Major overhaul 2019
After almost 6 years, it was finally time for another major overhaul of my long-running Learn to Draw website. 2013 was the last time I gave the site a major overhaul.
Back then I still created a “static”, but at least already responsive, page layout. The problem was that the content on static pages (without a database) is difficult to maintain. In addition, I started my blog on www.online-zeichenkurs.de immediately afterwards and have been feeding it with extensive content on a weekly basis ever since.
The result was that I neglected this page stepmotherly and hardly maintained it in the beginning, later not at all. Thereby some content, like drawing elves & fairies or gnomes & dwarves have not even been created yet. 😯
It was urgent time that this changes!
Initially I wanted to get away from the static site and have now started a dynamic site with the CMS WordPress, which I also use for my blog. Since my site is a purely private site with manageable page views, this easy-to-use CMS is enough for me and it covers everything I need.
But a new page layout alone is not enough. My static site contained about 82 pages. These all had to be captured and the content first transferred to the new CMS. After that, the work really started: revising texts (including spelling errors that were now visible, thanks to the browser plug-in) and creating new images.
I had created new content at that time (2013). But they don’t reflect my current drawing skills anymore. Figuring out which content needed revision was one part of the task. The other was creating new content.
So since January 2019, I’ve been working diligently on revamping my site and I’m still not done.
But since something will change with me in the near future professionally, I have now already taken the step in August to make the revision live (which also went along with proper work on the old page). Now I will continue to revise the content bit by bit. But the main part is done for now.
15th anniversary
So, fitting for the 15th anniversary of my website, there have been serious changes and revisions, which are far from being finished. Since my website has grown very close to my heart after all this time, every effort is worth to me and also everyone I could help with it.
Unfortunately, in all these years criticism and scolding have always found their way to me. Serious offers of help, however, never. What a pity, what a pity!
Nevertheless, the praise that still comes occasionally is a strong motivator for me. And of course the own ambition drives me again and again. As mentioned under About this site, this site is always just a current reflection of my own abilities. In the end this site is archive and reference book in one for me and my site visitors.
When I started my site in 2004, there were hardly any people on the internet, especially not those who offered courses or tutorials. This has changed dramatically in the meantime and especially YouTube has established itself as a learning platform. Nevertheless, I hope to be able to help one or the other with my oldschool page and to give courage, because the motivation of my page has not changed in all these years.
Greetings and thank you for your visit,
Steffi