Artist Website: How to Build a Portfolio Site That Sells Your Work
How to build an artist website: the pages you need, how to present your portfolio, selling originals and prints, commissions, free options and costs, and how to build one with a template or AI website builder.
Related: How the We.Inc AI website builder works, with real sites it built
Short answer (September 2026): a strong artist website puts your best work first, organised into clear series, with large, accurate images. Add an About page with your statement and CV, a simple way to buy or enquire about each piece, a commissions page if you take them, and an email signup so collectors hear about new work. Your own domain and a clean, quiet design matter more than effects.
Put your work online this week. Publish up to 3 template sites free (no AI on the free plan), or describe your practice in one prompt and let the AI builder draft the site on Starter at $20 a month. Create your account, or start from this design: Vera Lens, Studio Ink, or see the illustrator website builder.
Galleries, curators, collectors and commissioning clients will almost always look you up online. An artist website is where they see your work the way you intend it, without a feed algorithm or marketplace clutter. Here is how to build one that looks professional and actually leads to sales.
Why artists need their own website
- You control presentation. Image size, order, context and story are yours to decide.
- Collectors can find you. A search for your name should lead to your site, not a random profile.
- It supports applications. Open calls, residencies and grants often ask for a website link.
- You keep the relationship. Email subscribers belong to you; followers belong to the platform.
- It lasts. Social platforms change their rules; a domain in your name does not.
Pages every artist website needs
| Page | What to include | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Home | One strong image or a small selection, your name, discipline, a link to work | Let the art lead; keep text minimal |
| Work or Portfolio | Series pages with title, medium, size, year, availability | Group by series, not by date uploaded |
| About | Artist statement, short bio, CV, portrait or studio photo | Write in plain language |
| Shop or Available Work | Originals and prints with prices, or "enquire" buttons | Show shipping and framing details |
| Commissions | Process, timeline, starting prices, enquiry form | Examples of past commissions help |
| News or Exhibitions | Upcoming and past shows, press | Remove outdated "upcoming" items |
| Contact and Newsletter | Email, form, studio location if relevant, signup | Promise what subscribers get |
Presenting your portfolio
- Large images. Let a single piece fill most of the screen when clicked.
- Consistent crops and colour. Photograph against the edges and colour-correct to the original.
- Details for every piece: title, medium, dimensions, year, and whether it is available.
- Context shots. A piece on a wall shows scale better than dimensions alone.
- Edit ruthlessly. A focused set of your best work reads as confidence.
Selling art on your website
| Option | How it works | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Enquire to buy | Button opens a form; you reply with price, shipping and payment link | Originals, higher prices, building relationships |
| Direct checkout | Price shown, buyer pays online | Prints, small works, fixed editions |
| Print on demand | A printing service fulfils prints when ordered | Artists who do not want to handle stock |
| Commissions | Enquiry form, deposit, milestones | Portraits, murals, custom pieces |
Whichever you choose, state shipping costs or regions, framing options, returns policy and how long delivery takes. Uncertainty stops purchases.
Writing an artist statement people will read
Keep it to roughly 100 to 200 words for the website. Say what you make, how you make it and why, in everyday language. Avoid stacking abstract terms. Read it aloud; if it sounds unlike how you talk about your work in the studio, rewrite it.
Artist website design tips
- Neutral backgrounds (white, off-white, charcoal) so the work carries the colour.
- Simple navigation: Work, About, Shop, Contact.
- Readable type, one or two fonts at most.
- Fast loading. Compress images to web sizes while keeping them sharp.
- Mobile first. Many visitors arrive from a social bio link on a phone.
Free and low-cost options
| Option | Typical cost | Trade-offs |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan on a website builder | $0 | Limits on features or branding; check each plan |
| Paid builder plan | Roughly $10 to $40 a month | Custom domain, more features |
| Domain name | Roughly $10 to $20 a year | Your name, portable |
| Designer-built site | Roughly $1,000 to $5,000 | Bespoke, but you still need to update it |
*Typical 2026 ranges, not quotes.*
On We.Inc, the free plan lets you publish up to three template sites with no AI. If you want the AI builder to draft your site from a description, that starts on Starter at $20 a month with 250 credits.
Getting found
- Title your home page with your name and discipline: "Maya Ortiz, Painter | Oil landscapes."
- Use descriptive image file names and alt text ("oil painting of fog over a harbour at dawn").
- Link your site from every social profile, email signature and gallery listing.
- Post news when you exhibit so your site shows recent activity.
How to build your artist website
From a template: choose a portfolio design with large image layouts, replace the sample images with your work, add your details and publish.
With the AI builder: describe your practice, for example "a website for a ceramic artist in Portland who makes wood-fired tableware, sells small batches online twice a year and takes restaurant commissions." The builder drafts every page, and you add your photographs and edit the words.
Then check each page on your phone, test your contact form and share the link.
Artist website checklist
- Best work first, grouped into series
- Accurate, colour-corrected photos
- Title, medium, size and availability for every piece
- Short, clear artist statement
- Buy or enquire option on available work
- Email signup
- Your own domain
- Tested on a phone
Keeping your artist website current
A site that still lists an exhibition from two years ago as "upcoming" tells collectors you may have stopped working. Build a light routine:
- After each new body of work: add a series page, retire weaker pieces and update the home page image.
- When a piece sells: mark it sold rather than deleting it; sold work is social proof.
- Before each show or open studio: add the event with dates, location and a map link, then move it to "past" afterwards.
- Every few months: refresh your CV, check that every buy and enquiry button works and send a newsletter.
Handling enquiries and commissions well
Many sales start as a question. Reply quickly, include clear images of the piece, the price, shipping or collection options and how payment works. For commissions, put the process in writing: what the client provides, sketches or approvals, deposit, timeline, what happens if they change their mind, and final delivery. A clear process protects both of you and makes you look established, even if you are just starting to sell.
Artist website mistakes to avoid
- Tiny thumbnails that hide detail.
- Watermarks so large they ruin the image.
- No prices and no way to ask for them.
- An artist statement written for other artists instead of for viewers.
- Links to social accounts you no longer use.
Show your work properly
Your art deserves better than a crowded feed. Create your account and start from this design: Vera Lens, Nora Kessler Studio or Studio Ink, or see what the art gallery website builder sets up.
Frequently asked questions
What should an artist website include?
A portfolio organised into clear series or bodies of work, an About page with your artist statement and CV, a way to buy or enquire about work, a commissions page if you take them, news or exhibitions, an email signup and contact details.
Can I make an artist website for free?
Yes, many builders have free plans. On We.Inc the free plan lets you publish up to three template sites at no cost, without AI. AI building, where you describe the site and it is drafted for you, starts at $20 a month on Starter.
Should artists sell on their own website or on marketplaces?
Many artists do both. Marketplaces bring buyers but take commission and control how you are presented. Your own site keeps the relationship with collectors, lets you set prices and tell the story behind the work. Link the two so each supports the other.
How many pieces should be in an online art portfolio?
Show your strongest, most consistent work rather than everything. Many artists feature roughly 10 to 25 pieces per series. Remove older work that no longer represents your direction.
How do I photograph art for my website?
Use even, diffused daylight or two matched lights at 45 degrees, keep the camera parallel to the work, crop to the edges, and colour-correct against the original. Add one or two in-room or detail shots so buyers understand scale and texture.
Do artists need a domain name?
A domain in your own name, such as yourname.com, looks professional on business cards, gallery submissions and social bios, and stays with you if you ever change platform. It usually costs around $10 to $20 a year.
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