Nov 16, 2011

For Artists - How To Add Google Plus Page Badge To Your Web Site

Artists not only paint, draw, sculpt or otherwise create their art, but they also have to keep their accounting books, give lectures, go to other artists shows and market themselves (and much more) in order to keep up with "evolving times". So many of you already have your web site, some of you have a personal Facebook account, others have Facebook Page (which anyone can "LIKE" it, and which is different from the personal account, and better than a Facebook Group account). Besides your website some of you may have a blog (on Wordpress or on Google Blogger), Twitter, and now you can have also your personal page on Google+, and besides that you can create your own Google+ Page to make yourself even busier with marketing your self. With so many sites/pages you can reach many more people in the world and have more chances your art to be noticed and perhaps even bought.

Note: Many people already put up tutorials about how to start your Google+ Page. If you need to learn, please see the video all the way below my post.

I have been exploring  extensively Google+ in the past several days. I have learned, for example, that if you upload images to your Google Blog, they are automatically uploaded to your Picasa account (that is if you do not use ie. Flicker URL or such). However, if you upload images to your Google+ Page they get uploaded into "Google User Content" area, which I still have to find out where that possibly may be. Some people say it is same as Picasa - and yes, when I uploaded my images from my computer to my blog or my Google+ personal account they are in my Picasa file. However, the images that I uploaded from my computer to Google+ Page I just cannot see in my Picasa account. Although, the icon next to the URL address of each picture is that of Picasa. Hmmm.

But, let's move on. I would love to explain in plain language how to tie your Google+ Page to your personal web site in order to get VERIFIED, which should increase your visibility on the Internet.

  • Create a Google+ Page (if you haven't done so) - see the video at the bottom of this post
  • Open your Google+ HOME Page and copy your number from your URL address (see image below)







  • (1) Paste your number into the rectangle area next to "configuration tool"; (2) chose a badge or an icon; the page generates for you two codes - (3) for your <head> </head> area in your HTML and another one (4) to be placed in the <body> </body> area in your HTML (where you want it - ie. under your menu) - see the image below for 1, 2, 3, 4  pointers

    Note: if you do not know how to do this, you need to ask your web designer to do it for you




  • See in images of my web site's HTML below how I placed (3) between <head> and </head> tags, and (4) between <body> and </body> tags into my HTML code. The (4) is actually placed just below the menu (see g+ icon in my last image)



  • In the last image below you can see how the page will look like with the "g+" large icon below my menu





And here is the promised video of "How To Start Your Google+ (Business) Page"




Enjoy!


Nov 4, 2011

Latest News From My Drawing Class At NCC

I know, I haven't written much lately, but.... besides being busy at home with our small family, having part time job and volunteering as a mentor, I am taking also a drawing class. I have mentioned my professor David Boyajian on my blog (HERE) who is responsible for teaching our class and who gives down to earth presentations full of wonderful explanations. Even the least artistic person on Earth will improve drawing skills under Mr. Boyajian's guidance. IMHO (in my humble opinion). He covers it all - object's perspective, proportion, line, vanishing point, contour, contrast, light, shadow, reflection, color value etc. - over and over and over again. It is wonderful to see how everyone is improving with each finished session due to his gentle "drill".

Here, on this web page you can see some of my best charcoal works I drew in school so far. Next time I will post some of my pencil drawings that we had to do as a homework assignment.

If you want to see more of my art, you will have to "LIKE" my BronislavaArt Facebook page :)