Building your Art Blog

Editing your Art Blog

Free Imaging Program

Free Websites for Artists

Inexpensive Website

Preparing Art for the Web

Sell your art on Ebay

Preparing Art for the Web

Art images need to be resized before you can upload them and use them for the web. This will allow the image to fit the screen and load quickly. You will need an imaging program. Here are the correct sizes and format
Dots per inch: 72 dpi
Maximum Height: 375 pixels
Maximum Width: 450 pixels
Format: save in jpg format

Free Imaging Program

A free image program can be downloaded from www.faststoneimageviewer.com.
You can edit your photos, resize them, save them in jpeg format and much more.
This free download also has a tutorial so you can learn to use its convenient features.

Sell your art on Ebay

If you want complete step by step information about selling your art on the internet, I recommend "Internet for the fine artist 101 with a special guide to selling art on ebay."
by Constance Smith with Susan F. Greaves. This 120 page book is available through some libraries or you can purchase it on the internet. It is simple and easy to understand with step by step instructions. You can see Susan F. Greaves website at www.susanfgreaves.com. From that website you can click on her ebay listings as well as her personal blog ( she built her blog through the free www.blogger.com website.

Art images need to be resized before you can upload them and use them for the web. This will allow the image to fit the screen and load quickly. You will need an imaging program. Here are the correct sizes and formatDots per inch: 72 dpiMaximum Height: 375 pixelsMaximum Width: 450 pixelsFormat: save in jpg formatA free image program can be downloaded from www.faststoneimageviewer.com.You can edit your photos, resize them, save them in jpeg format and much more.This free download also has a tutorial so you can learn to use its convenient features.If you want complete step by step information about selling your art on the internet, I recommend "Internet for the fine artist 101 with a special guide to selling art on ebay." by Constance Smith with Susan F. Greaves. This 120 page book is available through some libraries or you can purchase it on the internet. It is simple and easy to understand with step by step instructions. You can see Susan F. Greaves website at . From that website you can click on her ebay listings as well as her personal blog ( she built her blog through the free website.

Free Websites for Artists

www.blogger.com
Anyone can display their artwork and comments free using a personal "blog." At blogger.com you can upload as many paintings as you want and enter as many comments as you want regarding your work. As you gain experience you can add many options to your blog such as links to other websites, paypal, etc. You can go to www.blogger.com and read throught the website to get a better understanding how blogs work. If you are new to the internet be patient with yourself. It takes time to learn new skills, www.blogger.com has instructions on the sight and you will eventually figure out how to upload images of your art and post comments. This site is used by thousands of people and was created by the search enging Google. A blog gives you a display spot on the internet. You can put your blog address on your business card and people can see every piece of artwork that you have put on your website. It also has a place for people to contact you through email if you choose.

Inexpensive Website

www.godaddy.com. You can have your own website with your domain name and any number of pages you choose depending on the price you want to pray. As of this writing websites are about $100 per year. To see the options available to to www.godaddy.com and select "Site Builders" from the menu bar. There are a number of options under the "Do It Yourself Site Builder Plans." Godaddy.com has online help available as well and a service phone number you can call.

Building your Art Blog

Before you create your biog. You will need to prepare the following.
1. Title: Choose a Title for your website. Write a description (1-2 sentences to go under the title).
2. About Me: Prepare about 6-9 sentences telling about yourself. This will be your "About Me" text on your blog.
3. Resize your images: All photos including the images of your paintings should be resized before uploading them to your website.
72 dpi
jpg format
Max. height: 375 pixels, Max. width: 450 pixels

When you resize them do them with a "SAVE AS" and name the resized images so you will know they are for the web. Example: Bird for web, Mountain for web. etc. Remember you can not enlarge an image you have sized down without loosing image quality. Never drop your original images to 72dpi you will never get the quality back if you try to enlarge them.

4. Self photo: You will need a resized photo of yourself
5. Create a folder: On your computer desktop create a folder that says "Art for the Web." Place all your resized "for web" images in this folder. You will upload them later when you create your art blog.
6. Create your blog: You are now ready to go to www.blogger.com and follow the steps to create a new blog.
7. You will be asked: White creating the new blog you will be asked to fill in:
Your email address, a password, and the address of your blog (i.e. "janedoe.com" Choose this address carefully. It will be the address people enter to see your blogspot. You will put this on your business cards so people can find your website.
This is how jane doe example would look----www.janedoes.blogspot.com. The ending of "blogspot" is added to all the blogs.

Editing Your Art Blog

Once your blog has been created click "Dashboard" to see the controls to edit and build it.
1. Get your photos: To upload your photos click "Posting" tab and then click on the little icon with the blue sky. It will say "Add Image" when you drag your mouse over it. When you click on the "Add Image" button a window appears. You will see a "Browse" Button. Click on it. Locate your "Art for Web" folder that you saved on your desktop. Click on the "For web" image that you want to upload, click "open" click on "Upload" click "Done". The picture is uploaded, you can add text and then click "publish post" to see what you have done.

Don't panic if you make a mistake, you can remove and change anything you need to as you learn your way around on your blog.

You can customize your site with text, labets, etc. Good luck!! and have fun.