Professional artist websites are essential to the success of any aspiring artist selling art online or locally.
Building an online presence goes a long way in getting an artist’s name out there.
It is crucial to have a well-designed website that will separate your art business from all of the other artists selling art online.
Today the internet allows you to connect with people around the world.
Your artist website will be the first impression of your art business and it is vital to provide a professional and pleasant experience for all visitors.
Website builders like WordPress and Shopify along with hosting services like BlueHost have worked hard to make it easy for just about anyone to build a professional website
You could purchase hosting, a domain name, and have a WordPress website up in just a few minutes with BlueHost.
I didn’t have that option when I first started selling my artwork online.
I had to spend 5,000 to have a company build a site for me, and worst of all, I didn’t have the option to edit the site as my business grew.
Today I have built and designed this website and it only costs about $4.00 a month.
In this post, I am going to talk about some of the most important features your artist website should have and share with you some beautiful artist websites for inspiration.
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By the end of this post, you will know…
- How other successful artists designed their artist’s website
- What an artist website needs
- Website navigation
- Menu options
- Art descriptions
Artist Websites You Should See
If you are ready to start selling your art online and are interested in building an artist’s website, you should research other artist’s websites first so you can have an idea of what you like and what you don’t like.
A successful website starts with a vision and a plan.
Before you can develop a successful plan, you need to know what your options are.
Observing how other artists are designing their website will give you a good idea of your options.
You might be thinking to yourself, there is no way I can build a website.
But building a professional WordPress website is easier than you might think with hosting services like BlueHost and HostGator.
You can have your art blog and website live in just a few minutes. All you need to do is purchase hosting and a domain name that can be done right through BlueHost and HostGator.
If you decide to use HostGator or BlueHost for your hosting and domain name you will find it even easier to set up a WordPress site.
Both services have a quick WordPress Setup option that will walk you through the entire process and they both have 24/7 assistance if you have any questions.
Launching a website is the easy part. The design of your site is what will take some planning.
Below are 4 websites to get you started. I am going to highlight the designs of each so you know what to look for.
Before you get started, take some time to write down your art business goals.
Are you building a painting artist website where you can sell original artwork?
Or are you building a website where you can teach art lessons?
Maybe you want to provide both.
Maybe you’re interested in websites for artist portfolios.
It doesn’t matter what your goals are.
What is important is that you have a clear vision of what you want.
The best news is that you can update your WordPress artist website as your art business grows.
Here are some tools to help you write and track your art business goals.
Remember that a successful art marketing plan is a plan that id documented.
4 Amazing Artist Websites
There are thousands of artist’s websites online.
Some of them are jaw-dropping while others need some serious help.
I am going to share with you some beautiful art websites and talk about how they designed their site to build an online presence and grow their following.
Watch the videos as I take you through their websites.
Ann’s artist website is very clean and simple with a great tagline “savor the colors of the moment”.
Ann’s design makes it easy for her audience to navigate to different areas of her site.
Notice how many categories she is displaying. There are only three parent categories but she is taking advantage of child categories.
Ann sells her original artwork as well as prints of her art directly on her site. She takes advantage of utilizing several different images of her work and the description is clear and to the point.
At the bottom of her home page, there is a way for people to contact her, share her site and join her email the list.
Visit Ann’s site – ANNREA
Kelly is a success story and an inspiration for young artists starting to sell art online. She has built a very successful art business in a very short amount of time.
Let’s first look at her beautiful homepage filled with warm inviting colors and a tagline that tells a story, “let art out, let love in”.
The top menu bar has social share buttons, My Story, Contact and Student Access.
Her second menu bar is well thought out. She starts off with a “New Here” link for here new audience, followed by E-courses, Art shop, Books, Podcast, and Blog. You can easily see she has mastered the art of marketing.
Visit Kelly’s site – kellyraeroberts.com
The next artist’s website I would like to share with you is Erika Farkas’s
This is a unique website and well thought out. I hope to someday have a chance to talk with Erika about how she designed her site.
Her artist website has a dark background that enhances her graphite and pastel artwork.
What I like most about her site is that you keep scrolling down to find all the information you would need to know about Erika. It has a Facebook newsfeed feel but better.
There is a floating menu bar that stays at the top of the page with links to Home, Bio, Realistic Works, Surreal Works, Abstract Works, Exhibits, Commissions, Shop, and Contact.
Visit Erika’s website – erikafarkas.com
Kathleen offers her original oil paintings for sale along with commissions.
The top section clearly shows what the site offers. The top menu includes links to Home, Paintings, Commissions, Blog, About and Contact.
Under the header is a large image showcasing one of her paintings with information about Kathleen’s paintings.
On the home page, a new visitor can see Kathleen’s art as well as start to feel connected to her. This is a great way to start building a potential buyer’s trust.
As you continue to scroll down you will see two more paintings that showcase two categories, landscape oil paintings, and figure oil paintings.
Under that is a section that showcases Kathleen’s newest paintings.
Visit Kathleen’s website – kathleenmrobison.com
There are many great artist websites online for you to look at and learn from.
Take some time and search for other artists online and learn how they have built their online art business.
What An Artist Website Needs
There are many options to choose from when you are building your artist website.
There is no one design that will work for all artists, however, there are some common practices that you will want to follow.
Let’s take a look at what the essentials of a thriving art website are.
Easy to Navigate
The more websites you research the more you will notice that some sites are cluttered and confusing. They are hard to navigate and do not give a clear picture of what the site is about.
It is essential for new visitors to know exactly what your site has to offer.
Make it easy for your new visitors to understand what your site is about and make it easy for them to find the information they are looking for.
Your home page should explain to the viewer through text, images, and the menu bar what they can expect from your art website.
You should have every page link back to the main pages of your site like the home page, gallery, about section, contact, and purchase information page. This can easily be done with a menu bar at the top of the page.
Main Menu Options
Main menu options are links that direct your audience to a specific area of your site.
Many artists make the mistake of having too many menu options.
Having too many menu options you will increase the chance of overwhelming your audience.
This increases the odds of them leaving your site without finding what they were looking for. The bottom line, you will be losing sales.
Above is what my menu has to offer. There is a link to the home page, blog, eBooks, pastel paintings, fine art prints, rustic ornaments, and my account.
The links on my menu page also contain subcategories to make it even easier for views to find the content they are interested in.
Before you just start creating different categories for your menu bar, write your goals and mission.
Create categories that complement your art business goals.
Main Menu Categories an Artist Website Should Have
Gallery Link – Your online gallery will be your money maker. This is where people will be able to view your art and have the option to purchase products.
You can add drop-down options (subcategories) to highlight specific subjects you paint or draw like portfolios, landscapes, and wildlife.
Dropdown menus will make it easier for your audience to find exactly what they are looking for. The end result is more sales.
FAQ Link – Having an FAQ section will save you a ton of time in the long run. You will not have to answer the same questions multiple times.
Providing detailed information on your policies and FAQ will help you to land more sales because your audience will know exactly what to expect if they decide to make a purchase.
About the Art Link – This is where you will provide your Artist Statement and Mission Statement.
About the Artist Link – This is where you will provide your Bio and any awards you might have.
Contact Link – Make it easy for people to contact you with any questions they might have. (You will notice that you will not have as many questions emailed to you if you have an FAQ link.)
Art Descriptions
All the art you are showcasing should have a description.
You will not be able to share your story face to face with a potential buyer. The art description is for you to be able to tell the story behind your art.
Related Resource – Effective Tips On Writing Art Descriptions That Sell
Art Sections (Groups)
Organize your art into sections or groups. Showing too many kinds of art together will become overwhelming to a shopper.
Think of your site as a gallery or museum, display similar art together. Each group should have its own group or category (dropdown).
Creating extra categories will also help you with SEO (Search Engine Optimization).
Providing art descriptions and specific categories for your art will also help your site to rank higher in Google’s search.
Conclusion:
Your website is your online art portfolio and will be your pride and joy.
Enhance your art and take the time to build a beautiful artist website.
Your site will be the first impression of your brand.
Beautiful artist websites start with a plan and knowing the different options that are available.
Learn from other artist websites.
If you have any questions, reach out to them.
They are artists just like you.
I am sure most of them would be more than happy to help you in any way they can.
Popular Craft Marketing Online Video Courses
Are you ready to take your art business to the next level?
Investing in marketing courses and tutorials will maximize your profit and speed up the growth of your business.
Below are some of the most popular art marketing courses that will grow your online art business:
Most Popular – How to Make a Living Selling What You Make by Megan Auman
Most Popular – Build a Successful Creative Blog by April Bowles-Olin
How to Build a Business While Learning Your Craft by Megan Auman
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