• Try “portfolio”, “ink”, “branding” or a code like “PRS 101”.

DMW 201Digital Media and Web Development

Creating an Artist Website

Plan, build and launch a portfolio website that helps the right people find, understand and contact you, using a site builder or a simple hand-built site.

In developmentDraft content

About this course

An artist website is a working tool: it should show your work well, explain who you are, and make it easy to get in touch, buy or commission. This course takes you from goals and audience through a sitemap and content inventory to choosing a platform (site builders, WordPress or a static site) based on cost, control and maintenance. You will write key pages, structure galleries, prepare images, set up a domain and email, apply search basics, and launch with a checklist. The final module covers privacy-respecting analytics and a realistic update routine. The course works whichever platform you choose; Introduction to Web Design helps if you want to build by hand.

Who it’s for: Artists, illustrators and designers ready to launch or rebuild their website. Have at least ten documented works ready; Photography for Artists is a useful companion.

You will be able to

  • Define the goals, audience and calls to action for an artist website.
  • Plan a sitemap and content inventory before building.
  • Choose a platform by comparing cost, control and maintenance.
  • Write and build home, work, about and contact pages with clear navigation.
  • Launch a site on your own domain using a launch checklist, and plan its upkeep.

Studio project

A launched artist website on your own domain, with planning documents, a completed launch checklist and an update routine.

To complete this course

  • Complete every required lesson.
  • Have the assignment “Launch your artist website” accepted by an instructor.
  • Records of completion are issued only for courses whose content has passed instructor review.

Part of

Syllabus

Working titles: they may change as the course is written.

  1. Module 1: Planning

    Deciding what the site needs to do before choosing tools.

    1. 1.1Goals, audience and calls to actionExercise · 35 min
    2. 1.2Sitemap and content inventoryExercise · 40 min
    3. 1.3Choosing a platformReading · 35 min

  2. Module 2: Content

    The words and images that make the site work.

    1. 2.1Writing key pagesExercise · 45 min
    2. 2.2Structuring your workReading · 30 min
    3. 2.3Preparing images for the siteExercise · 30 min

  3. Module 3: Build and launch

    Putting it together and going live.

    1. 3.1Domains and professional emailReading · 30 min
    2. 3.2Studio: building the siteStudio · 120 min
    3. 3.3Search basics for artistsReading · 30 min
    4. 3.4Launch checklistExercise · 30 min

  4. Module 4: Maintaining the site

    Keeping it current without it taking over your life.

    1. 4.1Analytics and privacyReading · 25 min
    2. 4.2An update routineReading · 20 min

Author: Ricketts University curriculum team (draft for founder review) · Not yet reviewed

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  3. DMW 103

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