FATG website

[markw]

The Fine Art Trade guild have redisigned their website - http://www.fineart.co.uk If your a member try finding your listing. For a body thats representing people selling image its pretty pathetic. Poor design - missing links and desperatly poor search facilities have made this a complete non starter as far as i am concerned. This site has apparently taken months of work - they must have spent it compiling the information because they sure haven't spent the time on design - in my opinion very disapointing - any other views?

[John]

Just had a look.

In many ways an improvement on the old site. Navagation is now much more obvious and intuitive.

I take it that this is a work in progress, so criticism here may be a bit premature.

There is no invitation to comment on the site. Or have I just missed it?

[markw]

The site has been launched - it's not sitting alongside the old site - My main gripe is that the site was demo'd at the FATG 10yr gcf party last week - the sell for the new site was ease of use and the enhanced ability for the public to find a framer - GCF or otherwise. they have effectivly made it impossible to find anyone as the search facility doesnt work - and even if it did it asks you first for framers name - business name etc - if you had information at that level you would be able to look up a framer via directory enquiries etc. surerly someone must have tried typing in a search - i cant get it to work even if i put in three quarters of the information.

whilst the basic info is much improved - the overall design is very wooden - I would have liked to have seen more graphics - links to artists sites - link to this site would be good- examples of good framing - maybe the winners of the various competitions - they represent artists - where's the art?

The strangest aspect of the site is the link to the designers web pages - great family site but not a cutting edge demo site -if i was looking for a site builder i would have passed this by without a second glance. It just rienforces my view that the FATG can display a very down market attitude to the business - they are the representitive body for our industry - to launch a website that could have been designed and built by a year 10 student as part of a gcse project is underselling our industry.

[markw]

New FATG website has been fixed. still think the design is a bit dated but the info on there is prety good and simple(dated) design normally loads quickly. FATG tell me that they will be adding more features and the design will improve - they are very keen for feedback - positive or negative. If you are a FATG member its worth checking your details just to make sure its accurate

[SquareFrames]

Hi Markw

I was in the Guild office yesterday for quite some time and had the chance to spend some time with Bhavesh go through some bits of the new site. (He told me you had spoken to him)

Yes, the site has a few problems, but nothing that cannot be sorted out in a short space of time, and new feautures are being added. One of our main problems over here was the use of the word County in front of the county (if that makes sense) You lot dont use the County, but for some reason overe here and in Eire we do, but use Co or Co. The datbase is being changed to facilitate, also the 'Mr' or 'Mrs' in front of the person's name is being taken off, this again was a database problem.

Over the next few weeks / months the site will be up and running to capacity once everything is added and then updated very regularly, obviously like everything else changes can be made as 'ongoing', but I agree, Bhavesh did want feedback, either good or bad and eveyone to check their details.

Hey Mark, you look good in your 'new' apron, wish I could get mine to fit me!!!! I use mine for the logo only, and dry mount it, or get my wife's sister to sew it onto a green one bought from Lion. I personally sell GCF Polo shirts, (nothing to do with the Guild), just let me know if you want one and in what colour / size, etc. They are excellent quality, and sell for £25 each.

Steven

[sarah]

Hey Steven was that a wee bit of advertising I saw there

The polo shirts are a great idea - you would be more likely to wear one about the gallery rather than the apron - neat and tidy.

Hmmm good Christmas gift idea too - what do you give the framer who has everything?

[SquareFrames]

Hi Sarah,

What you give the framer who has everything, eh? Always something to be negotiated, isnt there? The advertising was supposed to be subliminal (I hope thats correct, us framers arent known for our spelling), I snuck it in there, BUT having said that, they are neat, tidy, look smart, (even on me), come in a whole range of colours, etc., the GCF logo is perfectly done by a professional company I commissioned, and dare I say it, even the Guild liked them, some GCF's over across the water are wearing them, like Pete Bingham, Dave Woolass, Lyn Hall, Barry Leveton and Terry Jackman, so if they are good enough for the great and the good, they must be OK. You want one .... hahahahahaha, just ring me, number at the bottom.

Fish & Chip time I think!

Steven