Art Marketing

As an artist, do you really need to have a website? The short answer is a resounding yes. 

Whether your work is on canvas, paper, film, digital, or anywhere in between, you need somewhere to showcase it. And while posting your artwork on social media is a must, it simply does not replace having a website – but instead supports your brand as an artist. Think of your website as your own personal gallery. But more than that, your website is a powerful marketing tool, your digital calling card as an artist, and a central hub for your online presence. It’s the first place you’ll direct potential clients or buyers for more information about you and your work. It’s also a valuable resource that displays your art and completed projects; it connects all of your social media accounts; it’s where interested clients, buyers, and galleries can easily contact you or sign up for your newsletter, and read about you, and your history as an artist. 

So, now you know why you need a website. Perhaps you’ve already started the process by choosing the perfect domain name and maybe even hosting for your future website. Now it’s time to get into the more creative aspect of building your online portfolio website – the design.

As you’re deciding on a design or template for your site, keep in mind that you should choose something that reflects the style of your artwork. After all, you are marketing yourself and your work, and it’s essential to have a cohesive message across the board. With the design of your website, you’ll be creating a visual picture of what you want your audience to see. As you’re creating your website, think of how galleries are designed – they are functional and austere with plenty of whitespace on the walls to not distract from the artwork. Your website design should reflect this as well.

Portfolio Website Design Do’s & Don’ts

Do have a simple, elegant, aesthetically pleasing design. Your website should be easy to navigate and user-friendly for artists and non-artists alike. 

Don’t go overboard with the design or color palette. This will distract from your work and turn people off from your website. 

Do use large, well-framed, high-quality images and videos of your artwork. 

Don’t use small, blurry, grainy, or low-quality images or videos. 

Do showcase images of your best work prominently. 

Don’t include other artists’ artwork on your website. Even if it’s an artwork that has inspired you in the past, it will confuse visitors if they see artwork that isn’t yours. It may also make them question whether the other art is yours, and your authenticity could be compromised.

Where and How to Design & Build Your Website

Now that you have an idea of what you should be looking for when it comes to the design of your website let’s get to the next step. Exactly where and how do you design and build your website? There are so many website solutions out there in the deep sea of the Internet, from DIY website builders to fully managed portfolios. However, finding the best fit can be tricky for beginners. Here are a few of our favorite options for building online portfolio websites:

Squarespace

This DIY website building platform is straightforward to set up and offers a variety of beautiful, impactful themes that are fully customizable, with designer fonts and color palettes to fit your style and professional needs best. Squarespace doesn’t require any coding, so it’s great for those who are brand new to building websites. Squarespace also boasts award-winning 24/7 customer support, as well as a free trial to get you started.

Squarespace Artist Website Examples:

Kate Vass

Jason Arkles

Pricing

Squarespace’s prices range from $12 per month to $40 per month, with discounts offered to annual subscribers. 

Get started with Squarespace here.

Format

Format is another fantastic DIY option for building your online portfolio. With easy-to-use tools, you can make your website from start to finish – with no coding required. Format is excellent for those who are brand new to creating websites and those who are a bit more tech-savvy. No matter your skill level, you’ll be able to create a truly unique site; this platform offers thousands of template design variations with complete customization. If you find yourself needing assistance, Format delivers fantastic customer support.

Format Artist Website Examples:

Andrea Lawl Manning

Rebecca Miller Photography

Pricing

Format’s prices range from $15 per month to $55.99 per month, with discounts offered to annual subscribers. 

Shopify

Whether you’re an artist, curator, or gallerist looking to showcase art and sell art online, Shopify is by far the best option. Shopify is an e-commerce platform that offers a way to quickly launch your online store and start selling to your customers, wherever they are. And if you want to customize your online store or even build it from the ground up, the Shopify App Store and our APIs make that easy to do. It’s also a fully hosted platform, meaning you won’t need to worry about moving your domain or installing anything to get your website up and running. Shopify offers 100+ fully customizable themes, world-class customer support, web hosting, and store management tools, shopping carts, analytics features, payment processing, and much more. While it’s helpful to have some coding knowledge to get the most out of a Shopify website, it’s not required.

Shopify Artist Website Examples:

Ferme à Papier

Marta Spendowska

Pricing

Shopify’s prices range from $29 per month to $299 per month.

Get Started with Shopify here.

Final Thoughts

As a professional artist, you need to have more than your work to get around in the art world today. Along with your physical portfolio, it’s imperative that you have a beautifully designed portfolio website. You should be able to have a link at the ready, whether it’s on your social media accounts or printed on your business cards. Your website’s purpose is to project a professional image, market and sell your art, and maximize your exposure as an artist. 

At TheArtList, we’re passionate about helping artists thrive in their careers. In our upcoming Art Marketing 101 series, we’ll walk you through step-by-step how to make the best online portfolio to showcase your artwork and market your work and personal brand. Subscribe to our Artist & Photographer Mailing List so you won’t miss any upcoming blog posts. You’ll also receive our monthly newsletter showcasing our Artist of the Month contest winners and art calls delivered directly to your inbox!

And if you’re an art gallery, museum, or organization looking to promote your art calls, contests, exhibitions or events, subscribe to our Submitter Mailing List. You’ll receive our monthly newsletter showcasing some remarkable up-and-coming talent, as well as the occasional discount on our promotional packages!