Need some feedback ...

[The Old Sarge]

www.plumedarcher.com

Please take a look at the site we just launched. It's a our first attempt at selling anything in the "Arts" category.

Any suggestions, comments, ideas would be appreciated.

Thanks.

[simpley]

You might want to add some images on my site. Users of the site are allowed to have 5 images and each one can be linked back to their own web site. I haven't done much with the site over the past year due to lack of time, but i have noticed an increase in the number of galleries using this as way of linking back.

rankmyart.com (http://www.rankmyart.com)

[The Old Sarge]

Thanks, Simply. I'll do that later this week. We been really busy too.

[BigDoor]

you have the option to view the image larger than the thumbnail which is great, but people can right click on the mouse and print there own copies. Although probably not very high quality it may hurt sales for you in the future.

You might want to consider watermarking them or something?

My only other comment is it looks like you used templates to create the site? although effective it sometimes has a "cheap look" to it. It is very simple to navigate and will no doubt be effective for you.

Take a look at our site - www.bigdoorart.com maybe for some idea's?

Good Luck.

[The Old Sarge]

BigDoor,

I discussed the watermark issue with the artist and we decided not to "degrade" the online images. She wants clean, crisp images and I agree. But ...

Just lately, people have been visiting for nearly 4 hours at a time and not buying a thing. I suspect they are indeed printing the pictures.

The link you provided is very nice and I will give it a going over. However, my site is dedicated to one artist and I don't want to get too "sophisticated."

Thanks for your time and comments. I appreciate it.

[dvdtvshows]

Dear Sarge,
Drop the reference to clay pots in the title or add some to the site.
The picture frame's left edge in the center of the main page is not resolving on my internet explorer.
Also you may want to actually use your artist's work in the main page background shot. Her work that is posted is a different style.
How are you automatically rotating out sold artwork? It seems that it would be a challenge to keep up to date as things as they are sold.

Best Wishes,
dvdtvshows

[The Old Sarge]

dvd,

The template is not of my making and I can't find one any better that the artist likes. The artist and I are working on a CSS layout that will give the site an entirely new look with no art images except her own. As for the pots, she can't make them fast enough. They sell locally before I can get them posted. She recently agreed to make an entire batch and hold it back specifically for the web site. Should be done and posted sometime this month.

The original art that is sold is marked as such, but if there are prints still available, the image is left up with a link to contact us for info on print sizes. Not the best way to go, I know, but the artist knows nada about web site design and I'm still learning myself.

Thanks for the comments. It all helps.

The Old Sarge

[vbeal]

Oh boy- Without doubt I would watermark the images! Those would print quite nicely for anyone who makes greeting cards, invitations, postcards, etc at home. Not to mention how easily they can be reused in brochures, pamphlets etc. There are free and simple to use applet scripts available that you can use to watermark the images. Watermarks you generate yourself can be an almost clear or not very noticeable mark on the image, but at the same time it makes the image useless to most people who would save it off the Web site. I would let your artist know this and recommend their images on the Web be watermarked.

But the design itself, I don't find too much wrong. As a viewer the overall impression from the site is "dark" where the art itself is so colorful and bright, for the most part. The frame with "SuZ Hume's Clay Pots and Watercolor Thoughts" is quite distracting, especially since the text isn't even centered in it (it's a bit off-kilter). I would definitely drop that and go for some elegant script writing (or image) in its place.

[Hodgedup]

I would watermark the images, too. Also, on the home page you should include a small introduction. Tell users about the site.