[snaplekap]

I was just curious...why is it that most of the people here don't have very "good looking" web sites. You guys are some of the best artist I have ever seen, but don't put much effort into maintaining a good looking site. For example, look at spooge's site. He has the best art I have EVER seen, but his site...kinda sucks. I'm not being offensive or anything I was just wondering if there is a reason to the lack of effort in the web site department.

[rdgraffix]

Well, to tell you the truth, illustration and website design are two very different disciplines. Just because an artist is great at illustration doesn't mean he has the desire (or time) to learn new programs and go through the long process of creating a slick website.

Personally, I enjoy both, and I had a lot of fun creating my own site - but I can definately understand if someone else decided they had better things to do with their time and talent. It's a rather tedious process after all, when you take into consideration all the time and hastle in making sure everything links, works, loads fast, looks consistant etc., even when viewed through different browsers.

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- rowan dodds
RD Graffix

[Pat]

What's wrong with Craig's site? I like it just fine.

-Pat

[Sumaleth]

I actually tend to prefer sites like Craigs compared the ones where you need to read a manual in order to navigate the site. A site should be about the content, not how you find the content.

Row.

[dr . bang]

snaplekap, i have to disagree with you. Craig Mullins site design is very appropiate for his content. I think hats the way an artist portfolio gallery should look like.

[kerosene]

I agree with dr Bang.

When I made my site I intentionally wanted to avoid too "cool" look. If you go around web checking the greatest graphic designers work you understand that you can't get close to them anyway.

I appreciate professionals in their field and I am not going to pretend being one.

Also the web page itself is not what you are actually promoting. Easy updating etc. Is much more important than some gimmicks.

heikki
-------------------------- www.projectkerosene.com

[Lunatique]

There are two views on this subject: 1)artists prefer to have simple looking websites and let their artwork speak for themselves. 2)The design of the website reflects your ability as an artist.

I personally fall into the first category. As long as my site has basic colors I like, easy to navigate, I really don't care too much about having slick designs or flash animation. If I have lots of time on my hands, or the motivation to do it, I might composed a super cool looking site, but it really isn't important to me at all. Why? I'll tell you why. I've seen too many awesomely designed websites, and thought, "Wow, this guy's good. I'm dying to see his artwork." Then, I click on the gallery and get REALLY disappointed. It's almost as if mediocre artists spend all that time perfecting a cool website to cover up the fact they can't paint/draw very well. They really should be painting/drawing more instead of spending all that time on their websites. Unless you do web design for a living, then it's a different story. This is not to say I havn't seen great websites with great art as well, but seeing great design for the sites is just a tiny cherry on top, but it's the all the stuff underneathe the cherry that matters. I DO make a mental note to the effect of, "Hey, this guy can design pretty well, on TOP of being a good artist."

My friend Jason Felix and a few others think the opposite. They believe that the presentation of your artwork also reflects your ability as a designer. I do agree with him somewhat, but guess what? I have NEVER, EVER, seen or heard of anyone getting hired to do art(other than web design)because their website looked great. In fact, the real truth is, no art director I know gives a flying f*ck how your website looks. Seriously, they really couldn't care less. It's all about the artwork, and ONLY about the artwork. (Once again, UNLESS you are doing web design, no one cares.)

So, it's really down to personal priority. This actually brings up a funny point: have you ever noticed the people who try so hard to dress/look like the artist type, when they have no talent whatsoever, and then there are the dudes who look like your average Joe, but they can draw/paint like a demon? Of course, there are the ones who fall somewhere inbetween, or extremes of both. Much like this whole website thing, huh?

BTW, I like Craig's site just fine. God forbid if one days he flips out and tweeks it into some NU Design/flash animation website with techno music and sound EFX. Not that I don't enjoy sites like that, but really, Craig's artwork is too good for that kind of flashy treatment.

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www.arcanum.net/~lunachild

[Lukias]

These days sites that people consider to be high end, so to speak are very *in you face*.
They are bright, complex(or seemingly so) and and just to.....commercial, almost like your trying to be sold something because it looks pretty. personally this detracts from what your there for in the first place and gets annoying trying to manouver through the gimmicky overlay when you just wanna get to the good bits....the art.

Check out Alan Tew's site http://www.beeba.net/main/main.html

Very simple and very plain (also a very talented artist). His site is awsome in my book.

Check out my site, you'll be jealous

[Jerry]

I agree to Lunatique on the second point... I think artists should have their website look good to reflect on their artwork... I think Craig's website is just too dull and that goes for some other ones too... I think website's should at least look half as good as their art like Doug Chiang I think that's his name at dcstudio.com I think that's the address. I think that site is awesome

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-KARN- Forever. Die? Never
KARN's Page

[Justin Kramer]

When I go to a site I want to choose what I spend my time downloading, not be forced. I want to see content, not the crap around it! And give me thumbnails that show the entire artworks, not just ears and noses!!

I like Craig's site--mostly readable text (not that teeny tiny stuff that trendy designers like to use) and full-size thumbnails. It could be layed out / organized a little more professionally, but one can get to the art quickly and easily, which is the most important thing.

There are certain exceptions--sites where the design is the content, or that are built for broadband--but for the most part, I think designs should be transparent containers for content.

(I know, I'm a hypocrite--I've designed some pretty damn bloated sites.)



[This message has been edited by Justin Kramer (edited February 19, 2001).]

[kerosene]

Many of my friends are doing flash portfolios at the moment and I just keep telling to them that make them faster and more simple. There are not many things I hate as much as those slow melancoly flash animations in website intros. They were cool 2-3 years ago - now you cant add extra value with them unless you are some coding genious.
And for gods sake when you come next time and you have to again wait the place to load some interface just to achieve some nice animation when you try to get further. I really do think that primary target is easy and clear UI. You don't want to annoy possible emplyer or client. Make it look good but no tricks. Good looking typography, colors etc. That is enough.

About Doug Chiang's website. It looks good ok. But it is not well designed (in non visual sense). It opens new windows in funny ways so that you may end up having several windows with same content. There are several ways to get to certain places with unpredictable links. Going back and forth in the interface is not fluid. I like the content and site looks good still I wouldn't rank it very high.

heikki anttila

-------------- www.projectkerosene.com

[troopa]

Look at me, I love art and drawing but I'm not as good as theese guys, but people say that I am one of the best web site designers out there..
a few of my sites www.nirdesign.com www.codegamer.com - discountued
I have sold over 50 websites, to offical companies (zdnet,gamespy,ect..)
most of my own personal websites are discountuned becuase of school, and some are corrupted by scripts..
Anywho..
I wanna become a better artist

[Gecko]

It's all about content and navigation.



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Gecko
[email protected]
GeckoArt.Net

[troopa]

oh no, my nir design domain went down

[Jerry]

anyway f-that... anybody else feel like mexican tonight?

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-KARN- Forever. Die? Never
KARN's Page

[Jason]

The IDEAL artists site. Give me one page with lots and lots of thumb nails. And please dont crop them all off. Why have thums if your not going to show the picture in them. stoopid if you ask me. Look close though and you will see i brake some of my own rules on my own site.
I rathere look at a bland site with some killer art work than look at a splashy page and have crap for work.
www.fordanimation.com