Free Art Templates for Designing an Online Portfolio Website

A website template is a pre-constructed website, which can be modified to include images, text, and other web elements. With a template, anyone with minimal designing experience can build a website without hiring a professional web developer. Modifications to a portfolio template design can be made by opening it up in a web designer program. Here, the layout may be manipulated, along with fonts, images, links, etc. 

 

 

 

Why are free online art website templates a good option if you cannot afford to hire a web designer?

1. Practice
   First of all, they are great for practice in website design. Inserting images, new pages, and other website elements helps to become accustomed to everything involved in web design.
2. They are free
   A template designed from scratch often costs thousands of dollars.
3. Professional
   Many of them are professional looking, and with a few minor tweaks can look just as good as a premium template.

 

What to Seek and Avoid in a Portfolio Template Design

 

Before selecting a website portfolio template, get a picture in your mind of how you want your site to look. Here are some things to look for and avoid for an artist portfolio template.

 

1. Avoid flash
   
   Flash in an art website design can be very distracting to website visitors, and tend to make the website load very slow. Not only that, but the pages in certain designs cannot be found by search engines. The more flash elements included, the more likely visitors will leave right away, instead of browsing your portfolio. This is certainly not what we want.
   
   The emphasis should be on your art, not the flashiness of the website design.
   
   
   
2. Sharing buttons
   
   Make sure there are social network and bookmarking services sharing buttons available, or space where they may be added. Look for the main ones: Facebook, Twitter, Google+, etc.
   
   
3. Interactivity
   
   Interactive widgets such as rating, polls, and web forms assist in keeping visitors on a website longer. These elements help, but try to keep them to a minimum. The emphasis for an online art portfolio should be on art.
   
   
4. Simpicity
   
   Simplicity is one of the most important things to look for in online gallery template design. Search for a template that is organized, and where images are the primary focus. Links should be easy to find and appear in the same place on each page so visitors do not have to search for them.
   
   
5. A template that can be added on to…
   
   Ensure there is space for additional links, tabs, and pages. Some to look for, or to add later are Portfolio, About, Bio, Artist Statement, Press, Links, Purchase, and more.

 

7 Websites that Include Free Pre-designed Website Templates

 

Disclaimer: Artpromotivate is not affiliated with any of these websites. Before downloading and installing any template or file online, please scan the file with your virus scanner program as a precaution.

 

1. Website Templates Online
   
   Website Templates Online includes a choice of several free art and photography templates. Hover your mouse cursor over each thumbnail to get a quick preview. Click the Preview link to view the template design in another window.
   
   
   
   
   
2. Portfolio Templates
   
   Art portfolio is a free Joomla portfolio template for art. This design can be used by a designers, artists, or photographers. It includes a full PDF tutorial for setup and adding additional elements and menus to an artist website.
   
   
   
3. 000Webhost.com
   
   000Webhost.com has several free downloadable templates in Art Culture Design.
   
   
4. KiwiTemplate.com
   
   Kiwi Template lists 10 amazing free CSS, flash, and XML portfolio gallery templates that all appear very professional.
   
   
   
   
5. Deviantart
   
   Some members of Deviantart have several free templates made available for download, in the free portfolio template category.
   
   Click on the template image and read the terms of the download. If Download File appears at the top-right of the page, click this link. Sometimes, the template download link is found in the file description instead.
   
   
   
6. Website Templates
   
   WebsiteTemplates.org has several free art, photography, and design related premium styled templates, perfect for artist portfolio creation.
   
   
7. Free Templates Online
   
   At Free Templates Online, browse a selection of professional free web design templates in HTML and CSS. Preview them first and then download.
   

 

If you know of any other resources for free premium website templates, which will be beneficial for artists, please refer them to us by commenting below.