I will be analysing the different sites for exploring and applying for opportunities as an artist in England.
A-N
Easy to get around the site when you have been using it for a while and understand how it works. Once you click on the ‘job’ tab at the top, you can navigate through the the opportunities available and narrow them down into different sub categories, like ‘art vacancies’ or ‘exhibiting’ . It is a little bit convoluted but you can find what you’re looking for eventually.
ArtQuest
This was slightly better as the site is more user friendly, and the sub categories are more niche and include sections which are more applicable to me, such as ‘new graduates’. IT also has a clear section down the side to look at their socials. It also has a guide for people looking to find out how to find the right opportunities for them which i though was useful.
ArtRabbit
Much more engaging website compared to those mentioned above. I found myself scrolling on this site for longer. I like how each advert has concise sections immediately visible so i don’t have to enter each one individually. The advert shows clearly who is eligible, the deadline and what you get out of it. It also has links to socials related to the advert so you can check out the companies, which i liked. The site is so clear and user friendly, so i would be likely to visit it again in the future to search for opportunities.
ArtOpps
A site that seems to be used mostly for prize and open call submissions. There is an option to sort by deadline and to search by using keywords. It seems user friendly and clear to use and I like the individual panes. My only negative would be that the deadlines are written in small writing at the bottom, and opportunities that have closed are still being showed, and its difficult to notice which is open or closed unless you read each pane at the bottom, which is frustrating.
This image shows the difference between an open submission and a closed one, and it isn’t very clear!
Moma
This site was laid out well with each opportunity clearly separate to the next and the information you need laid out in the landing page so you don’t need to enter each one separately, which i liked. I do not like the images they use, as they take up too much space and the site seems like it is laid out using Excel, which is not very eye catching or interest-keeping for me.
There is also no way to sort the opportunities or a search bar to find what you are specifically interested in, which others sites have.
A discussion of my Instagram business page and the analytics that instagram has shared with me.
Using the ‘Professional Dashboard’ link on my Instagram page, i can gain an insight into my Instagram ‘Performance’. Through the ‘insights’ tab, i can see a deeper look into my account and how it and my content has been performing.
I will be having a look at my follower breakdown. This can help me see who follows me (and unfollows me!) their location, age, gender and when my followers are most active.
Growth/Follower Breakdown – This tab shows me my follower breakdown. As you can see on this date (April 27, 2021) I have 378 followers, which has a growth rate of 0% vs the previous week. This for me is a positive – no unfollows!
If i change the tab to show the last 30 days, I have a growth rate of -1.6% compared to the last month. This means overall I have gained 10 followers and lost 16. Unfortunately there is not an option to view it over the past year, however I know that overall my follower numbers have grown. We expect to see fluctuations through growth but i am happy with slowly gaining the right kind of followers, who have an interest in my work, rather than having many that are more superficial.
Location – Using this tab I gain see who in what cities and countries i gain the most interaction from. Below is a table of those. As you can see, my main interactions come from users in the UK at 58.4%, followed by the US at 14.7%, with nominal numbers from Brazil, Russia and France. This was really interesting for me, because its exciting to see interactions from people across the globe!
Age Range – This shows me the average age of users who interact with my posts. Below is a table of all the age ranges and their percentages.
Gender – This allows me to see who my content is gaining the most interaction and views from. My page is split nearly by half into women and men. With 54.6% of my viewers women and 45.4% men.
Active Times – This can help me to understand when my followers are most active on Instagram. Although user data can suggest a different time for when most users are online, this section is tailored to my followers and can help me build up a rapport with them and post while they are online. This can help growth through word of mouth and through interaction on posts and stories. My followers seem to be most active at the same time of day, each day. This is between 3pm and 6pm. The day my followers are most active is on a Monday. If i were to post at 6pm on a Monday, this is – according to Instagram analytics – the best time for me to gain the highest interaction from viewers.
The power of Linked-in and an analysis of its effectiveness/necessity.
I already had a Linked-in account, but it was very outdated and it needed a refresh, so once I remembered my password I was able to log in and see what Linked-in had to offer. Initially I was a little confused as to what exactly Linked-in was and how it could help me, but after some clicking around it became clearer. It is used as a professional networking site for people looking to connect to others in the same industry as them. It asked to connect to my contacts and i was able to view tutors and individual artists and companies pages. It is essentially the ‘Facebook’ equivalent for working professionals.
It seems quite clunky to use and I don’t think I would log in as often as i would on other sites, such as Instagram, as it isn’t very attractive or eye catching to use.
An analysis of my website, and how it compares to other websites i have looked at.
https://elgin-thwaites.pixpa.com/
Landing page – Similar to Ann Marie James’ site in that there is one image which you click to enter. I am unsure if this is necessary as one could use a landing page containing news instead, but this creates a but of theatre when discovering artists websites and works.
Portfolio – I have yet to add this section to my website, but i believe that after viewing other artists sites, it is an important section which allows the showcasing of an edited selection of your work which allows a concentration of interest to be created by the viewer. Having a separate gallery of all the other work I have made seems like a good idea also as it can show a less detailed selection of all my work if people want to look at more.
About – This section will be paired down after looking at artists sites, this is because i would like to include a shorter section about me followed by a more comprehensive CV and biography.
Exhibitions – I decided to add this section after looking at other artist’s websites, as it showcases specifically my works that have been in exhibitions and i think this is an important section.
Links to social media – I have links to my Instagram page at the bottom of every page of the website. This is important as it can allow people to have a look at a more up to date and less official side of you as a person and as an artist. This is also important as it is how i have been contacted by A-N, open call requests, individuals and also professionals. Instagram is a site which appeals greatly to me as it is paired down, simplistic and eye catching, and also free!
An analysis of artists portfolios and the different sites that are used to host them.
Adobe Portfolio
I used the site https://digital-photography-school.com/pros-and-cons-adobe-portfolio/ to learn about how this site is used and the pros and cons.
The cons I initially read were this:
Pros:
Overall I liked how the images were displayed and how you can easily navigate through tabs on an artists page, however I would not use this as a portfolio site as I have to pay for it.
A really great way to showcase your work by creating a new user and having this as a professional portfolio site that can be easily updated. I really like using Instagram as a portfolio site, however I like to show my users what i am up to in a more personal tone, where they can see how i work ands what i get up to outside of final images of work. This is the main reason that I would not use Instagram as a dedicated portfolio platform.
Personal Website
For me, having a personal website is the way to go for a portfolio. I use Pixpa for my website as it is only £2.50 per month and I can store many images and have lots of appropriate tabs. The site is easy to keep updated and is user friendly. I have looked into using other sites such as Squarespace to host a site but i do not like the interface and find it clunky to use. I considered coding my own however purchasing a domain name can be much more expensive than using a site such as Pixpa to host, and it can be a long winded process to keep it updated.
Elgin Thwaites is a graduating BA Hons Fine Art student currently based in Suffolk, UK. Thwaites’ works span across installation, painting and film and respond to her environment. Her works are based on chance and explore the notion of traces, using tools as an extension of her body to leave behind ethereal marks.
