Get started by: Creating a blog → | Getting a domain →
Whether you’re considered an emerging, mid-career or established artist, an artist website is a great way to put yourself out there in the art world. A website is an effective networking and business tool, making your work publicly available for potential curators, gallerists and collectors to see.
If you’re an artist reading this, you've most likely wondered if you should make an artist website of your own. The answer is an enthusiastic “yes,” and if you don’t know how to make a website, don’t let that stop you. Below, we’ll show you how to make a website for an artist in nine steps, and how you can streamline the process using a website builder.
What is an artist website?
An artist website serves as a link between you and the professional art community, designed to catch the eye of prospective gallerists, curators and collectors. This type of website acts as your own virtual art gallery, portfolio and CV to effectively showcase the best of your artistic practice to visitors.
On top of basic web pages, such as a homepage, an artist website typically features a comprehensive gallery to engage visitors, accompanied by details about each completed work. It’s important to include your professional background and contact details to foster important connections, too.
As traffic grows, an artist website can evolve into an online store for selling directly to interested clients. This is a great way to benefit from the online market, expand your reach and generate revenue.
How to make an artist website in 9 steps
01. Establish goals for your artist website
In the art world, you are your own brand—and your artist website will be an extension of it. That’s why it's important to set your own goals and expectations before you make your site. Clear goals will help define the purpose of your website, giving you a better idea of which design elements and features you need to achieve success.
Depending on the career stage, the goals of making a website for an artist include:
Expand your audience
Connect with galleries and collectors
Sell artwork online
Apply for grants and exhibitions
This is also a great time to look around at some of the best artist websites to gain inspiration. As you go, take note of what features and visual elements you like, and how these can help your website achieve your goals.
02. Choose a website builder
You’re probably wondering how long it takes to build a website, and how you’ll balance this task with the time you spend in the studio. That's why we recommend using a website builder, which isn’t just time-saving technology, but also gives you design freedom and management tools to succeed.
Using professional templates and custom design features, a website allows novice users to design their own site and publish it without hiring a developer. Platforms like Wix provide user-friendly drag-and-drop technology, even offering AI website builder options to speed-up the creation process.
Learn more: Best website builders for artists
Here are some important things you want to look out for when choosing a website builder:
Cost efficient
Be aware of how much it costs to build a website before you choose which platform and plan you’ll use. An average website builder will cost up to $200 per month. Most website creators like Wix include a variety of plans and pricing tiers to choose from, and often offer a free plan to get you started.
Reliable website infrastructure
Website infrastructure includes the hardware, software, network and server components that work together to deliver the website's content and provide a smooth user experience. You’ll want a website building software that has a reputation for reliability, and includes features like web hosting, content management, security and monitoring.
Solid website performance
Do your diligence and be sure to choose a builder with a reputation for good website performance. This means healthy core web vitals like quality media optimization and fast loading times.
Professional templates
Website templates are a helpful tool for getting started with an already pre-design website layout and integrations. These are completely customizable and are a great way to kick-start the website creation process. If you’re thinking about selling your artwork online one day, you might want to choose an art template that already includes an online store template within it.
E-commerce and marketing tools
If one of your goals is sales, choose a platform that includes eCommerce functionality and marketing tools. Look for a website builder that tracks your website analytics (like Wix Analytics) and SEO and offers marketing integrations such as email marketing and social media sharing.
03. Pick a template
Once you have a website builder, choose a creative arts template that’s especially set up for displaying your art work and putting it in center stage. Something with a built-in gallery and an easy-to-view format is a great start for sharing your artistic vision. You can refine your website template’s design as you go along and customize it with your own colors, fonts and website backgrounds.
04. Register a domain name
No professional website is complete without securing a domain name, which is typically a service offered using a platform like Wix. A domain name is the address you will give visitors to find and interact with your website.
Domain names should be concise and easy to remember, and since it's a long term investment, we recommend using a simple format such as, www.namesurname.com. Your domain will include a top-level domain, too (that’s the .com in Wix.com), and there are several you can choose from. From the classic .com to newer ones that may be prevalent in the art world, like .art, .studio, .design, .photography, .gallery, or .artwork.
05. Set up your website pages
Now, it's time to enter the backend of your website creator’s dashboard to start adding and customizing your website pages. Keep in mind that because website design is an iterative process, you'll likely modify details as you build your site.
Each page should serve a specific purpose. You’ve likely chosen a template that includes the foundational pages you need, but to make an artist website that will succeed, we recommend that you absolutely include the following:
Homepage
Think of your homepage as the introduction to your site. It’s the first page visitors will see when they arrive, so it needs to make a strong impression, set the right tone, and include a navigation menu to launch visitors into your portfolio or shop.
Your homepage should display prudent information that communicates who you are as an artist, including images of your work and your name. Don’t forget to include contact details here, too—adding these or a contact form to the footer of your homepage is also a seamless way to encourage visitors to inquire about your work.
If you have an upcoming exhibition, your homepage is the perfect spot to promote it. You can invite visitors to attend by including a digital flier or adding a pop-up with relevant details.
Contact and email sign-up forms
These lead-generating tools are often included on the homepage footer, but can also exist as a pop-up or stand alone webpage. Contact forms allow visitors to contact you directly from your site, bypassing the need for a separate email and saving time. A sign-up form will allow you to connect emails from visitors—even if you don’t have a newsletter just yet, it’s never too early to start building your mailing list with interested fans.
About page
An About page provides visitors with more information about your professional background and practice. This is an opportunity to highlight your education, experience and talk about your inspiration and approach.
An About page should include an image of yourself, preferably in-action at the studio or a professional headshot. You’ll also want to tell your story, writing out a short biography and explanation of your artistic approach.
For exhibiting artists, your About page can also include a CV or updated list of exhibitions you’ve participated in. This is a great opportunity to post your artist statement if you have one.
Seamless navigation
Intuitive navigation is a necessary element when making a website for an artist. With a clear menu and well-structured user journey, it will be easier for visitors to identify exactly what they need. Include your main pages on the website main menu, making sure they are labeled clearly, and create an uncomplicated hierarchy that leads visitors to any subpages of your artist website.
Your own logo
If you don’t already have a logo, you can use a logo maker to create one of your own. For artists, this isn’t a must-have, but it's a great way to brand your art website and amplify professional appearance.
Galleries
Your artwork will be the heart of your website, hence it’s a must to have dedicated gallery pages for visitors to experience them. At this stage, you can choose the portfolio pages or image galleries that you want to start with. Be sure to use a gallery layout that leaves ample white space and large enough photos that will help viewers be immersed in the works.
In the next step, we’ll show you how to design these galleries to best showcase your artwork.
06. Showcase your artwork
Now that you’ve got your gallery pages set up, you can start curating them to display on your website. With Wix Pro Gallery, it's easy to import your photos into the editor. From there you can edit, add and rearrange the photos into categories.
Here’s how to curate an eye-catching gallery for your site:
Choose your best artworks
It’s easy to overwhelm visitors with too much imagery, which is why it's important to select a concise and powerful collection of your art. You’ll want to reflect a relevant but diverse body of work, honing in on past projects, recently completed artworks, and stand-out accomplishments such as award-winning pieces.
Occasionally, it's good to show off your artistic process with an image of a “work in progress,” but seasoned gallerists and collectors will mostly focus on complete works.
Use high quality photos
When performing a search on Google, 29% of users prefer using images over written content. Since your own site will be abundant with images, that leaves a lot of potential for reaching more traffic with SEO. But in order for visitors to click on your photo, it needs to stand out with excellent quality.
Using quality visuals can not only attract new visitors, it also impacts the user experience of your website. Visitors want an experience that will closely resemble viewing your work in real life, and for that you need high resolution images (today, this can be achieved using a smartphone camera). If you’re using Wix, each image added to your site will automatically be optimized for the web to ensure images look their best and download speedily.
Organize your portfolio gallery
Visitors will have a better time browsing through your portfolio with organized categories and descriptions. Your artworks within the galleries can be arranged by date, medium or collection, giving visitors a clear map to view your collection, and making it easier to find specific works.
Describe your art
Your descriptions should at least include the title of the artwork, medium and date created. You can add a bit more detail, such as the inspiration behind the piece—just be sure to keep it brief and impactful.
07. Make your site mobile friendly
You want to be confident that your artwork looks amazing for visitors, especially when they view it on a small screen. Wix provides an automated mobile-friendly version and an adaptive gallery for your images, ensuring they maintain high resolution even on mobile devices. While this feature simplifies the process, regularly reviewing the mobile editor is essential to confirm that the generated mobile site accurately reflects your design vision.
08. Review and publish
Before your site goes live, there are a number of things you should review. First, is the experience of the website itself. Put your site into preview mode and have family or friends use it for feedback on the user experience. You should also share the site with someone who has a good eye, taking note of design flaws and having them proof-read for grammar and spelling errors.
This is a perfect time to run a web accessibility audit. Website accessibility involves making your site inclusive and user-friendly for individuals with disabilities, including visual, motor, hearing, cognitive, or situational challenges. You can also do an SEO audit, which can help your site reach broader audiences and maximize its performance in search results.
Once you're satisfied with how your artist website looks, functions and performs, it’s time to press publish and make it live.
Pro tip: Use this website launch checklist for a reminder of essential steps to complete before and after publishing.
09. Maintain your website
Moving ahead to the post publishing stages, there are several website maintenance practices that will help your website improve over time. To make sure your site’s content is up-to-date and keeps up optimal performance, regularly check in on:
Content updates: Continuously add new artworks and update your professional details.
Website performance: If you're using Wix, utilize the Wix Site Speed Dashboard to test, analyze, and optimize your website's performance on desktop and mobile devices.
User experience: Consistently check your site’s mobile version, speed and user-friendliness. Promptly fix any bugs or glitches to provide a smooth user experience.
How to promote your artist website
Now that your site is live, it’s time to share it with the world. Whether your goals involve gaining sales, networking or visibility, there are plenty of cost-effective ways to promote your artist website:
Social media: People will interact with your social media accounts more frequently than your website. This makes social media platforms a great space for promoting your website and advertising new works.
Email marketing: With well-crafted email campaigns, you can regularly engage with your followers and drive visitors to your site. On Wix, an integrated email marketing tool makes it easy to build your mailing list, create optimized emails, automate campaigns and track your results.
Art blog: Starting an art blog is a powerful tool for establishing authority in the art realm by writing about your work, techniques and or the dynamic landscape of the industry. Optimize blog posts for search engines by using relevant keywords, meta descriptions and proper formatting to increase visibility.
How to sell your art online
With the popularity of e-Commerce, it’s never been more relevant or achievable to sell art online. Once your artist website is up and running, you can add an online store to showcase your products, manage inventory, receive payments and more. If you’re using a website builder like WIx, all of this is included in a single platform.
Now’s the time to set up shop and develop your digital storefront. Whether you choose an e-Commerce template or add the Wix Stores integration to your website, customize your shop’s pages using professional imagery, clear descriptions and prices. Finally, set up a smooth checkout process for visitors: keep required fields to a minimum and make sure each step of the process is clearly numbered.
Benefits of an artist website
An artist website is much more than a place to show off photos of your work—it’s a place where interested buyers and followers can go to learn more about you, and dive deeper into your practice. While social media is a great platform for building a following, having a website makes it easier to manage your growth and opens up more possibilities.
Artists websites have the following benefits:
Encourages networking
Successful networking in the art world depends on getting your name out there whenever the opportunity strikes. But these opportunities don’t present themselves overnight.Whenever you encounter an interested gallerist, curator, or collector in person, sharing your website is a professional strategy that keeps their attention and fosters engagement.
Showcases your talent
With a portfolio gallery, you can ensure visitors see images of your artwork in more detail. When curated properly, it allows visitors to easily browse through a diverse collection of works, getting a comprehensive view of your talent.
Reaches a wider audience
By utilizing digital tools like email marketing, SEO, and blogging, your website has the potential to expand its reach beyond your local art community. These tools can connect you with collectors from around the globe, allowing you to broaden your audience and increase your exposure.
Five artist website examples
From illustrator websites to fine art and photography, the following are examples of artist websites that make the best use of online features. As you review these, take note of why each design stands out and what elements you should incorporate when you make an artist website of your own.
Jennifer Xiao
Jennifer XIao’s illustration website greets visitors with an intriguing splash page that showcases her site's menu. This creative approach captivates and engages users, making them eager to explore further. Incorporating customized icons on the menu allows Xiao to showcase her custom vector art, enhancing the overall design and elevating the user experience.
Miranda Sofroniou
The homepage of Miranda Sofroniou's website features a full-screen image of an original watercolor print, immersing visitors in a tangible experience of her work. The design of the site is kept simple and subtle, creating a cohesive backdrop that complements her illustrations. A strong CTA at the bottom of Sofroniou’s homepage calls attention to her online shop, encouraging visitors to purchase prints.
Sharon Radisch
Sharon Radisch has a portfolio website that’s incredibly user friendly thanks to well-organized navigation and a clear website structure. When hovering over an image within the portfolio, the title of the category appears, which is a great way to save space and enhance the user experience. Included on her homepage is a list of clients, showcasing her collaborations and profound professional experience.
William LaChance
William LaChance is not afraid to inject personality and color onto his website homepage. He skillfully employs scrolling effects to separate content and captivate users. This is an easy feature to apply, and yields impressive visual results. By placing the website menu on the left side, LaChance deviates from the conventional, but combined with ample white space, this menu design attracts attention and enhances navigability.
Shayda Campbell
Having an online shop is essential for commercial artists. Shayda Campbell has set an excellent example of how to do this. Creating a cohesive brand identity, the incorporates a logo and favicon onto her site. Campbell also connects it to regularly updated social media accounts like Pinterest and YouTube to help engage customers and grow her audience. Additionally, she includes a captivating biography and a striking portrait on her About page, adding a personal and inviting touch.
How to make an artist website FAQ
How can I make a free artist website?
Many website builders like Wix offer free plans, which include everything you need to create a website and get it live. You can always update your plan in the future to get more benefits and features. To get started, visit the website of your chosen platform and sign up for a free account. You'll need to provide some basic information like your name, email address, and a password.