Website Suggestions
 

I have not had a chance to introduce myself yet largely because I need to put together a website. I have been asking around about some good resources, software, advice etc... for constructing a website. I would like to know what you have found to work well.

Thanks,
Renee

I am not good with HTML, so I chose to use Front Page, which is easy to use and utilizes stylesheets, frames, and all the devices you need to do the job without going crazy learning codes.

I used Adobe Photoshop to prepare the JPEGs for the web.It is the best for editing and corecting JPEGS in my view.

Paint Shop Pro gets my vote for image manipulation. At under $100, it has close to the same power as Photoshop and is more user friendly. I used it for everything I've done on Stroke of Genius.

For web pages, Dreamweaver ranks tops. It's pricey though. I got mine on eBay at a savings...only $179. It definitely is a better program than Front Page. As popular as Front Page is, it doesn't come close to Dreamweaver.

Thanks, Lon and Cynthia. Cynthia, I read your article in the publications section of the ASOPA website on 'The Artist And The Internet'. I'm one of those people that have internet phobia (as you say) when it comes to just putting my work out there. But, I am beginning to see that the trend is going towards the internet more and more. Pretty soon there will not be any choice. Websites will be the norm as in the past with portfolios. Am I correct in thinking that? Although, if people like your work, it does not matter. If they like what they see, the sale is a done deal. And, word does get around.

Thanks again,
Renee

My son swears by Dreamweaver, as well. I have never used it. I can say this - you should choose carefully your program before you start, because you don't want to finish a site, and later wish you had done it in a better program. It is hard to change paddles in the middle of the stream.

My 2 cents worth!
 

Okay, you all are talking about Dreamweaver here, and I HAVE to chip in and give my two cents worth here. I LOVE Dreamweaver! Short and sweet.

I started off using FrontPage, and it did nothing but annoy the you-know-what out of me. It didn't give me the freedom of placement of my graphics, and since I am a MAC person, Dreamweaver was a godsend! Don't be descouraged if you have never used it, there are MANY books out there that are fabulous learning tools for Dreamweaver. My favorite books are by Lynda Weinman, who teaches web design in California. (http://www.lynda.com) It is an easy program to learn and you absolutely have the freedom to make your pages look exactly the way you want them to! You can check out my web site, which was done totally in Dreamweaver, as an example: http://nsstc.uah.edu/~geary/.

If you ever have ANY questions regarding web design or Dreamweaver, you can email me! I would be glad to help! My degree is in Graphic Design and Web Development, so ask away! Hope this helps!

Website Suggestions
 

I have not qualified to join SOG yet, so I needed to find a method of setting up a website. Here is a link to a builder/webmaster that may help until you can qualify/afford SOG. It did me.

I believe that Cynthia and her site has enhanced the world of portraits beyond anyone's
expectations and I can't wait to be an official part of it! www.ezpics.com

My 2 cents
 

I use notepad/textpad which is not necessarily a good place for a beginner, like yourself, to start.

I do web design/development for a corporate intranet and a couple times a year teach in-company classes on basic web.

First off, don't use Front Page. The code it creates is buggy. It is also IE centric - which means your web pages might not appear correctly on a Netscape browser.

I do recommend Dreamweaver highly - but it can also be a little overwhelming. (and if you are on a budget) - you might want to check out http://www.evrsoft.com/1stpage/ (first page 2000) This is free. It is for the PC world. Let me know if you want a Mac recommendation. I've started a lot of beginners successfully on this program.

I can also give you some great url's and book recommendations and if you don't yet understand the world of web hosting and ftp protocol can help you out. Just send me an email.

Hope this helps.

Rebecca