I was just over at the sandbox, commenting on a metalworkes site. Maybe I do that too much, I don't know. But I thought it was worth posting some basic information here.

Artists are visual people, websites are a visual medium. But there is a lot of other stuff going on at the same time.

Do not be shy with your website. If your work is great enough for you to put it online, don't hesitate to sell it once you get there. You do need to SELL it. Read up on classic selling tecniques, use the Features and Benefits concepts.

Text is very important. TELL the audience about your work, don't just show it. I know this goes against the grain of visual artists, but remember you are selling to customers who are not artists, mainly, and they do not see the world like you do.

Do not be afraid to put up prices, people immediately want to know. I, myself, get suspicious if people are not up front about the price. What are they hiding? Are they trying to get me interested and then charge a fortune?

Do not be afraid to let them purchase your work. This may sound like an odd sentence, but if you do not give them an opportunity to click it an buy it right then and there, on every page, at every moment, what is the point?

Always focus on what you want from your audience. If it is to get them to commission you for a large product, what you may want from them is to contact you. Then SELL that contact. Give them an opportunity to contact you at every point, tell them that is what you want from them. Do not just put your contact at the bottom of every page (you should do that as well), but have many active links that either go to your email (if they are at the computer, they are more likey to email first contact, then phone. Just my intuition here.)

Maybe you can have a form on your site. That way you can get exactly what you need from the customer.

Anyways, these are just some thoughts. I am off to find a Halloween costume. Wish me luck.