Artist Websites – Professional Portfolios for Photographers and Visual Artists

There are literally hundreds of website services online for artists and photographers. I have listed and reviewed many here at Artpromotivate, mostly free services so far. If I was to choose one that I would recommend above everything else, it would be Fine Art America.

The free version of Fine Art America has everything a new online artist would want, but will be constricting if you are serious about using this avenue for art promotion.

Artists are limited to 25 print on demand products at one time, while the professional version of Fine Art America (ArtistWebsites.com) allows unlimited uploads.

Of course that is not the only benefit of the Artist Websites, so I will use this space to inform you of the features you may enjoy if deciding to upgrade to the premium. The professional portfolio charge is only $30 per year. I have found that many similar services charge this much for just for one month. Also, I like the fact that they offer the whole package completely free for 90 days, without requiring a credit card.

Fine Art America is presenting a great risk-free opportunity for artists and photographers, and giving us all the tools to sell our art online. How successful it is depends on the artist. No art portfolio will be successful if it is not consistently updated and promoted, both online and offline. It should be found on search engines, as well as marketed at social networks.

Artists and photographers who thrive at Fine Art America (who are making 5-10K a month) are doing what it takes to be successful. That is, they are not relying solely on online selling, but are promoting their site offline at art fairs, and large email campaigns. Artists Websites have many great tools for promoting art. For an overview of some of these, please visit Fine Art America – Quick Tour.

I will outline a few more of the perks of an ArtistWebsites.com membership below. These include free art promotion though Google Product Search and Amazon.com.

Websites for Artists and Photographers at ArtistWebsites.com

Two Art Portfolios

One portfolio resides at Fine Art America, and is exposed to the 1000’s of other artists (over 100,000 artists as of March, 2012) and art buyers who search Fine Art America for art. The other portfolio is hosted at ArtistsWebsites.com and is your personal website. Artworks added to Fine Art America will automatically appear at the Artist Websites portfolio and vice versa, including titles, descriptions, and tags. So, this will certainly save time in having to create a portfolio at each.

The portfolio can be used to sell art prints of photography and visual art, with custom framing and matting, and greeting cards. Also, send out press releases, create blogs, post art show openings and other events, and more.

Fine Art America: fineartamerica.com/profiles/YOUR-NAME.html
Artist Websites: The url is in this form: www.YOUR-NAME.artistwebsites.com

If you do not like having a subdomain, refer to our tutorial for adding a custom domain name: Custom Domain Names for Artist Websites
Commission on Accessories

Free FAA members do not earn anything for framing, matting, assembly charges, etc., but those registered with ArtistWebsites.com receive 5% of this amount. This may add up, since most people who order art prints, often avail of these services.
Licenced Art on Television

This program is only available to Visual Artists and Photographers with professional websites at Artist Websites.

Have art displayed on sets of popular ABC television shows through the ABC Studios Licensing Program. ABC producers can specifically browse artworks by Fine Art America members who are signed up for the program, and select an artwork to be used as a set prop. Artists will be paid a commission plus the cost of the print.
Unlimited Uploads to your Professional Portfolio

There are unlimited artworks and unlimited galleries. Artists may upload as many as they want without storage restrictions.
Promotion with Google Product Search

Art prints are automatically submitted to Google Product Search. This opens up greater exposure for art, as people searching for art through this avenue may find yours. Many art collectors browse the art categories at Google Product Search searching for art for their homes.
Promotion at Amazon.com

Artworks appear at Amazon.com, in the Fine Art America shop. People who purchase art here are automatically redirected to your ArtistWebsites.com portfolio, where the transaction may be fulfilled.
Shopping Cart

Sell art directly from your portfolio with a built in shopping cart.

Sold art prints are processed, packaged, and shipped to the art buyer without artists having to lift a finger.

All of this is automatic and 24-7. Art sales can even be made while you are sleeping!
Search engine for your online gallery

If you have hundreds of images, a search engine can help visitors find specific themes or mediums, or even a certain artwork.
Create an Art Catalog

Create your own catalog of art, including pricing and sizes, to hand out to art collectors. Each page can be converted to a PDF document and printed. Simply select a few to print, organize them in a folder or binder, and have it ready to show to interested people at art fairs, art shows, etc.

Current free Fine Art America members may upgrade by logging into their profile.

Click Behind the Scenes at the top, and choose Premium Features at the end of the top menu. Right at the bottom of that page, click the link to activate the Artist Websites account. Note that you will need a credit card, but can try it free for 30 days.

Those who do not have a Fine Art America portfolio may visit ArtistWebsites directly to receive the first 90 days free, even without requiring credit card information. (anyone can do this if they enter a different email address)

Are you a member of Fine Art America or ArtistWebsites.com? Do you have any questions? Please let us now what you think of their services by commenting.

Also, you are free to share either portfolio below.