My Very First Web Page.

[Steve T. Laws]

Well, I done went and did it again. I done went and made me a webpage this time. It's a modest thing and still has its share of kinks but I think it just might do. At least I hope it'll do.

Uhm . . . the link is here. (http://go.to/stevespics)

Oh! Oh! and before I forget, could you guys tell me how long it takes to download at your internet connection speed. I tried to make it time efficient with minimal damage to the graphics. I think it it's a good balance, however I'm vry open to insights and suggestions.

Thanks, you're all pals.

[Jon H]

Nice site dude.

I have to be honest and say it was pretty slow to load on my machine, which has a variable performance. I know absolutely nothing about websites and so on, so I can't suggest anything - I have a brilliant friend who does my web stuff for me - I tell him what I want it to do, and he does it!

I liked the piece about the gap between Fine Art and illustration - I've mentioned before somewhere, that I trained as a fine artist, but always with the intention of taking what I learnt into the world of illustration. It's helpful to have something else to draw upon. Sometimes I think illustration courses churn out a very similar end result - I've seen too many illustration portfolios with the same old stuff in them - a pet, a popstar, a drawing of my girlfriend - (not MY girlfriend, you understand, their girlfriend). Equally too many Fine Art courses (in the UK anyway) don't TEACH anything at all - I mean I was pretty much given studio space for 3 years and that was about it. It would have been nice if someone had taught me how to stretch canvas properly, and so on.

What I was saying before I rambled off there, was that I've had it from both camps - either too fine art, too loose, insufficient technical skill. Then from the Fine art camp I get criticism for being too illustrative, too narrative, too figurative. And its all nonsense really. And you're right, its a shame.

Keep up the good work - I think your independent thinking is a really important aspect of being successful. You can't always just accept what you're offered, though the majority of the work is along those lines.

[Storn]

It was a little slow for me too. But because it was you, I was patiently waiting for it.

uh...i also have an notoriously crappy connection time here in Detroit. I was supposed to get DSL...but Ameritech inconviently forgot!

I love the opening illo, the apple seller. I love it when the panel gets violated like that. Must be the comic artist in me!

[Matt M]

Hey, nice looking site. V slow to download on my 56k modem though. :(

The pictures on the right are the major offenders, but at 30k they shouldn't take too long, so maybe it's the server you've got it hosted on that's slow.


Matt

[Steve T. Laws]

Jon H wrote:

What I was saying before I rambled off there, was that I've had it from both camps - either too fine art, too loose, insufficient technical skill. Then from the Fine art camp I get criticism for being too illustrative, too narrative, too figurative. And its all nonsense really. And you're right, its a shame.

You're telling me! Uhg . . . the strories I could tell. Being American, I'm already very disatisfied with the education I've gotten from American schools. A long time ago I took it upon myself to suppliment my own learnin'. Be that as it may, I'm surprised the education of art outside of this country, which is bad, is nearly as conflicted about these fine-art/illustration matters.

Both sides of the fence produce great art and are just as legitimate as you or me, well at least you.

:p


Storn:

Well that's very gracious of you to wait for me. I think the download is slow for a couple of reasons all on my side of the internet, that includes my server and his connection.

As for panel violation, it's always had a place in my heart, too.
Something about it just give the image that certain something.

Matt:

Yeah, I'm pretty sure it's the server. My server is me internet friend, he built his own server and offered me space one it. His server is his business which is a pay site and apparently people try to hack in every few days. Today since early this morning he had one bobarding the server with requests for downloads or password requests. In any case, the hacker was hogging the bandwidth.

Be that as it may, I do think I'll look into another server in the future. For now this will have to do me because it is free and immediate.

I do apologize to you guys to have to wade through suck mucky download time, though. I'm indebted to you all. Thank you very much. It is appreciated.

[Storn]

>>You're telling me! Uhg . . . the strories I could tell. Being American, I'm already very disatisfied with the education I've gotten from American schools. A long time ago I took it upon myself to suppliment my own learnin'. Be that as it may, I'm surprised the education of art outside of this country, which is bad, is nearly as conflicted about these fine-art/illustration matters.

<<<<

I was lucky. Well, maybe not. I really did my research. When I went back to school at 26, I bought a book that had every art school in america and its curriculum. I narrowed it down to about 10, looking for distinctly commercial art schools. Out of those 10, I applied to about 6 (I think, this was awhile back) and visited about 5 (a couple where on the west coast... I was on the east).

Because of what I saw on the walls, I picked Columbus College of Art and Design. A VERY dedicated commercial art school. A curriculum was designed from Bauhaus, and other European art acadamies. Some close runner ups where Maryland Institue of Art and Cleveland Institute of Art, and one in Valencia but I can't remember its name.

CCAD was intense, tough, and what I learned that week, I was using in my freelance career that weekend. I had about 25 hours of class a week, and about 30 hours of homework (and that was cutting corners!). I also freelanced 10-15 hours a week. Or when I could "double-dip" and use a freelance project AS homework... that was even better. Only Princeton has a higher per hour homework load. I jokingly called it boot camp for artists. Drop out rate was 70-75% per year.

Foundation year was about color, design, lettering and anatomy. Just what I wanted. I could probably take those classes for the rest of my life and get something out of them.

Majority of my teachers were fantastic. I learned from everyone. It was exhausting. I've never worked so hard in my life. One teacher used to say that doing art was easier than digging ditches. Well, I've dug foundations...which is a giant ditch. Digging ditches is easier.

I can't say enough good things about my Alma Mater. It wasn't perfect. But it was a damn sight closer than my 2 years at NYU. Which had touchy-feely art courses just so they could call it a liberal arts university.

I'm sorry that you guys have mentioned being dissatisfied with your art schools. Kinda breaks my heart. But know this, the good ones do exist. They are out there.

[Jon H]

My foundation year in Canterbury was awesome. Very good tutors. Very fertile atmosphere all round.

Later on, things were a bit tough - Drawing was frowned upon as old fashioned, male dominated and generally a bad thing. Let's just say I had a lot of arguments! But it did set me up to be quite tough in defence of my art and myself. The year after i graduated they pretty much closed down painting at that college, though in the following years I think its made a bit of a come back.

And I never gave in and made installations about my trauma.

I did make quite a lot of colour field work, and had a couple of shows outside the college, seeing as how they disapproved of my views, so it was a motivating experience! By the final year I was freelancing as a prop maker almost full time anyway, where I got to be creative and get paid, which was a lot more attractive than the navel gazing I was supposed to be doing!

But i'm not bitter... if I dont think about it!;)

[Noel Murphy]

Hey Steve. Firstly the site is OK. It didn't take too long to load but it is easy on the eye and the brain. I've seen most of your stuff on Epilogue but I've not seen the fine art stuff.
I must say the more you say, the more I like you. We are similar in many ways, though not physically, I'm a short-ass who is too broken down to sit in a chair for more than ten minutes let alone play sports. I agree with what you say about the schizm between Artists and illustrators. I have on my business card Artist/Illustrator. Although it's partly because when people ask me what I do I feel a little uncomforable just saying "I'm an Artist" (even though I am an artist before I'm an Illustrator!) because it seems a bit poncy, so I tell them, "I'm an Illustrator" and they ask me what that is. I am an artist because I have natural ability, I've always drawn and I'm an illustrator because i have a degree in Illustration. Best of both worlds? It's hard either way, I still don't make any money, but I do it because it is what I am.
As far as education goes, I've spent five years learning illustration but I have to say when Jon H and guys were talking about colour theory, I was completely stumped. I had no idea what they were talking about. Is that a bad thing? I am very critical of my degree course anyway. If anyone has read my profile on my site I mention the corruption at the school there.
Anyway keep it up and don't be so down on yourself. You get work don't you?

[chriss2d]

Steve,

I really liked your site. I have a terrible connection so if it took a while to download, I'm so use to it I wouldn't notice. I'm with Storn on the broken panel. I do it alot just for the coolness of design. I spent a year at Savannah College of Art and Design and enjoyed it for the most part. My departure wasn't a matter of quality education but money. It's amazing how much it costs to go to an art school.
Your work is really cool. I already said this but, your style and background go really well with this business. I see many great things for you my friend.

[Steve T. Laws]

On the subject about bitching on ejumacation.:mad:

I have had serious qualms with me satisfaction of education ever since 7th or 8th grade. I remember ditching classes to go to the art museum, the library or shooting hoops.

When I got to college, I got exceptionally frustrated. I looked at and sampled quite a few art schools. I would look at the Seniors' and post graduates' works and become enraged that these people either already had or were a skip away from recieving a degree and the work they were producing was . . . my disgust wants me to use a harsh word but I'll use the phrase, sub par.

None of the students were serious either. They only worked during class times and if they had no classes they became every-other-weekend-warriors. Dedicating a great bulk of thier time to . . . trivial matters.

So, I, personally dropped out, and set about my own ejumacation. And thus far it's worked out pretty well. Don't get me wrong, there's much to do and to be done. But I think I'm doing alright for myself.

To Mr. Murphy

I must say the more you say, the more I like you. We are similar in many ways

Oh, God! Save yourself Noel! Run! Leave me and don't look back!
Sure, everybody like to watch the fool, but nobody wants to become him. Spare yourself of my cruel twisted existence and don't let fate do to you what she has done to me. This wretched pile of filth you see now is no way to live, I envy the dead . . . Well, them and you guys cause you can all produce art as if the devil were in you.

You get work don't you?

Ironically enough, I do work. Only my work is to get work. So, I'm unpaid, extrastarving, and kinda dirty . . . well, really dirty. But i won't let my stench get medown, and I'lluse the delerium from the lack of food as fuel to help me get work. So help me, God.

[chriss2d]

Maybe you could get work as a writer too. Your posts are always hilarious....in a tragic sort of way. If I can get work, so can you. It's just a matter of time. I've seen work out there..published work I mean, that isn't in the same league as your stuff. The work will come.

[Noel Murphy]

To Mr. Murphy

I must say the more you say, the more I like you. We are similar in many ways

[B]Oh, God! Save yourself Noel! Run! Leave me and don't look back!
Sure, everybody like to watch the fool, but nobody wants to become him. Spare yourself of my cruel twisted existence and don't let fate do to you what she has done to me. This wretched pile of filth you see now is no way to live, I envy the dead . . . Well, them and you guys cause you can all produce art as if the devil were in you.[B]

Have you read my background on my site???? I take it not. Everything you just said reinforces original statement my point. I have refined my life down to this, my credo,
"equally blessed and cursed"
Oh yeah, ask Jon H. what happened when he called me Mr Murphy.

[Eric Lofgren]

Hey Steve, speeking as a cable guy, it's not bad for downloading. I know jack about web page building, but perhaps your images could be smaller in the byte department, that may speed things up. Some one told me once tif's are better than jpg's for this sort of thing. Any suggestions anyone?

Steve, your fine art sensibilities play out in your illustrative work a lot. It's sad that when we visualize somebodies vision or idea it becomes "illustration" or worse "commercial" and the work gets "cheapened" for it's exposure and by accepting money for it and yet "fine art" is reserved for work that hardly ever gets noticed, only by the Beourgousis (sp?) snobs who don't appreciate what they're looking at and understand only it's "investment" value. Meanwhile, most "fine artists" would give their left nut to see some sort of compensation like what we "illustrators" get on a quasi regular basis. Ah, I'm rambling again, keep up the good works, Steve and maybe think about the size of those images.
Btw, that "Guard" piece is brilliant. Your sense of humour is refreshing. I don't usually buy prints, but I would consider that one. As a Dad, it makes me chuckle and damn near brings a tear to my eye. Spot on!

Thanks for sharing,
Eric

[Jon H]

The internet is an excellent means of conversing with individuals who it would not be safe to be in the same room as. Do not reveal your address here, or reveal too much personal information. Noel Murphy is always watching. Like a crazy beast.

Since the court injunction he has mostly left me alone, but I miss my pets.;)

[Steve T. Laws]

To Chris:

Maybe you could get work as a writer too

Oh, man, that'd be sweet! But for now I have to keep my self focused on one project at a time. The current project typing and chewing gum at the same time. Woo, that's a doozey.

I see many great things for you my friend.

Now when you say great things why is it you're dry-washing your hands. Holding back, is that a sinister laugh? And why is thunder and lightning striking in the background?

To Mr. Murphy


I have refined my life down to this, my credo, "equally blessed and cursed"


Oh, man, I'm so jealous. Equally blessed and cursed, look at you in the luxuries of Blessed. While I, I have to stake out something resembling an existance in the Cursed Blight of me. Oh, how I envy you.

Oh yeah, ask Jon H. what happened when he called me Mr Murphy

The strangest thing. Me and Jon had a lenghtly discussion about it. He's the one who said I should. Says when he did it, you showered him with riches. . . . Oh, and something about buying him a car. I think the salesman's name was Austin Martin. I only remeber cause Jon repeated his name so much What a nice guy that fellow must be for Jon to think so highly of him.

to Eric

perhaps your images could be smaller in the byte department, that may speed things up. Some one told me once tif's are better than jpg's for this sort of thing.

Well, I made them as small as I could before the .jpg compression turned them into garrish things to behold. Actually if you look closely enough I bet you can see some of the Jpg scarring on them. I could but I didn't want to say.

As for Tiffs, the thought never entered my mind. I figured since the internet was built on .jpg and .gif that that is what I should use. I will investigat this matter further, thanks for the suggestion.

It's sad that when we visualize somebodies vision or idea it becomes "illustration" or worse "commercial" and the work gets "cheapened" for it's exposure and by accepting money for it and yet "fine art" is reserved for work that hardly ever gets noticed, only by the Beourgousis (sp?) snobs who don't appreciate what they're looking at and understand only it's "investment" value.

You're telling me. I especially hate being frowned upon by one side of the fence when I'm working on the other. Makes me feel guilty and out of place when really there's no reason.:confused:

Your sense of humour is refreshing.

What? All my pieces are in the horror genre. If you find all that gore and pain funny, well then, you just plain frighten me, sir.

to Jon:

Do not reveal your address here, or reveal too much personal information. Noel Murphy is always watching.

But Mr. Murphy said that if I told him where I lived that he'd send me a cool game called "Hunter and the Hunted." Says it's the next best thing in Virtual reality, says I might as well take the Virual right out of it. Man, I don't know about you but it sure sounds like fune!

[Noel Murphy]

I'm starting to make some kind of name for myself here, but it's not exactly what I envisioned. I really am the nicest guy you could ever wish to meet. Honest. So nice you could just die.:D My doctor said I'm "no longer a serious threat to the public at large and recommends release from care."
See...?
He died soon after. Such a shame. Tragic loss. He called me mister once. ONCE!
:D

[Delryn]

Like the site
I especially like the fact that it isn't crammed full, lots of negative space with easy to read text.

by the way I clocked your home page at 4 seconds on a cable modem

[Axelos]

Great site. It has a simple layout, and very often simple = good. Excellent visual design, very good navigation.

[Matt Drake]

All my hair was brown when I sat down, and after waiting for your site to load, I'm getting gray. If the problem is your server, I can refer you to a host that will charge $10 a month, never crashes, allows nearly unlimited bandwidth and best of all, contains no pop-up ads.

And considering the beautiful site design, I would wager the problem is your server. Your site is outstanding, as long as I have the patience to watch it load. But your colors are perfect, the use of white space is perfect, and the layout is perfect. I'm impressed.

Now that I think of it, I'm pretty sure the problem is with your hosting. If I remember correctly, your Epilogue gallery loaded in about a quarter of the time it took this one to come up. Unless you've gone to town with the images, rezzing them up or something, you need a new server.

Matt Drake
www.spectrepress.com

[Axelos]

Matt's right. That site should load a hell of a lot more quickly.

I took a look at the code, though the code is rarely the problem. In your case, I think the code is certainly light enough (though I do have some criticisms of the code, they have nothing to do with download time), at under 2k.

Usually, the problem is images, so I checked out the properties of the images. The GIFs in the menu were all tiny--about 500 bytes on average. The JPEG used for the menu bar is a trim 1.7k. The logo at the bottom is about 1k. The two images that make up "The Art of Steve T. Laws" together weigh in at less than 2k. No problems yet.

The biggest potential offender is always the largest, most detailed image on the screen, so I saved that one for last. A mere 26k. Altogether, the home page is weighing in at under 40k. Anybody with better than a dialup connection should load this puppy in about a second.

Well, I'm on a T1 (!) and this took over 15 seconds to load.

Something is very wrong there.

[Steve T. Laws]

You guys have been a great help.

I can't thank you enough, especially since I made you wait for five hundred years of load time for my page. I apologize profusely for that. It shouldn't be like a night on the town and you have to wait forever for your woman to get all dolled up. It should be like a night on the town with a driking buddy who just has to throw on a stained T-shirt. Be assured, I'm on the case and I'm gunning to move the page off of the current server and onto a new one. While I'm at it I might as well get a domain name.

Course, the only thing is which server. I've been browsing and I've leaned a couple of things. 1: I'm so poor, I envy the homeless. 2:My entire site is only 2 megs now but I plan on getting a lot more work in there. 3.My visiters will be small and I don't see my traffic as ever being that much, however I do want good bandwidth soes who ever does come along I am curteous enough to them that I give them a decent load time.

So, I guess I'd like to ask for suggestions for servers.

I've lightly shopped the market and thus far 123ehost.com is the forerunner. It charges 4 bucks and some change per month for 50 megs of space, I get 1000 of megs of transfer and hits a month (Which I don't know what that means).I dunno how it does on bandwidth. And they only charge me 11 to register my domain name with them.

I'd much rather take referals than what I get from the salesman, somehow the information they give me seems a little biased.


Anywho, I thank you guys again for the help you've given me, and as I said earlier, I'm indebted to you all. I said it once and I'll say it again, you guys are the best bunch of people in all of forum land!