I'm building a website and this is it - so far [Archive]

paularoid

02-20-2008, 02:01 AM

I'm building a website for a local art gallery. It's slow going because I need more material to post but at least I've got two very rudimentary pages up. I'm waiting for more stuff to put up there and that's where things sit at the moment. If anybody wants to go check it out it's here:

The New Dawn Gallery (http://tinyurl.com/33pfdw)

or here:

The New Dawn Gallery (http://paularoid.googlepages.com/newdawngallery)
(edited later to do away with the nonsense involved - see Redjack's message below)

They're both the same, just trying two different ways to shorten and protect the link.

Keep in mind it's in the very first stages and it's not even close to complete yet so bear with me. There will be a whole slug of links on the left for migrating to various pages where at the moment there is only one. There will also be a LOT more color than there is now but not offensively so. There will also be a lot more pages for the links to be on the left. Links to past exhibitions complete with artist lists, bios and galleries, current exhibitions, future endevours, etc. There won't be many whistles and bells or flashy things because that's not what the site is about. The one link that -is- there points to the mission statement and -that- is what the site is about.

I still have to get all the pictures together and watermark the whole shebang too now that I think about it. :confused: There's still a LOT to do but this is the beginnings of what can be a true place of artistic culture in a place somewhat devoid of it now. :p

lucille

02-20-2008, 04:58 AM

paularoid

02-20-2008, 05:12 AM

Hey, great Paul. What are your feelings about giclee prints? Hopefully I hope to do one for one of the JIMB members, and have done one earlier (one print of one image). Hopefully I will be bringing a canvas version of it with me to the Jan-nic.
I'm unfamiliar with "giclee prints". Please educate me if you would be so kind. With me not being an "artist" (at least not in the traditional sense) I am aware and familiar with only those art forms that I have been exposed to in some way. I've never seen, heard, or read the term "giclee" prints and stand to be educated/informed about or of such.

----- later edit/addition -----

OK, now I've been educated about it. It turns out that I have indeed heard of "giclee" prints. I've just never seen the term in print but I have heard it in conversation,... a LOT. Now that I realize what it is I'll say that I have negative feelings about it intially. For one, they're not "original". Although they -can- be financially rewarding in the end for the artist, they're quite expensive to get all set up initially. If they don't sell, then the artist out a lot of money for nothing. Also, no matter how good the setup for giclee prints is, they can never really replace the original. They just aren't the same. The use of the giclee print system is controversial within the art world and there are many opinions both pro and con. Since I'm not an "artist" in the traditional sense and I'm kind of stuck in the middle on this one, I have to declare myself "on the fence" in regards to them.

-One- artist that has exhibited at that gallery in the past has tried using the giclee system for two paintings of his. One was a mild success while the other was an utter failure. It cost him about $700 to get one set up and it was a mild success financially. He sold about a hundred giclees. The other one cost him about $1400 to get set up and it hasn't sold a single copy. The reproduction quality on both of them was not what it should be. They just aren't the same. He's since dropped his use of the giclee system and has turned to other means for putting out prints of his work.

RedjackRyan

02-20-2008, 07:24 AM

took a quick glance, I'll check it out in depth tonite. Looks good though dude! You'll have to give me the technicals behind link protector, i'm not familar with that package.

paularoid

02-20-2008, 01:42 PM

took a quick glance, I'll check it out in depth tonite. Looks good though dude! You'll have to give me the technicals behind link protector, i'm not familar with that package.
I can't really give you any technical details on that one. All I know is that it works almost just like the other one (TinyURL) in that you go to the site, plug in your site address, and get back the resultant link. As to exactly -how- they work (technical details) I haven't a clue really.

RedjackRyan

02-20-2008, 02:13 PM

Okay, i thought it was something inside your directories, thats why i asked. Probably similar to my Gotdns service.

The top link loads nice and clean, the bottom link has a gajillion scripts trying to do whatever it is they do, firefox and noscript blocked them all quite handily. Mostly google thingamajigs and ad servers. I suppose thats the 'fee' for link protector.

Nice clean pages and an easy to view design. Can't wait for the content to go in and certainly no reason not to post some of your own excellent photos!

paularoid

02-20-2008, 03:06 PM

Okay, i thought it was something inside your directories, thats why i asked. Probably similar to my Gotdns service.
I guess in one respect it -is- inside my directories. The full path (which will probably be moved once it's completed) is "http://paularoid.googlepages.com/newdawngallery".

The top link loads nice and clean, the bottom link has a gajillion scripts trying to do whatever it is they do, firefox and noscript blocked them all quite handily. Mostly google thingamajigs and ad servers. I suppose thats the 'fee' for link protector.
Ah yes. I had forgotten. Since that's the case I won't use that one anymore. I always use either K-Meleon, Firefox, or Opera so I don't usually see all that nonsense. I'll do away with the "Link Protector" because I don't want anybody to have to jump through any strange hoops. I was just trying to eliminate a long address or link for anybody to have to try to remember when they type it in. I'll stick with TinyURL. TinyURL even has a preview feature but that requires that cookies be turned on. I've now changed that link to the real one and won't use "Link Protector" anymore. Thanks for reminding me even though that probably wasn't your intention. :p

Nice clean pages and an easy to view design. Can't wait for the content to go in and certainly no reason not to post some of your own excellent photos!
I have full intention of doing just that since Google gives you up to three sites that you can have. It would eliminate the need for places like Webshots, Photobucket, and Putfile. The gallery comes first though. Searchterm lists to compile and hide, photos to watermark, photos to post, pages to create,......

lucille

02-20-2008, 03:48 PM

All I can say is your friend was ripped off. I charge about $150 to set up, and this includes one print, colour correction, and CD. I have some giclees that are hard to distinguish from the original which should be the case.

It should be a cheap option for an artist to put his work into giclee prints. Apart from silkscreens, lithos etc., it usually costs the artist the full cost of whatever run (edition number) they intend to do in photo lithos. With a giclee, you can use your first free print as a guage to "test" the market, or even get pre orders. If it is done well, it is a great way for the artist to promote his/her work and art. Oh, and of course, make it available to those who could not otherwise afford the work.

By the way, are you going to the Jan-nic?

paularoid

02-20-2008, 04:07 PM

All I can say is your friend was ripped off. I charge about $150 to set up, and this includes one print, colour correction, and CD. I have some giclees that are hard to distinguish from the original which should be the case.
You misunderstand. That was not "my friend". It was an exhibitor. I would call him an acquaintance. <chuckle> The guy's a maroon, believe you me. <giggle> He doesn't care about "art" as anything but a way to stroke his own ego and a way to make skads of money. By the way, the pieces that he had put through the giclee process were paintings of humongous size. They were at least 6 feet by 8 feet and I'm sure their size and the cost of crating, shipping, and handling both to and fro played into it. Even though he's a "maintenance man" he doesn't consider himself to be a carpenter so he had somebody else build the crates, pack them off and ship them. He had to pay for that both ways to Salt Lake (about 150 miles south of here) and back. Oh,.... he's not the sharpest pencil in the box either if you get my drift. ;)

It should be a cheap option for an artist to put his work into giclee prints. Apart from silkscreens, lithos etc., it usually costs the artist the full cost of whatever run (edition number) they intend to do in photo lithos. With a giclee, you can use your first free print as a guage to "test" the market, or even get pre orders. If it is done well, it is a great way for the artist to promote his/her work and art. Oh, and of course, make it available to those who could not otherwise afford the work.
Yes, it should and may be a cheap option but the fact remains they're still not the original. Again, because I'm not an "artist" in the traditional sense of the term in any way, I have to remain on the fence here and not commit myself to something that I have no real background in with which to state a meaningful opinion. Don't get me wrong. I'm not necessarily against prints personally. I will give up my print of Picasso's "Guernica" when they pry my cold, dead, fingers from around it. :D I'd sure hate to have to try to house the original. It's absolutely HUGE and I'd have to find somewhere else to live just to house the thing.

By the way, are you going to the Jan-nic?
Nope. I'm stuck here in I-DUH-ho. Not going anywhere unless somebody else pays for it,... and that is NOT a suggestion or a request to anyone by the way. If it was within driving distance from me I might consider such a thing but it isn't so I'm not. <sigh> Wish I was rich.

Bat

02-20-2008, 04:24 PM

paularoid

02-20-2008, 06:02 PM

It's only a 40 hour drive, Paul!:D

It is going to be a nice site, Paul...will there be a contact url for someone who is interested in displaying their stuff--with the approval of the siteowner, of course?
Okay since I've already been kicked off once for not typing fast enough I'll cut it short and simply say yes, there will. Keep in mind that it's not free. There's an exhibition fee of $150 that gets divided by, or amongst the number of exhibitors. The more exhibitors there are, the less each has to pay. It's a not-for-profit affair so the fee goes to pay rent, lights, heat, etc. There's also a 30% commission for the same reason(s). There will be a contact url. It's coming along with all the other things. I'm looking at a number of "gadgets" for just such things. So much to do.....

Bat

02-20-2008, 08:00 PM

Thanks, Paul.

paularoid

02-22-2008, 03:27 AM

Just updated with contact info and schedule. Here's the info I added:

The New Dawn Gallery is currently accepting portfolio submissions for future exhibits. Please contact:

Don Brown at
browdona@cableone.net

or

Richard Bingham at
bingham1@cableone.net

I also put up the schedule:

Gallery Hours:
11:00 am to 5:00 pm
Tuesday through Saturday
closed Sunday and Monday

I'm now off to put up another section about a portrait program they're running and will have another (third) showing of them here in a month or so.

----- later edit -----

The portrait explanation/announcement page is now UP! The portraits themselves will appear as soon as I have the pictures of them to upload and display.

Bat

02-22-2008, 12:48 PM

It just gets better, Paul... consider making those contact urls clickable for those who don't want to type? (Don Brown, etc.)

It is a nice clean site, and the absence of flashy ads is commendable...if you ever do have to add advertising in the future, do us all a favor and don't accept those that flash, move, jiggle, or change colors! They just take away from the interest in the page, and they irritate me so much that I wouldn't go to their sites even if I were interested in what they had for sale, and you may quote me! (Ol curmudgeon Bat) ;)

I love the idea of the artist painting locals' portraits...almost a 'vanity press' thing, but a lot higher class! I bet he doesn't get too many who say 'no' to a personal oil of their countenence!! He does look as if he paints lovely portraits.
Thanks for letting us in on this...I've got it bookmarked.

paularoid

02-22-2008, 01:46 PM

It just gets better, Paul... consider making those contact urls clickable for those who don't want to type? (Don Brown, etc.)
Consider it done. Well at least as soon as I get to it later today or tonight. I had forgotten about that until I had already made the changes. I'm so used to automatic operations like that here at the JIMB that I didn't pay attention to it there. It shall be done.

It is a nice clean site, and the absence of flashy ads is commendable...if you ever do have to add advertising in the future, do us all a favor and don't accept those that flash, move, jiggle, or change colors! They just take away from the interest in the page, and they irritate me so much that I wouldn't go to their sites even if I were interested in what they had for sale, and you may quote me! (Ol curmudgeon Bat) ;)
AGREED MOST WHOLEHEARTEDLY! -IF- that ever happens it'll be like the Google ads that you see because it's all run from the Google personal pages anyway.

I love the idea of the artist painting locals' portraits...almost a 'vanity press' thing, but a lot higher class! I bet he doesn't get too many who say 'no' to a personal oil of their countenence!! He does look as if he paints lovely portraits.
Actually yes, he does get a lot of people who say no - because of "vanity" issues, and the time required (about an hour) to do one. And yes, he does paint lovely portraits. I've seen his work improve greatly in the past year. He was good before when the place first opened up but his work is vastly improved since then. As soon as I get the materials from all of that to post, I'll be doing a page full of all of the ones done so far,... even one of ME! :D

Thanks for letting us in on this...I've got it bookmarked.
I don't really look at it as letting you in on it anywhere near as much as I look at it as a way to get constructive feedback from those that are not directly involved. Thanks to both you and Redjack I've now gotten some very important feedback that will help both me and the site owners in ways of efficiency, expedience, and convenience. THAT is more important to me than "letting you in on it". :D

Bat

02-22-2008, 05:11 PM

Wow! it's not often input from me gets recognized in such a nice way, Paul!
I have often wished I knew how to put together a web page; but then, I just wonder what on earth it would be about...my ramblings are not exactly earth-shattering enough to be worthy of publication, even on a somewhat anonymous site; I doubt whether people would beat a path to it!
That said, I have great admiration for those who can make such a page, for any reason. That is a fine example that you've created, Paul, and I plan to visit it again, just to see what else you've done. The Gallery should be very pleased with your efforts.

paularoid

02-22-2008, 05:46 PM

Wow! it's not often input from me gets recognized in such a nice way, Paul!
I only scream when I'm on my soapbox. :p

I have often wished I knew how to put together a web page; but then, I just wonder what on earth it would be about...my ramblings are not exactly earth-shattering enough to be worthy of publication, even on a somewhat anonymous site; I doubt whether people would beat a path to it!
Well it's not exactly rocket science the way I'm doing it. As for the worthiness of publication, that's probably why I haven't had a web page of my own up for quite a number of years. I get my ego-stroking elsewhere in other ways. And by the way, your ramblings in this case weren't ramblings. They were helpful to a fellow with a task.

That said, I have great admiration for those who can make such a page, for any reason. That is a fine example that you've created, Paul, and I plan to visit it again, just to see what else you've done. The Gallery should be very pleased with your efforts.
So far, they are pleased - BUT - I've run into problems with incorporating your GREAT idea of the clickable mailing links. They don't want to work as expected. I'm going to have to hunt down a "gadget" to do that and incorporate it into the page if I can. The templates provided and the way it all works there won't allow me to insert the simple "mailto:<insertaddresshere>" type of link. :( It's the simplest thing in the world - if it's allowed. Unfortunately it's not that easy there so I'll try to hunt up a gadget. In retrospect it's probably a good thing it's that way. It'll cut down on spam. In the meantime, those that are -truly- interested will go the extra step and copy/paste the addresses anyway.

Oak Kitten

02-22-2008, 07:31 PM

paularoid

02-22-2008, 10:03 PM

Paul,

I like what you have done so far. As Redjack and Bat have already noted, it is a nice, clean look and isn't bogged down with a lot of extraneous crap. It is dignified and businesslike and tasteful.

I have absolutely nothing useful to contribute in terms of technical commentary, I will leave that to those who know what the heck they are talking about.

Now I am off to educate myself about giclee prints.

Oak
Keeping it "dignified and businesslike and tasteful" was one of my main objectives. It keeps the site distinctive amongst the field of flash that abounds out there. Remember when things were the other way 'round? :rolleyes:

"Technical commentary" is nice for reasons already stated but don't discount the common layperson's impression either. Aethetical commentary is just as if not more important than the technical element. Afterall, this site is as much for the common everyday person as it is for the artists. More often than not, it's the "joe/jane-blow-on-the-street" that benefits from the efforts of the artist and they are the ones that make the artists efforts worthwhile. If the person that supports you can't use your service (web page) because it's a pain in the a$$ for whatever reason, then the service was for naught.

As for the giclee prints, I've already stated previously that I remain on the noncommital fence on that one. I know those that love them, and those that don't. I can't really dislike them all that much because as I also said previously, the only way somebody is gonna get my print of Picasso's Guernica is to pry if from my cold, dead, fingers. I see and understand both sides of the discussion - and remain on the fence. :p

Bat

02-22-2008, 11:02 PM

lucille

02-23-2008, 01:21 AM

Oak, can you email me the image you did for the Jan-nic. I lost my hard drive where I had saved it, and could probably trowel through all your posts to find it again, but know you can save me from that. I plan to bring a giclee print of my avatar for auction too (it will be a little larger;)). With the things I want to bring, didgeridoo, giclees, etc., I will not have room or weight allowance for clothes. Still it will be warm, right? :D

paularoid

02-23-2008, 02:13 AM

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.jkrweb.com/art/images/guernica.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.jkrweb.com/art/guernica.cfm&h=1200&w=3200&sz=723&hl=en&start=13&tbnid=3yV9I3PM-Twp9M:&tbnh=56&tbnw=150&prev=/images%3Fq%3DGuernica

Here's a wonderful story about its creation, Paul. I don't blame you...is it full size?!!
Also, is it in black and white?
Uhm..... nooooo. It's not full size and it's in black and white. My print is about (I'm guessing) three feet long and two feet high. It's a print I got from the Smithsonian. A little edumacation is in order here methinks. :p

That story at the link you gave (thanks for that) tells the inspiration behind the painting but what it doesn't tell you is the technical details behind the thing. It was originally created in black and white and the thing is absolutely HUGE! It's so big that when he was painting it he had to work on it while it was in a diagonal position. In other words, he had to lean it over just to make it fit in his studio. He vowed that it would never be kept in Spain while Franco was still in power and so it was kept here in the U.S. until after Franco was no longer living. It now resides back in Spain where it was originally created.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v25/paularoid/JIMB/guernica-sm.jpg

paularoid

02-23-2008, 04:13 PM

The site has just been checked and picked over (with a fine-toothed comb so to speak) by a professional proofreader (whom some may remember from here a while back) and all suggestions made by said proofreader have been implemented. You won't notice them but the fact remains that the site now has been professionally (on a volunteer basis) examined and approved!

Proofreading was the farthest thing from my mind when I submitted that link to that person but I'm glad they took it upon themselves to do it anyway,... whether I wanted it or not.

I feel like putting a gold star on it now just like many of my gradeschool teachers used to do on a particularly well done assignment. :D

Does this mean I'm in the bigtime now? <laugh>

For those that want to have a look and don't want to have to go back and dig up the link,
it's HERE! (http://tinyurl.com/33pfdw)

----- later addition -----

There is now also new (but incomplete) content available there. On the left you will see a link to "Currently Showing" that takes you to a gallery of pictures of what is currently showing. The gallery is located at Picasa. More content will be added as I receive it.
The direct link to the gallery at Picasa is HERE! (http://picasaweb.google.com/paularoid2/ArtFromThePress)

The RSS feed for those that make use of such things is HERE! (http://picasaweb.google.com/data/feed/base/user/paularoid2/albumid/5170453961277602705?kind=photo&alt=rss&hl=en_US)

----- even LATER addition -----

AND there's even a slideshow feature. The link for that is HERE! (http://picasaweb.google.com/paularoid2/ArtFromThePress/photo#s5170463393025784834)

paularoid

02-26-2008, 03:54 AM

It's up. ALL of it. The whole current show is now on display via a link on the site to a gallery at Picasa where it all resides. Now to get everything together for all the past shows and the upcoming..... So much to do.... :confused:

Bat

02-26-2008, 10:13 AM

It's a good site, Paul...easy to get around, very lucid. They should be pleased with your good work on it!

paularoid

02-26-2008, 02:11 PM

It's a good site, Paul...easy to get around, very lucid. They should be pleased with your good work on it!
Considering the fact that other than my work this isn't going to cost them anything they d@mned well BETTER be pleased. Totally free hosting of everything!

Sometimes it's nice to be a tightwad. :p

Bat

02-26-2008, 03:19 PM

Considering the fact that other than my work this isn't going to cost them anything they d@mned well BETTER be pleased. Totally free hosting of everything!

Sometimes it's nice to be a tightwad. :p

You learned well on this one. You can charge for the next one.

paularoid

02-26-2008, 04:37 PM

You learned well on this one. You can charge for the next one.
Oh I'm charging for -this- one. It's the -hosting- that's the free part. The site where the thing is located comes free and the site that hosts the pictures is free, my efforts are -not-. Details to be worked out yet..... since it -is- afterall, my father, a former student of his, and all the exhibitors. I'm cheap (in more ways than you can imagine),... but I'm not free. :p

Bat

02-27-2008, 12:30 PM

As the lady-of-the-late-afternoon said, when someone called her a Cheap Whore: "I'm NOT cheap!...but I'm available."

paularoid

02-27-2008, 01:12 PM

As the lady-of-the-late-afternoon said, when someone called her a Cheap Whore: "I'm NOT cheap!...but I'm available."
:D :D :D :D

ponytail

02-27-2008, 01:52 PM

The site looks great, Paul. I just put up two very simple web pages, and I'm in awe of anyone who can actually put up a site! I congratulate you.

paularoid

02-27-2008, 04:06 PM

The site looks great, Paul. I just put up two very simple web pages, and I'm in awe of anyone who can actually put up a site! I congratulate you.
In actuality it's really very easy to do. The hard part is gathering all the materials to PUT on the site because of the "human" element. :rolleyes: Getting people to actually commit themselves to DO something is the hard part. Getting people to write down dimensions, prices, media and methods used etc. Getting people to look at the stuff they produce is easy. Getting the artist to think about the answers to the questions about the "art" that most assuredly will come is a whole different ballgame.

paularoid

02-28-2008, 05:44 AM

I just got through updating the thing in a -major- way (sort of). It's now got a "contact" page and links to two more galleries of pictures of past exhibitions. The "-major-" part of it was uploading and linking the two new galleries. Here's links:

The New Dawn Gallery (http://tinyurl.com/33pfdw)

ArtFromThePress (http://tinyurl.com/2pbak3)
Art From The Press slideshow (http://tinyurl.com/2zwju2)

4 Idaho Artists (http://tinyurl.com/35lqwg)
4 Idaho Artists slideshow (http://tinyurl.com/3dgpht)

Landscape Show (http://tinyurl.com/36ll7d)
Landscape Show slideshow (http://tinyurl.com/3xxqkm)

One Year Anniversary (http://tinyurl.com/2h3gcl)
One Year Anniversary slideshow (http://tinyurl.com/2yss93)

*NOTE*
The slideshows require javascript.