Portfolio sites?

[dreamergirl]

I'm thinking about making a portfolio on the internet. What website in your opinion is the best for this purpose? I know that you can make it on flickr and deviant art. Are there any other or better websites? What do you guys use?

[Spiderbite]

Depends on what you want the portfolio for. If it's for jobs and the like, I would suggest something more like portfolios.com or making your own. I made my own about a year ago, but due to the fact that my art drastically changed and I needed to change my name for it (I had a ridiculous fight with this crappy "designer"/pornographer who had a similar name. I decided it was best not to have the possibility of someone confusing his site for mine.)

I have yet to remake it. Still want to build up my new portfolio first, which I should be working on a lot more! 

[Spiderbite]

I kind of like deviantart in that it is a community of artists and all. If you're in it just for fun, as opposed to the business side, I would suggest deviantart. Though i became very bored with it very quickly.

I've heard lots of good things from people who have used flickr, but I have little experience with it.

[dreamergirl]

thanks for replying, Spiderbite. Do they give you enough space to upload your pictures on deviant art/flickr?
I checked out portfolios.com. It's a bit too proffesional (ie. expensive) for the purpose that I want to use it. I just want some place to store my pictures, monitor my progress and if someone asks for my portfolio in a non-professional setting I could just give the website. I am searching for something that's got enough space to store a lot of images.

[Spiderbite]

As far as I know, Deviantart gives you unlimited space. I've enevr seen anyone that has exceeded the limit. Yeah, Portfolio.com is expensive. bleh. I really don't know anything about flickr. I would just test both of them out and see how you like them, as they're both free.

[artsylydia]

I just want some place to store my pictures, monitor my progress and if someone asks for my portfolio in a non-professional setting I could just give the website.

in that case, have you thought of creating a PDF file of all your best work? when it comes to a portfolio you want to show the best stuff, not just all of it. 10-15 pieces (at least that's what they advise for graphic design). If you have adobe acrobat you can select all the files you want and create one pdf containing all those files. that is easier for someone to open in an email attachment rather than 15 individual files. that way, if someone asks to see your work, just get their email address and sent them the file. it's something that you can update easily, too. AND you have the bonus of getting that persons email which is good for networking, etc. they are more likely to reply with feedback, too.

personally, i wanted a domain name and my own site. i thought that deviant art would look too unprofessional, but i guess it depends on what you are using it for. i'd say a pdf is the next best thing to having your own site. but that's just my 2 cents. i just got my website together if you want to check it out - lydiaplottel.com

[meanderingartist]

You might look into EBSQ-  self representing artists.

http://www.ebsqart.com/Register.asp

Some people I know are very happy with it.

[simplytreasured]

I have been a member of ebsqart.com for a few years.  It has a wealth of info and tools.  I'm very happy with it.

Trish
http://www.simplyart.tk

[starpiste]

Flickr does have upload limits, but for a PRO membership it's $20.00 a year, and well worth it. I would always hit my limit with the free acount, but never came close to it with m pro account.

[letsescape]

I use flickr (which is free for up to 200 photos and then something like $20 a year for an unlimited amount, which is pretty good - I prefer it to deviant art and have used both in the past) to store my photographs and artwork, and have a separate portfolio site, where I can show it off properly. Flickr works a bit like an online sketchbook, and I use it to store photos of friends and family etc. as well.

The benefit of having a flickr account is that you get an awful lot of storage space. I don't have any images actually stored on my webspace, I put the images from flickr on my website (there's a little code at the bottom of flickr images that you can just copy and paste, each image on your website will take you to its flickr page when clicked on - but I quite like that as there's a space for people to comment on your pictures).

I agree that if it's a portfolio site, showing off the pictures you are most proud of is the best idea. Designing the page so that the colours, graphics, font etc suit your artwork rather than the generic deviant art/flickr/etc. websites gives it a more professional look too.

I have a link to my flickr account on my portfolio site so that anyone who likes the images they see on my website can have a look at more.

(There are also scripts you can install yourself on your website that give you little galleries, for example Simple Viewer (http://www.airtightinteractive.com/simpleviewer) that you can see in action on magical artist Molly Lesher's website (http://www.mollylesher.com). If you aren't too sure about codes and technical stuff though, it's easiest to leave it to big websites like Flickr.)

Did that make sense? I've been doing the portfolio site thing for a good long while and have tried most methods. Looking at how other people arrange their art is helpful too.

http://www.sbritt.com
http://www.nomajesty.net
http://www.chelsearose.darkinfinity.info/
http://portfolio.johannaost.com/