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Whatever your field of art, a good website starts with a clean, attractive template that allows you to display your work in the best light.
Top-class gallery options and upcoming events sections are essential for showcasing and promoting your art, and so is an artist bio section to introduce visitors to your story.
You’ll also need clearly displayed social media buttons to help visitors get in touch with you once they’re hooked on your work. And e-commerce features will come in handy if you plan to sell your art online.
To help you get started, I’ve searched through dozens of WordPress themes and put together a list of six amazing designs to choose from. If you’re not into WordPress, don’t worry – I’ve also included a list of website builder templates to get you inspired.
Or, if you want a design tailored to your specific needs, I’ll show you how to get a custom template without going over budget.
King Size lets you upload unlimited image and video backgrounds. Hover over to see the Colorbox gallery type.1King Size from ThemeForest goes big and bold with images (as you can probably tell from its name), so it’s a great choice for showcasing your art. For the homepage, you can choose between a full-screen image and video sliders (YouTube, Vimeo, and MP4) to draw visitors in straight away.
There are six different gallery types, and you can customize the portfolio section by adding categories and filters. You also get a blog to share your artistic musings, and since this theme is compatible with WooCommerce, you can set up an online shop and sell your work directly from your site.
You can choose between dark and light backgrounds. Hover over to see framed photos in the Gallery section.1Red Art from ThemeForest is another example of a visually focused design. The homepage features a full-screen image slider with space for your artist statement, CTA buttons, and even a thumbnail gallery of your best works.
My favorite thing about this theme is its Gallery page, which displays your work like paintings hanging on a wood-paneled wall. You can choose from eight gallery layouts and you even get to customize the style of the “frames” (ceramic, plastic, wood, or steel).
The Events page is a great way to promote your exhibitions. And thanks to the WooCommerce integration, you can also include an online store on your site (bonus: you get tons of WordPress shortcodes for testimonials, pricing tables, contact info, and more).
This is a great theme for artists with blogging skills. Hover over to see.1CraftBird from TemplateMonster has that warm and fuzzy feeling I associate with handmade decorations and gifts, but it would be great for any artist who wants to share the process behind the finished product.
The homepage features a full-screen image with clearly displayed CTA buttons. You get an About Me section for your background story and a blog that enables reader comments to keep your audience engaged. Visitors can also subscribe to your site to receive news and updates.
This theme is compatible with Ecwid, so you can set up an online store and sell your work.
Art Deco lets you set pop-up messages with its Pop-up Manager tool. Hover over to see an example of an exhibition announcement.1Art Deco from TemplateMonster is geared toward promoting events, so it would work well for art galleries or individual artists with lots of shows and appearances. The homepage displays a full-width image with a subtle side navigation menu and CTA buttons.
Below, you’ll find sections for individual exhibitions with images, location details, dates, and short descriptions (plus plenty of animation to keep things interesting).
There are dedicated About and Gallery sections, and you can add pages for testimonials and individual projects. Art Deco is also compatible with both Ecwid and WooCommerce, so you’ll be able to sell your work online with the plugin of your choice.
This theme has dedicated pages for online art classes and a store.1Pottery Studio from Divi, Elegant Themes’ drag-and-drop page builder, is a great choice for studios because it has all the functionality you need to offer online art classes. Or, if you don’t give classes, you can use this page to link to exhibitions of your work.
The theme’s full-screen images and dark backgrounds give it a polished and professional look. You can upload a gallery of your works, and the theme comes with built-in blogging and store functionality.
The bright colors and artsy layout are sure to catch the visitor’s attention. Hover over to see a great artist bio section.1
Also from Elegant Themes’s Divi, Painter has a classic artsy look with plenty of space for images, large typography, and hand-drawn design details. The homepage displays a selection of your best pieces, and there’s a dedicated Portfolio page for showcasing the full range of your work.
I also like this theme’s unique Project section, where you can present your collections and offer short descriptions of each piece. You also get a blog and an online store.
Website Builder Templates
If you’re not already using WordPress, website builders such as Wix and Squarespace offer plenty of art-oriented templates that you can customize to your liking.
Generally speaking, website builders are worth considering because they’re super easy to use, even for beginners. Also, the templates come with lots of features to help you showcase and sell your work.
This gorgeous template is great for promoting specific events. Hover over to see a cool bio section.1Into the Wild from Wix has a striking homepage that doubles down on visual content, with a full-screen image and just the details of your latest exhibition.
The template’s vibrant, colorful design plays up your work, while the simple design of the navigation menu balances out the lush visuals and provides a sense of calm.
There are dedicated pages for separate collections, and even the bio page includes a fun thumbnail gallery.
The full stops after the section titles give this template a definitive feel. Hover over to see the Projects section.1Artist, a one-page template from Wix’s Art & Illustration category, has a sleek, urban design that contemporary artists will appreciate.
It’s a short and sweet scroll with three sections – a Projects gallery, a brief About banner, and a contact form. The black-and-white color scheme and prominent parallax scrolling pique visitors’ interest and keep them focused on your work.
I really like the neutral color palette and the design of the social media icons.1Kester from Squarespace is a great option for designers who want to build an online store. The homepage keeps the essentials in focus, kicking things off with your tagline and a gallery of your work.
You also get a blog page and full access to Squarespace’s robust e-commerce features, including the ability to sell both physical and digital products, sell via social media, create mailing lists, and accept payments through several different payment gateways.
Squarespace’s famously uncluttered design lets your work shine through. Hover over to see the Gallery page.1Sackett from Squarespace has a clean and stylish design with a universal appeal. Full-screen images and clearly displayed CTA buttons grab the visitor’s attention, and a dedicated section for testimonials helps you emphasize the quality of your work.
The About and Gallery pages enable you to narrate your story and showcase your high-quality images. Additionally, this template includes booking features, allowing visitors to schedule appointments for in-person viewing of your work, discussion of their specific project, or even portrait sessions.
Exhibition sections can help create buzz around your work.1
All SITE123 templates feature a similar look – I’d describe it as trendy and tidy – but Painter goes a step further by letting you create custom categories for your images so visitors can easily navigate your portfolio.
There’s a dedicated section for exhibitions or upcoming events, and you can also add an online store to your site. If you plan on selling digital files, you have the option to automatically upload them and email them to customers after they check out.
The homepage and portfolio section make a strong first impression.1Timothy Simmons from SITE123 features a classic, effective design – full-width images, simple typography, and a neatly organized portfolio! There are eight gallery options to choose from, and you can also pick asingle-page or a multi-page website structure.
When you click on a photo from the gallery, it expands into a full-screen view, which brings your work into focus (for all gallery types except carousel). Even better, the enlarged photos display social media icons at the bottom.
Choose a Template That Will Make Your Art Stand Out
If you’re set on WordPress, any one of the themes on my list can help you showcase your work and get in touch with potential clients.
Otherwise, you can try out one of my picks from website builders such as Wix1 or Squarespace1. Their editors are super easy to use and the templates can be tweaked to match your taste and style.
And if you want a truly unique look, head over to Fiverr1 and you’ll find an affordable designer who’ll create a custom template for you without breaking the bank.
FAQ
Which WordPress theme is best for artists?
A good art theme should have top-notch gallery features to put your work in the spotlight, plus dedicated sections for your backstory and exhibitions.
There are countless WordPress themes for artists, but one of my favorites is Red Art because it has all the essential functionality, and it integrates with the popular e-commerce plugin WooCommerce so you can sell your work online.
What’s the best website builder for artists?
Website builders like Wix and SITE123 are super easy to use and can help you launch your site quickly.
On the other hand, Squarespace has some of the most polished and professional designs out there, which artists will definitely appreciate.
It all comes down to your preferences and goals, but the good news is, you have lots of excellent options. Head over to our list of the best website builders in 2024 to get the details.
Can I build a free website for my art?
It depends on what you’re trying to achieve with your site. Wix has a pretty generous free plan that lets you access almost all of the builder’s features, but if you want to sell your work online, you’ll have to subscribe to a paid plan. Still, you can cut down on the cost by using one of our great coupons.
How can I sell art on my website?
Website builders such as Wix, Squarespace, and SITE123 come with extensive e-commerce features to help you sell your work online. We’ve put together a list of the best website builders for selling art online to help you get started.
Ana specializes in writing about web building platforms, project management software, and other digital tools. She has been a freelance writer for 7 years, and has published countless product reviews and comparisons in that time. Ana has a passion for language and all things tech, and she combines the two to provide accessible and insightful resources for anyone interested in building websites or managing projects.
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