|
First let's dispel any rumours. Despite the name, this site isn't about adult content. Instead, deviantart.com is a well-designed site that combines some pretty outstanding creative efforts with some smart business sense.
Visitors can browse photography, literature, film or any number of other categories of art. This isn't mass-produced art, but art that has been created and uploaded to the site by its users. In some cases, the art is outstanding.
The art isn't just slapped up on the site like some places, either. In the photography section, information about the photo, much as camera settings and lenses used, are available, although consistent information is far from universal.
What really makes this site stand out is the way it brings the art to you. The site allows, depending on the artist, users to download, share and even print the artwork. Almost none of the artists that I checked out allowed their work to be printed (artists do like to pay the rent occasionally), but full prints of their work could be purchased and even framed. Most artist allow their work to be downloaded, although the file size and resolution made the downloaded image suitable for only-screen viewing only.
Aside from just showing art, the site has a number of social networking features, such as chat, news and ability to see a "collection" of your favourite art.
I had few complaints about the site. Navigation was a little cumbersome due to the sheer number of categories, and I was a little confused over the difference between the news section and the forums. From what I can tell, news is just a discussion of the some of the latest issues in art, while the forum section focuses on everything else, including politics, computing and frequently asked questions.
If you're an art fan, it's certainly worth a visit.
|
