If you're looking for a quick and easy way to showcase your visual art, why not consider a blog? More and more artists are using a blog format because it is so accessible to those of us who may not be (ahem) "technologically inclined." If you can write an email, you can build a blog, which makes it a great solution to the problem of going DIY with your web portfolio.
You can sign up for a free account at someplace like Blogger or an inexpensive service like TypePad . Once you've set yourself up, upload your images according to instructions, along with a short text blurb that includes the title and date of the piece. You can even include a short sentence or two about the piece to give the viewer more insight.
The tagging feature allows you to categorize the work by series, mediums, years created or however else you feel like organizing your work. Plus, all blogs are equipped with a handy dandy "About Me" feature which is the perfect space for an artist's statement. Anyone who is interested in following your work can sign up for the RSS feed so they'll be emailed every time you upload something new.
If you choose the blog route, be sure you're ready to keep it updated; a blog with nothing new looks unprofessional after about a month. Also, while it's tempting to include an entry here or there about someone who drove you crazy on the El or a new taco place you're nuts for, don't. Don't clutter up the space with ramblings. If you must express that side of your creative force, build a second blog; keep your professional blog for your work.
Of course, we here at the Portfolio Center are happy to help seniors and grad students set up a full-blown website portfolio through Portfolio Production. But, in the meantime, consider establishing a web presence this way. It's a great way to get your work out there.
