Artist Showcase

[JWJ]

Would you like to showcase your work? Would you like to be seen on the 'net by thousands of people? As a new feature in the forum we are offering to 'showcase' up to 6 of your paintings or drawings, complete with text that can either be about you as an artist, or your art as a whole. The Showcase will be by way of a dedicated page on my web site and will also be linked to from my other site and my blog, as well as being mentioned in Facebook and Twitter. The page will stay on the net for at least one full month, or until such time as another artist requests Showcasing. If you already have a web presence by way of a site or blog, they can be linked to from the Showcase. This will be an excellent opportunity to raise your profile. Showcasing will be done one artist at a time, on a first come, first served basis.

Any members wanting to take advantage of this offer should post in this thread, and we will deal with them in chronological order. Ingrid has kindly agreed to be first so that we can have something to show you to help you plan your own showcase.

As time goes on we will throw this open to a wider audience but initially I am going to restrict it to existing members only.

[Millie]

John, what a wonderful thing this is for you to do. I do know how such a project attracts people.
At some point, John, I would like to put up four oil paintings. No hurry, just let me know when.
Millie

[JWJ]

Thank you Millie ... you can consider yourself next after Ingrid, so you've got plenty of time. 

Maybe this is where I should go over a few 'conditions', but I use the term loosely.

I will be expecting the artist to do most of the work with the writing, and to provide suitable images. I will only show an artists own original work, but they don't have to be pieces that have been previously shown in the forum. By default, I will have copyright permissions to display the work publicly on my web site (sorry to state the obvious, but it needs saying  ). And finally, though not a condition, it will be much appreciated if artists with their own web presence (web site, blog, Facebook, etc) publicise and link to the Showcase page.

Since I am still trying to fathom out the workings of this new feature, I also reserve the right to make things up as I go along. 

[Millie]

Since I am still trying to fathom out the workings of this new feature, I also reserve the right to make things up as I go along.
  Okay.
Could I ask the size you require the photo to be? Or will they be thumbnails?
Millie

[JWJ]

Good Question Millie. At the moment I'm thinking of thumbnails that will expand to fill the screen, much like they do on the Project pages. Sizing is going to depend on format. Let me say, I'll be happy to receive the best image you have of each painting and I'll resize accordingly. I'll probably aim at something like 800x600.

[JWJ]

Just to try and demonstrate the sort of thing that's in my mind, I've put together a mock-up using some of my own paintings and a bit of text about me. It's not necessary for this model to be copied rigidly, but I thought it might be helpful to anyone considering the Showcase. I'd also be grateful for any suggestions that might improve this facility.

Sample Showcase

[Millie]

Looks good John! Your paintings are wonderful.
Of course, it's 2 AM Saturday morning so I'm not seeing too well. 
It looks fine. I expect you will have to arrange all of them, won't you?
Millie

[JWJ]

Yes Millie, I will have to arrange them. I don't want to be too restrictive but obviously the closer I can keep to this 'template' the easier it will be to make the page. That said, I would like this page to evolve and I expect I'll be making changes to it as I accomodate each artists preferences.

[Artysteph]

I would love to be involved too..if you will have me!  PS, I love your painting of the activity centre..brilliant!

[JWJ]

I'd love to include you in the showcase Steph, and lovely to see you back in the forum. It takes a while to pull each page together, and as you have seen, I'm doing Ingrid first and then Millie. I'll drop you a line nearer the time so we can set up what is needed. Watch this space. 

.... and thanks for the nice words about the Activity Centre. Much appreciated.   

[JWJ]

I've decided to give the Showcase a complete new look in order to make it look like something special and not just another page on my web site. Comments are welcome.

[Millie]

Steph! I've been wondering and wondering how you were doing and supposed you are very busy painting for people!  Good to see you here.

John, I really do like the new page better. It's very impressive. Good work.
Millie

[Rowie]

Hey John,

Great idea, love the page!

There are so many talented artists on here, it would be great for them to show off their work in this way.

This site gets better and better John.... well done!

Helen x

[JWJ]

Thank you Millie and Helen.

.... and Helen, are we going to persuade YOU to take advantage of the Showcase?

[pirate]

good idea i will wait in the background & see how this goes.
you seem to have a nice layout John
Ian