51 lines
5.8 KiB
Markdown
51 lines
5.8 KiB
Markdown
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---
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title: "Artists Need More Personal Websites"
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date: 2022-11-16
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draft: false
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---
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As an artist, I didn't really see the value of burdening myself with a website until I actually did it.
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The recent events on art websites everywhere (Hostile Twitter takeover[^1], DeviantArt with DreamUp, and more) have called into question how much artists depend on them. Today I want to specifically talk about
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using them as portfolios, galleries and in some cases - a personal backup solution.
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Just so we're clear, websites and services like Mastodon, Twitter, Pixiv, Newgrounds and such are _ephemeral_. That is, that in most cases you have _no_ control over your account or where the service goes as a whole. A really great example of this is the Tumblr exodus, where they slammed the book on so many artists on that platform and by extension, and they never recovered since. I distinctly remember one artist lost so much work during that ban that they quit art entirely, and most of their art is now _lost media_. The problem is that they never created backups, and they just assumed Tumblr will just host their art forever.
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This is the crux of the issue - many of these websites fizzle out after a decade or so - or if they don't then you're beholden to adminstration changes. The current set of popular art websites exist _today_ but there's no reason why they would continue existing, after all a lot of them are backed by businesses who live or die by profit. However, these art websites have their place - there is no better way right now to present your art to your niche, recieve interactions[^2] or meet similiar artists.
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However the problem is that artists _depend_ on them too much, and they especially build _their identity_ around them. How many artists are sticking to Twitter because thats where they get the most likes? What will happen if Twitter _does_ disappear by the end of the year[^3]? What I suggest to artists is simple: **build your own website.**
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## Is it too expensive?
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**NO!** This is probably the biggest hurdle for most artists to understand, that hosting a website can either be very cheap or completely free. There are lots of drag-and-drop website builders[^4], but if you're more technically minded there are very cheap servers available from reputable providers to host something like [WordPress](https://wordpress.org) or even build a website in something like [Hugo](https://gohugo.io) (hi!)
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However one of the more expensive costs is a _domain name_[^5], which is a fancy TLD like `myart.com` instead of your hosting provider like `myart.wordpress.com`. I highly suggest buying a domain name if you have an alias, but this is optional - what's important is that you're hosting your content on your terms and a domain name is just one part of strengthing your identity.
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## Is it hard?
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**NO!** Depending on how complex you want to be, it can be tough but for most people their site builder ([Wix](https://www.wix.com), [WordPress.com](https://wordpress.com), etc) will allow them to easily create galleries, link their social media and so on. Even a blank white website with a list of your social media will work.
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In my opinion, if you're capable of drawing, making music, pottery or another profession in the first place, then you're perfectly capable of displaying the same passion on a website - it's another skill!
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## What's difference between X (Tumblr, Twitter, Newgrounds)?
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When you choose to host your own website, **you** choose to present your content on your own terms[^6]. There are no _"Site Admins"_, there are no _"Shareholders"_ seeking to remove yet another customization choice from your profile. If Twitter shuts down tomorrow, Pixiv decides to crack down on R-18, or some other major event - you know what you can do? Sit back and enjoy that you're part of the independent web. You don't need to abandon Twitter, but realize that you should get a backup plan.
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## Backups
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Here's just a small thing partially related to the topic of this article, **please keep backups**! I have (most) of my art backed up since 2016, and every time I access my archive I'm thanking myself over and over. Even if it's some bad sketch or music demo, I highly suggest keeping the source file and/or a rendered copy of it. Make sure to keep a copy on your website but also off-line as well, in case your hosting provider goes off-line or you lose access in some way.
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[^1]: To not bloat the article with more of this garbage news, I _know_ it's not a "hostile takeover" but it's still an equally ridiculous situation. That was just the easiest way to put it!
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[^2]: This is not explicitly true, depending on your skill level, time of posting, size of your niche, and also the star alignment.
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[^3]: Not that I think this will actually happen, more than likely the current owner will back out and the website will slowly recover. But it's a great example because we're riding the line of a major art outlet on the verge of death.
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[^4]: My partner recently built a website in Wix for example, and despite having to work around their
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site builder like building a Tumblr theme - it actually works quite well and doesn't cost her a penny!
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[^5]: The cost depends on the TLD you choose, but they typically are within $10-15 USD a year. Some domain registrars are run deals so it might even be cheaper. However, due to ICANN rules you **are** required to provide valid, legal contact information such as your real name, address and other sensitive information. Assuming your registrar provides WHOIS protection (which they typically do), this information is **not** public to anyone except for the registrar, but keep this in mind before buying a domain.
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[^6]: Of course, you have to listen to ICANN, your country's internet policing agency and your hosting provider - but you also have to do the same with any social media website. You just cut out more middlemen!
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