S+ART

From One Artist to Another: Tips for your Website

                  
 

Once you’ve decided on your hosting site, the exciting part of customizing your site begins! There really is no right/wrong starting point, as long as you have a pretty clear idea of how you want to organize your site, then everything else will follow suit. However, there are some key ingredients to making a cohesive, easy to navigate site, so your viewers, potential clients, or employers won’t feel lost in cyber space. 

Start with the basic pages on your site.

Your Home page makes the first impression on your viewer. Viewers will be expected to see your art work here, so include one nice high resolution image of a single work. I have seen many artists’ sites that include self portraits or pictures of themselves. Either way you want to include something, the choice is yours. This is, after all a visual arts page.

The next one, which should come to you with ease, is your Artist Bio/Statement:

Simply, introduce yourself. Since this site is a reflection of your art and thought process as an artist, let your personality seep through. After thoroughly searching one artist’s site after the other, I have observed that the more engaging sites are from artists that not only impress me with their talents but also keep their bio’s and statements interesting and captivating. I don’t mean stretch the truth about what you studied in school, exhibit history or work experience, but somehow make it sound not as formal as you would in an interview. Secondly, your Artist Statement should always be included somewhere on your site, whether it’s on the home page or a separate page.

Where’s the art work?

 Now, you need to focus most of your time on formatting, organizing and uploading the digitalized images of your works. Sometimes your site will crash or temporarily freeze, but when the site has decided to cooperate and be user friendly, your pictures should be easy to find and of great quality. It’s the smallest details and little quirks that can really affect the overall quality of your site.

So, to avoid confusion:

Make sure viewers are able to enlarge the size of the smaller icons. You think this wouldn’t be a problem, but I have come across a couple of sites that only include tiny icons of the works, so go big! Also, it’s not a bad idea to incorporate a slideshow with your works, so your viewers can really gain a sense of your style and progression.

Itemize your works! Even, if you have a large quantity of portraits but maybe only a couple of landscapes, still keep them separate. It gets too confusing going through sites and seeing all different subjects mixed up. Each area of focus is unique so honor this by creating individual pages.

Lastly, you want to always include a contact page. This is a given, especially for those commercial artists out there. Most hosting sites will already have this formatted for you, with a comment box and optional facebook/twitter addition. On this page, you can discuss further your pricing info and whether you welcome commissions or not.

 Remember, Every last detail counts!

Check out some of the featured artists websites listed on these hosting sites for inspiration:

artspan.com (which also separates artists by medium)

mesart.com

 artsearch

Please give us feedback/ leave your comments!

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 ~Margaret McClung

Taking notes

 

Picture is Unrelated:  Kayakers on the Potomac River on a hot day.  Photo by Angela Kleis, 2009

 

I cleaned over the weekend and put away a few notebooks and pads of paper that were taking up space on my desk.  Last night, I spent over an hour looking for the one that contained data I needed to develop film.  I finally found it on a bookshelf, of all places (why didn't I look there first?).  But, I couldn't get started without it.

 

Maybe it's my ingrained thanks to my science background, but I tend to take notes and keep a pretty meticulous notebook on all the types of film and developer combinations I've processed.  It helps me understand which types of films can be combined in one tank with the same developer, which ones should never, ever be put together, and if a particular developer is not a good match for a specific film.  Sometimes there are temperature issues and those are logged, too, as well small details I may notice and think will be helpful in the future (some if it is also online). 

 

I have a second notebook for printing that catalogs the negative number, type of paper, which filters I tried (and, which one worked best), time, aperture, and any dodging and burning that was performed.  Though printing is not an automatic process and may vary based on paper and chemical lots and other things I can't necessarily control, it provides a starting point that saves time and materials (and, frustration).  I like consistency and standardizing my methods helps me make sure that the results will be as close as possible to those I have obtained in the past, even with all of the inherent variables throughout the processes.  

 

There are notebooks or pads of paper in each of my camera bags that are useful for logging the film number (there is also a Sharpie in every bag) so when I am looking at an overwhelming pile of film canisters that need processing and want to develop a specific one, I can easily find it.  I have found this process very useful when travelling to note the date, city, places visited, if pushed or pulled the ISO.  These details not only help me locate a roll of undeveloped film, but also to remind me of the places I went.  After all, how many piazzas and fountains are there in Rome?  It's impossible to know.

 

It may seem like information overload or tedious details that most people are able to remember, but I feel it's better to be prepared and save time later by taking a few minutes to write it down, now.  What kinds of methods do you use to document photographic information?  Please let us know in the comments!!

                                                         -Angela

Shih Chieh Huang: The Luminescence of Creativity

Shih Chieh Huang is an installation artist who builds sculptures that resemble bioluminescent organisms of the deep sea.  He creates his installations from common household objects like small electronic devices, plastic, and computer fans. He then illuminates them with LED lights. The construction may sound a bit primitive, but this is what makes these sculptures so fascinating. He is able to achieve building these machines to move and act, like for example, a deep sea jellyfish out of objects that you probably have lying around your garage. Huang controls the movement of the “organisms” through the use of a TV monitors with eyes on them. Somehow the opening and closing of the eye acts as a switch to initiates various movements for the installations to make. Huang is also noted for building giant “worms” out of painter’s plastic, box fans, and bungee cords in public places. The creations he calls “organic concepts” move about and are made to be for viewer to interact with.

What makes Huang so special to the Smithsonian is that in 2007 he examined many specimens of the Natural History’s collection of deep sea animals specifically those with bio-luminescence. His research allowed for him to understand how these creatures adapt to their dark environments and their biological make-up that allows them to illuminate. Huang has an exhibition currently in the Natural History Museum called The Bright Beneath that is from September 3, 2011 to January 8, 2012 in the Ocean Hall. There will also be a special event featuring his work held by the Smithsonian Resident Associates on December 1, 2011 at 6:30pm. Link Below:

 

 

Check out these links:

Art and Science Meet (special event): http://residentassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/reserve.aspx?performanceNumber=223652

Shih Chieh Huang’s website: http://www.messymix.com/index.php

 

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~Griffin Baker

 

 

The Degradation of Point and Shoot Cameras

Graphic by Griffin Baker

In the last decade, the point and shoot digital camera was made widely available. This convenient memory maker revolutionized the way we share experiences with others. However, as time has passed and technology has evolved, the point and shoot’s glory days may be coming to an end.

With the many “all in one” technological devices of today that can email, surf the web and play music, people want devices that can do it all. This idea is why the point and shoot has lost popularity in the last few years. Why carry around a camera when your phone, tablet, and Mp3 player can take photos, especially now that there are so many apps to edit and apply filters to your photos right in the device? The gap in picture quality between cell phones and point and shoot cameras has begun to shrink. Many point and shoots offer a few basic features as well as approximately 8 or so megapixels. This used to trump the 3 or so of cell phone cameras but now with the introduction of cell phones like the iPhone 4GS which has an 8 megapixel camera, the difference in quality between the two devices is shrinking. Not to mention that these cameras in cell phone’s clothing offer users the ability to upload their images directly to social media sites and share them more easily and quickly.

Technology’s need to compress and merge will leave devices like the digital point and shoot in the dust. Though it may seem bleak, the truth is that the point and shoot’s days of reining supreme are nearing an end.

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~Griffin Baker

Mirrorless Digital Cameras

Decltype http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Decltype Samsung NX100

In recent years, mirrorless cameras have really grown in popularity. They offer versatility due to their size yet, performance is not compromised. As you may know, basic DSLR camera structure is an aperture, mirror, shutter, and sensor. Before explaining mirrorless cameras first one must answer the question, “What is the purpose of a mirror?” The mirror acts as a device to allow the photographer to look through their viewfinder and see out their lens. Mirrorless cameras instead of containing a mirror generally have live view to compose a picture. However these cameras most of the time have an ability to purchase an external viewfinder. As you might have guessed, this fundamental difference in the camera body construction creates pros and cons for mirrorless cameras.

If you have seen a digital mirrorless camera, you may have noticed that the camera bodies are significantly smaller than those in the DSLR realm. They can be smaller because they do not contain mirror or the necessary components that are required to mechanize the mirror. It is because of this that a great deal of space is saved within the camera and the body can then be smaller. The lenses on a mirrorless camera are also smaller and are often times interchangeable just like DSLR lenses. Mirrorless cameras also offer a similar megapixel count to DSLRs for a more affordable price.

Though these cameras sound really appealing they also have some drawbacks for those seeking a more professional performing camera. To start, the lack of a mirror leaves the sensor a bit more exposed thus making it more vulnerable to dust and other particles. Also the flexibility of mirrorless cameras is hindered due to the fact that there are simply fewer of their lenses on the market. Additionally, mirrorless cameras are unable to perform well in low light due to a low ISO range. They also lack the ability to achieve a high burst rate which leaves skeptics saying that the mirrorless camera falls short. Lastly, the main drawback that makes the mirrorless camera unappealing to the pros is that it lacks the ability to shoot full frame.

Due to the short comings of the mirrorless camera, pro photographers generally stick to using their DSLRs. This is not to say that mirrorless cameras are somehow shoddy pieces of camera equipment, they are just simply more suitable for a different market. If you want a great performing camera that is easy to use and is compact in size then a mirrorless camera is definitely something to consider.

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~Griffin Baker

DIY Aerial Photography

 

    We've all seen the photographs of Earth taken by satellites, by NASA during shuttle missions, and even by the astronauts on the International Space Station.  With these pictures, we can see the curvature of the Earth, the blue band containing our atmosphere, the shapes of continents, mountain ranges, and the vastness of our oceans.  The missions whereby these photographs are taken cost millions of dollars and require thousands of people.  Then there are the do-it-yourself types, driven by curiousity and creativity who also accomplish pretty amazing things, like attaching a digital camera to a weather balloon and launching it 20 miles above the ground. 

 

    Robert Harrison, a computer engineer from Highburton, West Yorkshire in the U.K., reprogrammed a point-and-shoot digital camera to take a picture every five minutes and, after twenty launches since starting in 2008, has amassed a pretty amazing collection of photographs.  

 

 

Robert Harrison with the intial tethered flight in his backyard.

 

 

What goes up must come down, but not necessarily back to where it was sent from.  To retreive the camera and photographs, all of the flights are tracked on the ground using a GPS device also attached to the balloon. 

 

 

One of the images of Earth taken during the initial, non-tethered flight, showing cloud formations, land patterns, the blue ring of our atmosphere, and even stars.

 

 

As the camera returns to Earth, it snaps views of the U.K. countryside.

 

 

Harrison retrieving his camera at the end of a successful mission.  A note on the camera's housing indicates it is a "Harmless Scientific Experiment".

 All photographs belong to Robert Harrison and are used by permission. 

 

-Angela Kleis

Can you attain the pheon?

Interact with the Smithsonian American Art Museum in a revolutionary way! Beginning on Saturday, September 18th, SAAM is introducing a "brand-new, mission-based alternate reality game. A variation on the classic game Capture the Flag, Pheon is a competition..., which will occur online and at live events during the course of a year. Pheon, like other mission-based games, revolves around the completion of tasks, the making of objects, discovery and documentation."

Missions will be based on exploring the museum's art collections, exhibitions, and programs. Players from all over the world will interact with scripted characters and make use of online social media, such as Twitter and Facebook, and each player's individual actions will influence the game. Earn enough points to attain the pheon - a virtual talisman.

The game launches tomorrow from noon to 6 p.m. at the Smithsonian American Art Museum. Activities for players will include making objects, texting codes and finding clues in a belly-dance performance.

Additional information is available on the museum’s website, americanart.si.edu/pheon.

Friday Feature: Ask Joan of Art

When did artists start to use pastels? Were any fine artists involved with comics? Was there any relationship between James McNeill Whistler and Oscar Wilde? How should I display old tintype photographs?

For the answers to these and other burning questions, visit Ask Joan of Art on the Smithsonian American Art Museum website or follow her on Twitter (@AskJoanofArt). You can see the answers to recent questions, and you can also pose questions of your own, which may show up in a future Tweet!

You can also check out SAAM's blog, Eye Level, where there are periodic posts on "The Best of Ask Joan of Art" - going back through 17 years of Ask Joan of Art questions and answers.

Tips and Techniques: Online Resources

On-Line visual arts resources abound at The Smithsonian Institution! Try a link for a deeper understanding of a subject you are studying. Recently in researching a few topics on-line, I came across some amazing images on various Smithsonian sites. I freely admit I may be late to the party, but I am also aware of the more recent push to make the vast holdings of the Smithsonian readily available to the public.

As locals, we have the luxury of dropping by the museum of our choice to see works of art up close and personal but as we know, the Smithsonian’s holdings far surpass what is on view in our museums at a given time. And that is where its web-based resources can be a goldmine! For example, did you know that within the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s Photographic Archives there is a collection of 127,000 black-and-white photographic works featuring portraits of artists, images of galleries and museums from the early 1900’s to the mid-1970’s? These works can be found in the Peter A. Juley and Son Collection. There, delightful works such as this photograph of American painter and illustrator, Constantin Alajalov can be found.

Also from the Peter A. Juley & Son Collection, you may view photographed works of art from the Ashcan School, an informal group of American Artists working in the early twentieth century to capture scenes from urban life. Among the many images in the catalog is this beautiful line drawing by artist George Bellows.

While you should continue to visit art in person to learn and grow artistically, there are times when a little on-line surfing can provide just the right amount of inspiration. So delve in to the Smithsonian’s on-line resources-- but don’t forget to blink!

Cell Phone Cameras

Who's cell phone these days doesn't have a camera?  No one I know!  These little cameras have come a long way since their inception in a device used for making phone calls, and photographers are turning to them more and more for a range of reasons.  From convenience and stealth to specific effects and a fast way to relay information to others, these little cameras are quickly turning into the go-to camera for most cell phone users.  In fact, Flickr reports that the most popular camera in the Flickr community is the Apple iPhone...a cell phone. 

For myself, the camera on my LG Voyager is the only digital camera that I own.  Since film has a bit of a turn-around, when I want to share something immediately, I usually shoot a photo or two with my cell phone, too.  I used my cell phone camera for 89% of the photos in the daily 365 project I completed last year.  Without this little camera, I mean, phone, err..you get the idea...completing this project would have been impossible.  

 

 I polled my photographer friends why they use their cell phone cameras as much as they do, and the resounding answer was convenience.  

 

Tracy Clayton loves shooting with his iPhone because of convenience and it allows him to always be looking for a photo when he doesn't have the DSLR handy, such as this photo in an elevator before heading out on the town in Miami.  Amber Baum also turns to her iPhone for convenience, but also appreciates working within artistic restraints capturing the movement of a cannonball mid-splash.  Eric Petersen shows the versatility of his cell phone camera by shooting summertime fireworks with amazing clarity and lighting.

 

Next, there's a category that I like to call "Taunting".  These are photos that are taken to show where you are at the moment with an intent to make people jealous.  Jennifer Wade does this expertly with summery beach shots when the rest of us are shivering in three feet of snow.  Samer Farha taunts his Flickr or Twitter contacts with photos of mouth-watering treats or sought-after cocktails at the end of a long day.  

 

For those moments in a crowd when a larger "real" camera would detract from the situation, the cell phone cam provides stealth.  How often do you run into a cartoon character on Metro?  Without their cell phone cameras, Karon Flage would have missed this shot and Erin McCann would have interrupted this scene by drawing too much attention to themselves with a DSLR.  

 

A few photographers actually devote entire series' to pictures take with their cell phone cameras.  Jim Darling finds that the casual nature of his cell phone helps form a quick relationship between him and his subject, resulting in a more relaxed atmosphere that really comes through in each photo in his iPhone Portrait series. He hasn't been turned down, yet!  Davin Tarr captured the Anacostia River using his camera's multi-photo feature and taking advantage of motion to create a series of softly blurred, dreamy photos of his morning commute.

Then, sometimes you simply walk home and something catches your eye as you enter the stairwell and want to send a fast note to your wife at that very moment, like Danny Jean-Jacques did.  

As you can see, the possibilities are endless, and with all of the applications available to many of the smartphones, versatility has been taken to a whole new level.  How do you use your cell phone's camera?  What is your favorite application or feature unique to your phone?  Let us know in the comments! Get to know your camera's features and characteristics and see how far you can take it.

 

Hey, I gotta run.  My camera's ringing!

 

-Angela

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www.angelakleis.com