Artist Site

Problem

Users are interested in an artist and his work.

Solution

Create a site with background information, timely information and "digital merchandise".

Use when

You are designing a site for an artist, musician, painter, sculptor and so on. The artist and his work form the central content that meets the interests of the visitors. Users may want to see all possible information about the artist, his life, his works, his schedule and so on. Users may be 'fans' or 'enthusiasts' but they may also be interested in 'buying' work of the artist or 'hiring' him for a performance, thereby introducing a more commercial aspect to a largely artistic site.

How

The Homepage of the site is very important for this type of site. The home-page must immediately make clear who the artist is and what (s)he does. A powerful way to do this is to place a photo or image of the artist on the home-page. Alternatively it could also be the work of the artist that is visible on the home-page. Another way is to simply say so using a tag-line. The content of such a site is typically:

News about the artist. Consider a News Box for this or a special section, preferably directly on the home-page. News can also be brought in a more personal way using a Blog Page where the artist talks about the latest news.
Biography/discography/portfolio. The work of the artists is central in this site and must be (partially) showcased. It is an essential part in the communication of the artist to its audience. Consider Image Browser to browse pictures when the work is highly visual or a Case Study when the work is more elaborate and there is a story to tell. In other cases to as for musicians, small downloadable samples can be offered.
Ordering Products/Merchandise or Bookings. When users need to order something from the site, they essentially need a limited Shopping. Products can be selected and a simple Shopping Cart mechanism is present for the actual ordering of the product. Alternatively, the artist may be 'bookable' for a performance. This is mostly done using simply email but could also be done using a more elaborate Booking process.
Eventoverview/calender. Users need to know what the artist is up to and when he performs or demonstrates his work. Usually an event-overview or calendar is available to present this information. Use Alternating Row Colors for making tables more readable. Consider linking to a Booking for making a bookings directly from the event-overview.
Personal information. There is all sorts of personal information that can be presented about the artist. For example, his education, band history, influences, inspirations, vision and so on.
Contact info. Being able to get in contact is very important for an artists because new work or sales can come out of it. Usually an email or postal address suffices.
Fan are. In some cases where there is a large fan population, it makes sense to start creating a special area for them. Consider a Forum or Guest Book where users can express themselves. You can also add downloadable wallpapers, games, videos to the site.

Why

The artist is basically trying to 'sell' himself using the site. Very few artist can survive without doing marketing activities such as having a site. The information on the site must support users in making decisions about whether or not they want to buy/hire/book/recommend the artist for a certain purpose.