Simple web site creation
August 29, 2012 9:13 PM   Subscribe

Path for simple website.

I need to get a simple portfolio website up in the next couple of weeks. I'm not overly worried about the visual elements -- I can handle the photoshopping, layout and textual elements.

I really haven't done any serious web coding in the last ten years, though. I have some basic familiarity with HTML and modest programming experience, but that's pretty much it.

I've got personal domains registered and would like to start of with a very simple portfolio site that's mostly graphical but is able to scale a bit as I need -- eg, add a blog or webstore eventually.

I've played with wordpress a bit and found it incredibly frustrating.

Mostly I'm looking for software recommendations -- website builders or services.
posted by slipperywhenwet to Travel & Transportation (7 answers total) 4 users marked this as a favorite
 
Weebly?
posted by hms71 at 9:51 PM on August 29, 2012


I keep hearing good things about SquareSpace, but I've never used it personally.
posted by cgg at 9:54 PM on August 29, 2012 [1 favorite]


SquareSpace is essentially a Wordpress clone. If you don't care for Wordpress, I don't think you'll like SS. I could be wrong, though, and they do have a free trial, so it's probably worth looking at.
posted by ronofthedead at 10:41 PM on August 29, 2012


You should look at Squarespace and Cargo Collective. These sound like they were made just for you.
posted by teriyaki_tornado at 5:37 AM on August 30, 2012


Google Sites is free, and easy to use.
posted by COD at 5:46 AM on August 30, 2012


Did you try installing an actual photography portfolio theme in Wordpress? That should certainly be a lot easier than trying to build such a site yourself from a generic Wordpress theme. If you Google the topic, you'll find that there are MANY photography portfolio themes for Wordpress, both free and paid. There are also photo gallery plug-ins, but as far as I know, you can't install plug-ins in a free (Wordpress.com) blog but instead have to use the Wordpress CMS (content management system - Wordpress.org) and that would certainly require a higher level of technical skill than just installing a theme on a free Wordpress blog.
posted by Dansaman at 9:03 AM on August 30, 2012


Best answer: I'd look at a Content Management System that was made for designers. While I have no doubt that you have PhotoShop skills, web page layout is not PhotoShop anymore: it's CSS, with perhaps a bit of JavaScript. If you want to expand your skillset into those areas, great... but it sounds like you just want a portfolio up and running, with the possibility of expansion later. In which case, I would recommend:
  • Koken is a new CMS for creatives that looks very promising.
  • Alkaline is another possibility.
I hope these help!
posted by Bora Horza Gobuchul at 9:09 AM on August 30, 2012


« Older Death of the Magii?   |   Help me build a DIY UAV to make small DEMs! Newer »
This thread is closed to new comments.