I'd like to let everyone know that you can now make a free account on BRUSHD! Now everyone can find out how easy it is to make a professional, easy to update online art portfolio with no strings attached. To learn more about BRUSHD! and its on-site blogging, keep on reading ^^

I know for a fact that I would not be able to update as often as I do if it wasn't for the BRUSHD! management system I use, which creates the pages you see with little more than comment post input from me. You'd be amazed at the time saved when you don't have to create thumbnails, link up images, make sure your site looks the same in different browsers (especially after you've made minor changes!) and preview what you're posting as you go along. And that's just part of what the BRUSHD! artist portfolio can do.

I made a quickie portfolio sample to give you an idea of how it works, and if I were actually an artist of any kind, it would look pretty awesome filled with content. Instead, you get to see my random personal photos ^^; Pictured above is Boxes on the Top n' Wide layout, one of the many front page styles from which you can choose.

With literally the click of a button, you can change your front page style. The images that are shown on your front page are drawn from your project galleries, which are basically just how you choose to group your photos or art work. You can call it anything you like as well, so if you don't want it to be projects or portfolio just write in what you want. You can even select which groups of photos you would want to show up. Above, I tried out the Boxes front page and the Slideshow front page on the Top Right Box layout. My personal favorite is Top n' Wide with Boxes.

Like on my site, thumbnails are dynamically generated, you just upload your full-sized images, photos and art work and the BRUSHD! systems creates and crops thumbnails, strips, and boxes to best display your art works. It pretty much takes care of one of the most tedious parts of maintaining a website so you can focus on your content. All of the images you see above were generated for me. I just had to upload the photos ^^

Of course, if you don't like the thumbnail portion on your project gallery you can set it to any image you'd like in the manager! And if you want to add another page, be it a resume, or commissions pricing, you can easily do that too!

You have the option of presenting your projects in (non-flash) slideshows, flipbooks, or a standard listing gallery display (or all of the above if you choose!) You can have a different display for each of your project galleries if you want to, so you can experiment to see what looks best.

Best of all, it's really easy to use and customize in so many different ways. You can choose your front page layout, your colors, your modern browser friendly fonts, your project page, and even style your individual projects. Think you're capable of making a comment on my blog posts? Then you can already make a portfolio. Believe it or not, the interface I use to make these posts is the same one you use to make a comment, and it's the same interface you use to add your content on BRUSHD!

And of course, there's a blog. You don't have to link to some off-site free blogging service, because it's all on BRUSHD! keeping your portfolio looking consistent all the way through. You can insert the images from your project gallery right into your posts. And for random images that you don't want to make a category for, just add them in, the interface can handle that. By the way, that's exactly what I use to make these blog posts. And you can choose whether or not you want comments on your blog, which is good especially if you see your updates more as news than discussions.

It's liberating to be able to put all your effort into the content of your site, and not the maintenance. I've experience it both ways, and I really prefer it with a content manager. I know I find my site easy to use, so I have no problem recommending it. Sign up for free and give it a try today!