Grand Opening of Web Site

[Pama Designs]

Hi everyone,

I just had the grand opening of my Web site last week and thought I'd share it with the most discriminating eyes of all. Looking forward to hearing your expert opinions -- any and all comments, suggestions, Qs welcome.
Thanks,
Alice Summa
http://www.pamadesigns.com

[Greg Rawls]

WOW! Are those your eyes?????

[Pama Designs]

I wish...or do I?!

[Bonita (Nita) Crawford]

WOW! is what I thought, too. Whose eyes are they?

Love your web site. Do you mind sharing who did it and who did the
photography. If you say you did them both, I'm going to fall onto
the floor, draw up into a fetal position, cry, and maybe even suck
my thumb.

Seriously (or was I serious?), it's a great web site. I was stunned
when I opened it and saw your work so uniquely displayed. I wish
you much success.

Warmly,
Nita

[Pama Designs]

Nita,

Thanks much for these compliments. I did do the Web site, and the secret is that I used the automatic (at least relatively automatic) Web-page builder that is part of the the Yahoo Store service. To find out how it works just go to Yahoo and click on e-commerce. I believe they have a demo so you can get a feel for it. Yahoo costs more than other providers but it's a complete solution, and you don't have to go around patching technologies and providers together, and you don't even need Web authoring software -- because you use theirs, right on the Web. They also have the shopping cart technology built right in and a partnership with a merchant bank for accepting credit cards. I didn't have money for a graphic designer so I was happy to have the simple layouts Yahoo offers to choose from.

The photos I take with an Olympus digital camera with a macro lens. I put the camera on a tripod and photograph the pieces from only a few inches above, looking inside a gallon-sized plastic milk jug that has the top cut off, with two regular lights outside the milk jug. The jug difuses the light to reduce reflections. Then I have a small vanity mirror that lets me reflect some of the light (again through the side of the jug) onto the pieces for a highlight here and there if I want. I do this near a window during the day to get some ambient light. I shoot the pieces on a sheet of very nice paper I found at an art store, and for some of the pieces I put a dab of modeling clay underneath to hold it up away from the paper a bit and give it some more depth.

I process the images with Microsoft Photo Editor which I believe comes as part of Windows (I don't remember buying it separately). It's a really limited program, but you can resize, crop and then compress the images so they're no more than 50 megabytes each for Web use. The trick is to get the photos the way you like them when you shoot them, and then all you need to do is resize and compress.

Let me know if you have any other questions. I've been reading this board for quite a while with more to learn than share and am glad to be able to contribute!

Alice

[Bonita (Nita) Crawford]

Alice,

Thanks for all the wonderful and helpful advice. I am so impressed
that you did your own web site. Thanks for the photo info, too.

I still want to know whose eyes they are. What a spectacularly
beautiful young woman she is.

Warmly,
Nita

I like the silver finding you inserted at the top of some of your pendants.
If you don't mind telling me, is it fine or sterling silver, and where do
you find it?N

[Pama Designs]

The pieces juxtaposed with eyes and lips are collages using magazine images of idealized female beauty. I'm trying to show how the pieces can complement the wearer's eyes, and the luminosity of dichroics reflect the livliness of eyes, or their "chi energy."

[Pama Designs]

Forgot to tell you about the findings: They are from a silversmith / warm glass artist named Ernie Phelps. I've been trying to order more from him, but he's not answering e-mail! I'm working on some alternatives. There are a few references for other sources of such finding on other parts of the sites. I'm not sure where -- but search under findings...
Alice

[Carol]

The pieces juxtaposed with eyes and lips are collages using magazine images of idealized female beauty. I'm trying to show how the pieces can complement the wearer's eyes, and the luminosity of dichroics reflect the livliness of eyes, or their "chi energy."

Yep, knew it had to be a model. Have been following this thread waiting to see if I was right. My take on the eyes is quite different...they look fake...too good to be real, a product of 21st century digital magic. I'm wondering if using more average eyes that the consumer can relate to might make them relate more closely to your jewelery as well. Unlike others, I was kind of turned off by the commercialism evident in the eyes and the slickness of the site. Felt more commercial than artistic.

Another thing to note...everyone's talking about the eyes, not your jewelery...which do you want people to remember (and buy)?

Just my 2 cents worth
Carol

[charlie]

The pieces juxtaposed with eyes and lips are collages using magazine images of idealized female beauty. I'm trying to show how the pieces can complement the wearer's eyes, and the luminosity of dichroics reflect the livliness of eyes, or their "chi energy."

Yep, knew it had to be a model. Have been following this thread waiting to see if I was right. My take on the eyes is quite different...they look fake...too good to be real, a product of 21st century digital magic. I'm wondering if using more average eyes that the consumer can relate to might make them relate more closely to your jewelery as well. Unlike others, I was kind of turned off by the commercialism evident in the eyes and the slickness of the site. Felt more commercial than artistic.

Another thing to note...everyone's talking about the eyes, not your jewelery...which do you want people to remember (and buy)?

Just my 2 cents worth
Carol

i knew a lady with eyes like that. colored contacts. looked weird in person.

[Pama Designs]

I noticed that, too -- the eyes have become the focus of discussion. Not many have commented on the jewelry itself.

[Sonje]

Alice,
I really enjoyed looking at your website. Your pieces are very unique!
The sterling bails that you use, are they attached to the back with epoxy or silicone or do you fuse them directly in the piece?

Thanks,
Sonje

[marjmeyer]

Great job! Your photography is grrreat (!!) and I feel gives great exposure to your pieces. Your site loaded quickly for me (I'm on SBC ADSL). It is easy to manipulate, and I think the design you choose is clean and contemporary. I also liked your idea of the press releases, and the links for retail and on-line ordering.

Your pieces are also very nice --- I think your prices are super affordable (be prepared for lots of orders)!

[Pama Designs]

Thanks Sonje, The sterling silver bales is attached with E-6000 glue.
Alice

[Pama Designs]

Marjmeyer, thanks very much for your encouraging comments -- I do hope you're right that there will be lots of orders.
Alice

[ruthpowers]

I really like your pieces. It is very clean and the images show well. Can you tell me how you price your pieces? Thanks.

[Don Burt]

Hi everyone,

I just had the grand opening of my Web site last week and thought I'd share it with the most discriminating eyes of all. Looking forward to hearing your expert opinions -- any and all comments, suggestions, Qs welcome.
Thanks,
Alice Summa
http://www.pamadesigns.com

My initial impression from the first glance of the entry page was of an elegant professional site, with well photographed work. I was then weirded-out a bit by the predominance of the prices and ordering information and 'Think Pama for Gifts' or whatever it said. I think if I went to the site cold as a jewelry lover, I would have a better impression if the merchandising was subordinated more to the gallery...maybe small typefaced links to a seprate page for pricing and ordering. I can only speak from a consumer standpoint, no art marketing experience here.

In fact, I don't buy a lot of jewelry either. My expertise is in giving non-expert opinions.

[Pama Designs]

I really like your pieces. It is very clean and the images show well. Can you tell me how you price your pieces? Thanks.

Thanks Ruth. I priced my pieces by talking to local gift and jewelry retailers and by the complexity of the work, including how many firings, whether there was coldworking (grinding), as well as its size and whether it includes a sterling silver finding. I also did a competive analysis of other fused dichroic glass pendant/bead artists by looking at a lot of Web sites and comparing quality, size, prices. I also considered that I am selling the pieces for half when I sell wholesale, so I need to make a profit on that. I'm going to look at pricing continuously, so if you have any suggestions, let me know. There are some articles about pricing under "Articles for Artists" at http://www.artbusiness.com .

Alice

[Pama Designs]

My initial impression from the first glance of the entry page was of an elegant professional site, with well photographed work. I was then weirded-out a bit by the predominance of the prices and ordering information and 'Think Pama for Gifts' or whatever it said. I think if I went to the site cold as a jewelry lover, I would have a better impression if the merchandising was subordinated more to the gallery...maybe small typefaced links to a seprate page for pricing and ordering.

I know it looks a bit strange because many sites lack the ordering information altogether or put it to the side somewhere. My target market includes people in their 60s and 70s, shopowners in their 50s, and others who may not be used to purchasing over the Internet. I tried to make the site as user-friendly as possible for them, including having relatively large type faces and the repetition of ordering info on each page. Also, I'm planning to use e-commerce as one of my main selling strategies as I have parenting reponsibilities that make it impossible for me to travel much.Over time, I may adjust this strategy depending on its success. Thanks for the feedback!

[charlie]

I know it looks a bit strange because many sites lack the ordering information altogether or put it to the side somewhere. My target market includes people in their 60s and 70s, shopowners in their 50s, and others who may not be used to purchasing over the Internet. I tried to make the site as user-friendly as possible for them, including having relatively large type faces and the repetition of ordering info on each page. Also, I'm planning to use e-commerce as one of my main selling strategies as I have parenting reponsibilities that make it impossible for me to travel much.Over time, I may adjust this strategy depending on its success. Thanks for the feedback!

your decision, though, will put off more experienced shoppers, who don't usually want to be hit over the head a lot. a single icon to put something in a checkout basket is what they'd like to see. perhaps a way to turn off the extra bandwidth?