Thinking About Websites

Whenever I think about making my own website I always feel a slight sense of dread coming over me. I have no clue why because I suppose it is no different than having a Linkedin or Instagram, but I just see a website as sitting on a higher level on its own not being surrounded by friends, if you like. It's completely unique to how I design it, i.e. doesn't have a regular format like other social media sites, so maybe that is the thing that I'm apprehensive about.

However, I do plan on setting up a site hopefully before Christmas so I need to get cracking. It's definitely an all-Sunday job where I can just sit down and plough away for the whole day. There have been countless times where I have signed up for websites like 'wix' and then left it for a week and forgotten all of my sign in details, as well as lost interest. THIS CAN'T HAPPEN AGAIN!

Template sites:

Squarespace

I've only recently come across squarespace when speaking to Jenna Alldread over summer, as her website built using squarespace. It looks really clean and professional! I had a look at their website:

Mmmmm so clean and crisp!

The website was so easy to navigate, and all of the templates looked so professional. However...you have to pay, and I am a poor illustrator (who isn't) and I have realised that I need to look for as many cheap/free alternatives as possible whilst I am still establishing myself in the industry. As this is my first ever website, I'm more likely to start basic and then simultaneously build on my web presence as my practice grows.

CargoCollective 

Quite a few illustrators that I have come across use cargo as a platform to sell their products, although I have never sussed it out for myself. From the site I gathered that they have an excellent reputation, and I respect their mission statement as it is heavily focused on doing good for their clients. BUT, the words 'apply for an account' switched the lightbulb off in my head unfortunately. I just want something simple and easy, and I'm not prepared to sign on or commit to anything just yet as I am not sure how successful this will be. 

Wix

One of my friends from home who is also a creative recommended Wix
to me when we met up over the summer, her website looked brilliant and had the added bonus of being compatible to different smartphone/tablet/computer screens. I did start setting up an account but it fizzled out because I had my lazy hat on over summer. But Wix looks promising, and its FREE! 

Other things to include/think about:

• Blog!: Blogging is something that I want to do more of, as I  enjoy writing and want to do it more regularly, particularly when I graduate. I also think that my personality comes through quite clearly in my writing as I write in a way that is similar to the way I speak, more like conversational tone as opposed to academical writing.
• Shop link: I love looking at illustrators websites who I have just discovered and seeing if they are selling anything on their shop, also to get inspiration for my own.
• Third Person?: It always seems strange to me when professionals write in the third person on their 'about' page. Maybe it is personal preference, but I would prefer to read something that sounds like it has come directly from the website owner. It just feels more welcoming to me as a viewer.
• Work in Progress: Another contributing factor to my slight fear of websites is the vast amount of finished work displayed by professionals. I'm not saying that it is a bad thing, because it's great to see what they have been doing and who they have been working for! Although I sometimes feel that there isn't enough work in progress displayed on websites. Sometimes I get the impression that websites are competitions that invite a format along the lines of 'here are my best five pieces of work, lets display them on my homepage', which is totally fine, but its what everyone seems to do. I might try and think of something a little more outside of the box if I can, but again this is my first website so I'm not setting my sights too high.

Conclusion

I feel like I've done enough talking about websites for the day. I know what kind of thing I'm aiming for, and have already taken a few steps in deciding on setting up a personal blog and already having my etsy shop going on slowly in the background. A website for me will just be a way of pulling everything together in a professional/semi professional format. An easier way of looking at it, so I find it less daunting, would to see it as me but an internet version. Me, when I'm not available to see or talk to in person. I've become a lot more confident when talking to other creatives, and just meeting people and introducing myself and what I do in general is something that has become more of an every day thing now. So the aim is for this to come across in the best possible way through the screen. I've said to myself that I hope to be set up before Christmas, so watch this space I guess!