Web Presence

My Website

At the beginning of this module I decided to register my name as the domain name for my website right away: www.kittyskye.com

I did this using Go Daddy's service which after looking for competitive rates and good service, seems to me the best deal. Dolores had said that she had a negative experience using them, but my experience; thankfully; was efficient and adequate.

After looking at Phoebe Baker's website and comparing with some other web building companies, I decided to use wix.com and have been delighted with my choice. The end user interface is extremely good. It is logical and intuitive and the choices in design and layout are endless. The final result looks professional and functions as though it has been built by a technical whizz. Even the linking of my domain name with the actual website was a doddle.

Most recently I have also bought an email mailbox, contact me@kittyskye.com.

The site is also very easy to edit and I have had a look at the online shop section and will be adding this feature in May/June to sell some products adorned with my illustrations.

Finished my website. Have just set up Google Analytics so that I can track visits to my site. There are tweaks I can do, to stop things like my own viewing data being collected, but it looks a bit complicated for my brain right this second, plus, its many years since I played around with HTML programming and if I hurry it I'n bound to mess it up.

OK, launched and I have sent the link to friends and family and fellow illustrators for initial feedback. I also noticed a couple of blips and decided to reorganise the sections better.

Here is some of the feedback I received:

"Blimey, amazing . Very talented lady" Niki Fox

"The style is really unique and just the way I see you, it really reflects your taste...The design of the site is great too how it goes straight to a slide show..." Rose Szarovicz

"Wow these are really good...Will you sell prints? They are so attractive I think a lot of people would want to buy your work..." Rose Szarowicz

"Hey!!! Really nice!! I love wild swan and the colour studio! Bravo you." Sean Fear, Illustrator

"Woah! You've been busy! Love it. You have a real talent" Kersti Kidman

"I looked - you are very talented!" Trevor Spiro

"I have had a look at your web site, it looks good well done." Carla Friedman

"I'm looking at the children's illustration and am really touched" Lola Parrot

"...thank you for sharing your work. Your website is well done, it's simple and effective, perfect! You have many works that I had never seen. It's very interesting! I like your work.." Patrick Bouchard, Animator/Filmmaker

I have just posted a request on Facebook for anyone interested to be added to my "links" page.

Facebook

I like to see the sketchbooks of other artists and illustrators, in fact it is one of favourite things to do. Following a lectures by these creative persons, I always like to ask to see a sketchbook. Whilst many artists prefer not to share their most guarded of creations, some are delighted and there are even those who publish them, such as Shaun Tan's The Bird King. I find it fascinating to see where the ideas begin and as such I thought I would try out a publish a digital version of my own:

Kitty Skye's Sketchbook

It will act as a blog of my ongoing projects, behind the scenes and from time to time an old favourite rediscovered sketch or two.

I also didn't want to simply duplicate what I have already produced on my website, and think this is an interesting alternative, and of course there is a link to my website from Facebook.

This is a very recent idea and I have not launched it yet. As soon as I do I will include a link from my website to the new Facebook page.