Case study 09 · Creative
Artists & Creative Studios
An illustrator's site has one job: get out of the way of the work. Galleries that load fast, a shop that runs itself, and a contact form that turns a brand manager into a commission.
What this industry needs from software
An independent artist or small creative studio sells three things from one website: commissioned work to brands and publishers, finished pieces and prints to individuals, and themselves - the personality a client is hiring. The site has to show a lot of images beautifully, sell a few things without becoming a store, and stay a place the artist can update on a Sunday afternoon.
- The work leads. Portfolio galleries, organised by kind of work - brand illustration, packaging, picture books, comics, wedding commissions - because a packaging brand and a children’s publisher are looking for different proof.
- A shop, lightly. Prints and small products, with the shipping and returns policies a shop needs, without turning the site into e-commerce first.
- A commission path. A simple contact form and, ideally, a small free offer that starts a conversation with a brand.
- A blog or sketchbook for the ongoing personal work that keeps people coming back.
- Owner-editable, always. The artist adds a gallery, posts a comic, changes a price. No developer in the loop.
How we approached the build
For Anuja Jain’s studio the right foundation was Wix: galleries, blog, shop and forms all editable by the artist, with a warm cream palette and the studio’s red as the single accent. We set up the structure - the Work section split by kind of commission, a Free Brand Audit landing page as the commission hook, the 13gms comics gallery, the shop with its policies - and connected analytics so the studio can see what draws attention. The site carries a small “Powered by FlowLaunch” credit in the footer.
It is a small project and a good reminder that “the best stack” is the one the person who owns the site will actually use.
Questions buyers in this industry ask
What is the best platform for an illustrator portfolio website?
One the artist will actually update. For Anuja Jain's studio the answer was Wix, so galleries, blog posts, shop items and prices are all editable by the artist on a Sunday afternoon. Where a creative studio needs custom application logic, FlowLaunch builds on Next.js instead.
How should a portfolio be organised?
By kind of commission, not by date. A packaging brand and a children's publisher are looking for different proof, so the Work section is split into portfolio, picture book, illustrated campaigns, wedding comics and children's magazine, and each kind of client finds theirs quickly.
How does an artist website generate commissions?
With a simple contact form and a small free offer that starts a conversation. The Anuja Jain site has a Free Brand Audit landing page as the hook for brands, plus links to Instagram, LinkedIn, Substack, Facebook and Behance where the ongoing work is already seen.
Can a portfolio site also sell prints?
Yes, lightly. A shop for prints and small products with the shipping and returns policies a shop needs, without turning the site into e-commerce first. On Wix this is Wix Stores, which the artist manages herself.
What we built for creative clients
Anuja Jain
Bombay illustration studio - brand stories, packaging design, picture books, comics and commissioned artwork.