​Wednesdays 7/23 – 8/13
6:30 – 8:30 PM

​As creator of an artist website, you are simultaneously author and architect. This course is for artists and designers who want to create a site to host their work, and for those who are interested in considering the website as a work in itself. This course will explore the design of artists’ websites, from curatorial approaches (Indexhibits) to net art and interactive experiences. Each week will include guest artists and guest critics such as Luiza Dale, Camila Galaz, Ryan Woodring, and Steph Zimmerman to help you improve yout current portfolio and connect professionally.

​Whether they act as digital white cubes or considered part of the work itself, artist websites reflect how artists work and engage with the public, while also revealing underlying sensibilities. Design decisions can hint at an artist’s approach to visibility, control, and connection, making the website another layer of the creative process and a unique form of publishing.

​Participants will explore different approaches to information architecture, consider how contemporary art is presented in online spaces, sketch their website’s wireframe, and receive feedback from professional designers. What could an artist’s website be?

​Learning Outcomes

• ​Create a basic website framework.

• ​Learn about various approaches of information architecture.

• ​Gain perspectives to designing artist websites, including curatorial, net art, and interactive methods.

• ​Leave with a plan to publish their website live (building, coding, hosting).

​Syllabus

​Week 1 – Introduction and Historical Context

​Explore the evolution of artist sites, analyze key examples, discuss the various functions of artist websites: archiving, promotion, curation, begin gathering references websites. Guest artist: Luiza Dale.

​Week 2 – Form is Meaning

​Examine different website structures and audience engagement. Begin sketching websites. Guest critic: Camila Galaz, from Structured Knowledge.

​Week 3 – Apply Design Principles

​Focus on visual hierarchy. Explore accessibility and new

​Week 4 – Final Crits and Plan Future Development

​Present website sketches for critique (guest critics: Ryan Woodring and Steph Zimmerman). Discuss website building and hosting resources. Conclude with plans for continuing development.

Instructor Bio

​Sophie Auger is an artist, designer, and educator. She works in web and printed publication, video installation, collaborative hacking, and alternative photographic techniques. Sophie is an adjunct professor at the School of Visual Arts and has previously taught at Parsons, the University of Pennsylvania, and Rutgers University.