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How to Make a Search Results Link

September 2nd, 2014

Here's a little tip I just figured out for myself. Maybe it's already been posted elsewhere by someone else or FAA itself, I dunno.

I wanted to link from a post on my external blog to all items in my FAA shop tagged with the word grunge.

I took my basic Images tab link:
http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/randikuhne.html?tab=artwork

and appended it with this:
&keyword=grunge

resulting in this link:
http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/randikuhne.html?tab=artwork&keyword=grunge

And it works perfectly, giving me exactly what I want: a link that directs my audience to all of my items that bear a specific tag. The link is expecially handy if I don't have a gallery for that tagged word.

The only limitation is that the word or phrase must be in the item's tags for it to come up in the search results from this link. (The only exception is pleurals. If an item has the tag cat and you make your link with the word cats it will still bring up everyting tagged cat.)

Due to the limitations of the current FAA search engine itself, you cannot make links that include multiple tags, such as sunset and orange. Unless that exact phrase is in your tags, items will not show up that are separately tagged sunset and orange. Likewise, you cannot exclude words or phrases, such as moon not full. (This was true when I wrote this post; it's possible FAA's search engine will include advanced searches at some time in the future.)

Always test your links to make sure they work as you expect them to.

Hope you find this tip useful!

--

Technical note: & is an html encoded ampersand. You can use it unencoded, it will work, it's easier to remember.
http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/randikuhne.html?tab=artwork&keyword=grunge

Read more about encoding ampersands here if you care about properly validated code, or want to make sure your link will work in the place you are using it. How to use ampersands in HTML: to encode or not to encode? by Peter Coles.

Challenging Photos

August 30th, 2014

Challenging Photos

Today's work involved working on several difficult photos, starting with scanned files of old 3 1/2 x 5 photographic prints of the French Market in New Orleans.

The first, French Market Fruits, was the most challenging - a close shot of lemons, avocados and tangerines. The exposure was less than ideal, and the colors a bit off, and it seemed to take forever to get it adjusted.

The next two French Market images were a little easier, with better exposures and color balances to work with. (French Market Fruits and Vegetables and New Orleans French Market)

Once I had those done, I tackled a photo that was a challenge to take and to post-process. It was taken late afternoon in a shaded alcove standing in the freeeeezing wind. Hand held. My hands were shaking from the cold. But I just had to have a shot of that Frozen Waterfall!

The final two shots were actually not so challenging.

Drive-by Sunset, which I took from the (warm!) moving car on the way home after the waterfall photo shoot just needed a little tweaking and it was done.

The final photo is one very dear to my heart: an evening launch of Space Shuttle Discovery from my back porch, 140 miles away. I played around with it for a few minutes, and in the end left it just as it was out of the camera. See it here: Coast To Coast Shuttle Launch

Well, that's how my work day went. Hope you enjoy the results!

Randi

My Second Contest

August 29th, 2014

My Second Contest

For my second FAA contest I chose the title "I Would Really Enjoy Selling This" and that's exactly what it's about - helping other artists get more exposure and hopefully some sales!

In my first contest I chose to limit voting to FAA members, which includes only members who joined at least 30 days before the contest began. That helps keep the voting from becoming a popularity contest, and the winners are more likely to be the ones voted as best. This time I did the opposite - I opened voting to everyone and actually encouraged it becomming a popularity contest. The more traffic, the more exposure for everyone!

There was more than twice the number of submissions for the second contest, probably because the first had a narrow subject theme, Architectural Detail. This one had no specific subject, just whatever item the artist wanted to promote. (Both subjects allowed only one entry per artist. I think allowing more makes the contest voting unwieldy. There were almost 400 entries in this contest. If I'd allowed 2 (or 5) entries per person, few voters would have taken the time to go through them all to vote. That leads to the last items entered getting the most votes because they are the first seen when you go to vote.

Voting on this contest ends on Sunday, August 31st, 2014 at 11:57 AM. If there's still time, you're welcome to vote!

Thanks for reading!

Randi

Conducting a Contest is Fun

August 29th, 2014

Conducting a Contest is Fun

I started/administered a contest, architectural Detail, here at FineArtAmerica for the first time. It had a great turnout - 171 submissions! I visited each and every contestant's shop, and browsed through his or her artwork a bit. Found some more lovely artwork to like and favorite, and some great artists to follow. Very exciting to see what others create, and to see what gets votes. Informative as well as fun.

Once that contest ended, I started another, I Would Really Like to Sell This. (Catchy title, eh?) Anyway, that's another story. I'll post about that contest next time!

Randi