to-use web-design, that anyone can do.

Having a web design/web development company that specializes in eCommerce websites & offers a multitude of design options, such as: pre-designed or customized templates, custom shopping carts, product posting support,  tools to make shipping & managing orders easy, and many other features; may make having a successful, productive, website a reality.  You can also watch this video which demonstrates how eCommerce web development can provide solutions to help increase the sales of your unique product or service.

To explain the concept of  Web Design |  Or… How I Went From Oil Painter To Digital Artist

1st a little history…

I decided that due to the overwhelming prevalence of computers & the Internet in our society… & in particular digital media; I would try to expand my scope as an artist to include web design, by creating logos & promoting my products in that venue.  The use of the Internet to convey information, such as in the form of ‘blogging’; as well as making products available worldwide on a website; gives an artist a wider range of exposure.  There are graphic art & web design programs available for artists & web designers designed to use to aid in accomplishing the necessary steps needed to execute website & logo design, such as;  , website graphics & logos, website source coding, (although the latest technology for web design uses ‘style sheets’ to accomplish much of the visual website theme-related tasks), web application development, database development, & search-engine optimization.

Website Developers have studied & mastered these techniques which are essential for producing a functional & visually appealing website. They are really the ones who can implement the more sophisticated & extensive elements of web design… in my case I work with a web developer who handles the functional aspects, whereas I develop the visual design elements.

There will be more articles, discussing in detail; more aspects of web design; both visually & functionally, which will help to illustrate the many facets of what actually goes into creating a website.

A FREE download of  GIMP is available by clicking here:

GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program)

is a photo editing, free-form-painting, logo and website creator, as well as a graphics software program; and it’s FREE & ‘open-source’.

Some of the photo editing features of GIMP include:

• Resizing & cropping
• Digital retouching
• Photo Enhancement
• Allows remote loading of Transparent Virtual File Systems, from remote locations using FTP / HTTP
• Coverts images to various formats ‘jpeg, gif, png, tiff, eps’
• Saves images with archive extensions ‘zip, BZ2, GZ’ (automatic file compression w/ transparency for saving disk space)
• Creates animated images using ‘gif’ format
• Online batch processing system
• Easy to use, with extensive tutorial support

Gimp Edited Photos

are easily edited with an organized drop-down categorized menu system. With it’s extensive features GIMP gives you the versatility to enhance your images using a variety of methods such as adding borders, scaling images, image manipulation, creating layers, adding text, as well as rendering professional website graphics for individuals as well as web designers. Artists & graphic designers will find a multitude of options related to altering & enhancing color elements & image effects.

GIMP is continually under development in order to make it compatable with the latest computer technology & newest devices such as digital tablets, and GIMP offers support for the use & implementation of features and device actions; such as MIDI controller sliders & rotating USB wheels, size, angle, or brush opacity can be changed while you work, which can aid in decreasing work-times. You can also bind scripts to buttons, using the advanced GIMP scripting interface; which allows scripting of the simplest to the more complex image manipulations.

GIMP Edited Photos : Color   

Color is one of the key elements in web design, from colorizing, saturating or desaturating colors, altering color hue, blending, adding default or custom gradients & 3-D effects, to creating & changing backgrounds or text elements.

GIMP offers many tools to aid web web designers & developers in maximizing a website’s graphic elements. Features such as an ‘eye-dropper’tool which converts a selected color in an image to a web-safe hexidecimal color codes to insure color accuracy & consistency in a design on different web browsers, many of these features allow you to create custom gradients for backgrounds or other visual elements.

GIMP Edited Photos:  Color Selection Tools

• Palettes
• Eye Dropper Tool (which allows you to select a color from an open project you are working on)
• Watercolor Selector
• Color-Wheel Selector
• Color choosers such as:
• Hexadecimal Color Codes (HTML friendly),  (Examples:  #000000 = black; #ffffff  = white; #3366FF = blue. Codes are always “#” + six number &/or letter combinations).

• RGB/HSV Color Models:

    (RGB – red, green, and blue light added together to reproduce a broad array of colors)

      (HSV – based on the three properties that a color possesses: Hue, Saturation and Value)

• Color Blending Tool: fills selected areas wof your design with a gradient, which is a blend consisting of the foreground/background colors.
• Color Gradients (customizable to allow you to create custom gradients)
• Image Creation Tools Include:
• Paintbrush (allows you to choose the type & size of ‘brush’)
• Pencil / Ink
• Eraser
• Airbrush
• Bucket Fill (allows you to fill large areas with a selected color)
• Transparency (allows you to place an image on a different background)
• Smudge Tool (allows you to drag exisiting colors into one another)
• Other tools are included to allow you to: Saturate / Desaturate the colors of an image, colorize an entire image.

GIMP Edited Photos   Shape Creation & Manipulation

is achieved with the use of other Selection Tools, such as:

• Shape Selection Tools: Come in a variety of shapes, such as: rectangular, circular, free-select: for irregular-shaped objects, & fuzzy select)
• Transform Tools allow you to: Move, rotate, scale (resize entire images), change the perspective, flip (horizontally/vertically), sharpen (sharpen or blur areas of an image) & cropping (which allows you to choose the part of the image you want to save).
• Filter Tools: Various effects called ‘filters’ can be applied to your image to: enhance elements such as: “Artistic” (elements like watercolor, impressionistic, artist ‘canvas’, etc. ‘Decor’ styles such as: ‘old photo’, You can also make the edges of the border around an image fuzzy or add a ‘drop-shadow’ to give it a finished look. or you can even add a coffee stain to your image for a whimsical look.
• Layering Tools: Allow you to work on different elements of your design & add them to your design in the order you want.
• Clone Tool: By using the current brush to copy from an image or pattern you can repair undesirable or damaged areas in a digital photo, by painting over it with colors & tones from other part. Other uses of cloning are to draw patterned lines or curves. Perspective can been addressed, using a special ‘perspective clone tool’.
• Healing Tool: Is similar to the clone tool, however it also corrects color & tone if needed.
• Dodge & Burn Tool: Makes specifically targeted areas lighter or darker.

Being able to distinguish good vs. bad website design is not always easy & you may have to explore many different web design companies to make sure you know what to look for…

You’ve got a great product or service to offer & you have finally decided to have a website to promote it!  Now comes the easy part… or is it??  When I made the decision to have my own artist website,  I searched the internet for the best deal for setting up my own & I was really excited because it looked easy, fun, & FREE!  Here’s what I found out I would really be getting…

1st I would need to chose a Domain Name,  (for example…  www.artistkarin.com ).   Most of the FREE sites I checked, included a domain name, & I found out that the website hosting company is actually who own it.  So this means they have the control over how it’s managed… or NOT!  (Sometimes the domain name is NOT even free… only the website).

Apparently, some website development & web hosting companies don’t even manage these websites themselves.  They sell website space to other ‘pseudo’ web-hosting companies, so;  if I was to have a problem, such as my website being ‘down’ or parts of my website not functioning properly,  I would NOT be getting direct support from the company where I made my website.   Some of the sites I found even have a ‘Live Support’ feature, but often times I’ve experienced that they’re not available to help me when I need it.

Choosing a Theme was the next step…

This was done by picking a ‘template’, which I thought was going to be the fun part…

however, being an artist;  I found that the selection was limited. The designs that they offered did not give me many options.  I was looking for a design that was similar to the visually interesting ones I’ve seen online for either art, artists or art galleries; and none of the ones offered to me fit my ‘vision’ of what I wanted my site to look like.

I decided to try making my artist website anyway… after all it was FREE, and the only way I would know how well one actually functioned, was to try it out.  So I chose a theme, and started the process of inputting  descriptions, images & pricing information; about my paintings & techniques, and a description in an ‘About Us’ (or ‘Bio”) page about myself & the history of the type of product or service I offered.  I was also asked to select my preferences for my ‘Shopping Cart’, in order for them to process the items buyers will be purchasing from my site.

So I did everything required to get my website up and running…

now all I needed to do was just sit back and watch the orders come in… right?

Well, it wasn’t quite that easy…I waited and nothing happened.  I waited some more… & weeks went by with no orders.  I spoke with someone @ their ‘Live Support’, to ask them if there were any technical reasons why I was not getting results; and was told “It can sometimes take awhile” and to, “Check back with them soon”.   After this continued for a month, I decided to check into some other options.

I looked at some Website Development |Website Design company websites and found out that they have articles & forums that address the exact concerns that I had about my website.  One of the things I found, was that the ‘free’ sites don’t offer their members optimal search engine results;  (termed..or “keyword” Search Engine Optimization… or “SEO”).  In other words, the way that website is arranged affects where it will end up in the search results for a certain search term, (i.e. how close to the beginning of the search results of a particular browser like  Google or Yahoo).  In this case,  I  realized that skimping on quality by choosing to use mediocre website development could really cost me more than just my time…  I now know that it can mean the difference between a decent product’s success or failure.   For instance, if my product or service is never viewed by internet customers, because it shows up on page 35 in the search results.  (After page 2… you might as well have your page being viewed on Mars).  I was finding that if  I was to use an experienced, reputable, website-development & website design company; that I would really know if my paintings were going to be a viable product, online; since my site would be in the same arena as competitors offering paintings of similar quality.

Another thing I found, was that being able to navigate a particular website can be made a lot better, by improving the functionality.  I was told that there are factors that affect the speed in which pages load, something I think most visitors to a website would find especially useful & desirable; since they are probably used to, as I am… visiting sites that are fast & well-designed.

Moving from one category to another, clicking on different items & being able to view them quickly… as well as giving the items the ability to be viewed easily, by being able to access them in separate windows;  are also important elements to help visitors avoid continually having to  hit the ‘back button’  in order to view the next item.  What I have come to realize from my research into how websites function,  is that these are the types of features I should have; to keep the visitors to my site satisfied & wanting to return.

Previously, I did not think much about how important ‘Shopping Carts‘ are to a successful website; until I remembered having several less-than enjoyable experiences while trying to purchase something from one that didn’t operate correctly.  Most times if I couldn’t make it happen in a couple of tries, I would just give up & go to a different website to buy the item I wanted.  I now realize that all shopping carts are NOT created equal.   I found that having a fully-functional shopping cart is not that hard to obtain..you just need to know where to look for one;  (such as the ones I discovered that are offered at a  custom website development site).   I now know that for a shipping cart to work correctly, you need to have all your products ‘cataloged’ in a way that reflects accurate functions for calculating prices, availability, coupons & gift cards, shipping costs & options, a way to track shipped orders…to name a few.  The features of the shopping carts I found in some of the web-development company articles… contained more features that I didn’t realize existed; and as I found out…were crucial elements for customers to be able to complete accurate, timely orders.

The outcome…

I did finally launch a website, where I currently display & my paintings are for sale in an online gallery.  I also accept web-design projects that offer different levels of features, which give the option of starting off with having the basic elements; as well as the choice of upgrading to more sophisticated & elaborate designs & templates.  The more complex & intricate features require my consulting with a web-developer, since they contain more complex characteristics such as ‘flash’, implementation of ‘databases’, setting up shopping carts, & as I mentioned earlier, ‘SEO’  (Search Engine Optimization).

The other advantage I found by using an experienced, established web-developer; is that they were able to guide me towards choosing the right design tools & features available for my type of internet business.

  Click On Image To Visit Web Development Website

In today’s competitive market, trying to figure out what makes a good web designer vs. developer is not necessarily that easy…

Especially if you don’t understand the differences between what a web designer does & what is involved in doing  web development.

In my quest to discover whether the internet was a venue which I needed to explore to see whether I could increase my ability to offer my paintings to a wider audience… I found that all web design is not created equal.  While researching the viability of this medium as a web design artist, I looked at many art & artist websites & to my surprise;  I realized that there was a vast difference in the way they looked & functioned.  Some looked great, but lacked the necessary functionality to enable the viewer to navigate through the site.  Others lacked visual interest or content,  & some had absolutely no way to get from page to page.  They were simply unable to complete any transactions in order to be able to purchase their products… due to the fact that their ‘shopping cart’ did not work at all.

Once I determined that I wanted to pursue obtaining a website as a web design artist,  I decided to look at the many options that are offered online.  There are sites that allow you to create your own website, using their set-up tools & ‘web-hosting’ services. The costs vary, from the most basic; which are often free, to the more sophisticated & functional.  These so-called  ‘Premium’ sites that are offered can end up being very costly, both initially;  as well as for the monthly fee they charge to have your website ‘hosted’,  (i.e. they offer space on their server for your website & for internet users to access it).  The cost may be justified if  they websites  they are ‘hosting’ get the necessary visibility .

Web design services are offered by both web-designers & website-developers.  Web designers can basically be anyone who says they can design & make your website visually appealing & functional.  Although they may have the ability to create a website that has a lot of visual appeal, and a degree of functionality;  many designers actually utilize the services of a Website Developer; since they do not always have the experience in ‘writing’ & interpreting the complex language used in the programs that internet servers use to ‘read’ the information contained in the design.  The average user does not ever see or know about the programming that exists in the web-server software that creates the dynamic pages that search engines read & interpret to use to make your website visible in search results.  In other words, if your website does not appear in the search results of Google, Yahoo or Bing…then no one can find it.

Another consideration, is whether a web-designer has the expertise to maximize your standings in the search results; by making sure that your site shows up on the 1st page of results.  What I found while I was researching web-design options, was that a web-developer offers far more options & will optimize every part of your website.  They not only have the knowledge of what elements to enhance, for ways people find your website… by creating the most up-to-date functionality for search engines to use; but they also have the ability to help you to design a site that you & your viewers will find visually interesting.  They possess the most updated web-development tools available, since they are also the ones writing the software for many of the programs that you can download or buy.

Another benefit to using a  web-developer, is that many offer personal contact with their clients, either by email or talking with them directly by phone.  I am fortunate to have found a Web-Development company with developers that I work closely with, who can provide my clients with the best results; for realizing their vision of what they want their website to become.

Below you will find articles on various subjects related to art & artistic design, including:

Click On An Article In One Of The Categories Below To View :

Oil Painting Techniques:

~Click Here to VIEW ALL RELATED ARTICLES ~

• Technical Aspects Defined
• Photo Selection
• Composition
• Composition… again
• Anatomy of an Oil Painting
• List of Oil Painting Materials
• 1st Time Oil Paint & Brush Use
• Brush Selection & Techniques
• Mixing & Blending Oil Paints
• Shading & Highlighting Techniques
• Painting Details in an Oil Painting
• Watercolor vs. Oil Painting

Resources For Artists:

~ Click Here to VIEW ALL RELATED ARTICLES ~

• From An Artist’s Perspective…
• So You Want To Be An Artist
• Learning About Art, Artists, & Their Work
• Introducing Your Artwork

Resources For Web Design:

~ Click Here to VIEW ALL RELATED ARTICLES ~

• Web Development Company
• Web Design Themes & Templates
• Website Report Card
• Web & Logo Design
• Telling Apart Good vs. Bad Web Design
• The Difference Between a Web Designer & Developer
• Creating Visually Appealing Website Design
• Today’s Graphic Art Software
• From Oil Painter to Digital Artist
• GIMP Edited Photos

Articles are added regularly… check back often to see what’s new!

For Artists trying to gain exposure for their work, making their art available to be viewed & purchased on the internet successfully; can be challenging. Competition is high & although it may seem difficult to figure out how to make yourself stand out as an artist…there are steps you can take, based on research of the factors which determine why viewers choose to remain on or leave a website. Researchers have found that users form their 1st impression of a website within 50 milliseconds…and that this impression is based upon the visual information they see during that time. This 1st impression affects the user’s ‘experience’ beyond that initial period of viewing, and can influence how they perceive a site’s other attributes; such as usability, written content, functionality & navigability.

The Good News…

Despite there being many interesting & well-designed artist websites… your artwork reveals YOUR unique talent & expression, & it can & should be reflected in the design of your website.  By putting the same degree of creativity that you’ve displayed in your work, into designing a website that highlights it, as well as you as an artist; you can reach an audience of those who appreciate fine, innovative, and exceptional art; which can be customized to achieve your artistic style and convey the message you are trying to express about your work, yourself, & your artistic interpretation and vision.

Artist Web Design | An Artist ‘Blog’:

is a great way to include posts and articles about you as an artist, and also announcing events that you may want to feature; such as, upcoming shows & exhibitions.

As you can imagine…there are a vast amount of different artist web design website styles. You may want to search the internet for existing artist websites; to experience for yourself what is out there, and view the many choices of available features. Then you can choose a professional website designer/developer, (see more on this in my article “What Makes a Good Web Designer vs. Developer” ).  A good one will help you by advising you what functional elements are necessary; as well as helping you to decide how to customize your design; using colors, fonts, adding images, as well as a gallery of your artwork.

Artist Web Design | Things To Keep In Mind When Designing a Visually Appealing Website:

• Colors  can be used in many different elements of your artist web design, such as in headers, fonts, backgrounds & also in selecting images. Having all the colors relate to one another correctly is important in presenting a aesthetically pleasing website design.
• Using Web-Safe Colors is important to insure that the colors you select to use on your site will be viewed the same on all computer monitors. There are 216 colors available, including shades of black, white & gray.
• Artwork Galleries Placing your work into one organized & visually appealing place, will give viewers a way to see examples of what you do. They can be simple ‘lightboxes’,’slideshows’, or technically elaborate Flash style galleries.
• Images Putting images on and knowing where to locate them, as well as the size & amount of images you use; on the pages of your website can really affect the appearance of it.

Artist Web Design | Usability & Functionality

The best designed website will only get you so far… keeping the visitors on your  artist web design website won’t occur, if once they are attracted to it; they discover that it is not easy to get around on, or to use the features you’ve had installed.  Again, professional website designers & developers are skilled at knowing what works, and are the ones who can best deal with these elements; however, you can receive advice & technical support from online website design & development companies.

If you do not have the budget for hiring a professional Ecommerce website designer or developer, there are free template artist web design & hosting services available at online sites, that offer services for you to easily start your own Ecommerce Artist website.