How do I find what I am looking for?

Posted Apr 23, 2005
Last Updated Jun 21, 2012
Navigating the Artistic Network is simple once you know how it is organized. We have put a lot of effort into making this site as easy to navigate as possible; almost any page on this site can be found via clickable directories and keyword searching.

To find what you are looking for, first decide what kind of entry you are seeking. There are currently three main types of pages on the site that you will search for: Artist Profiles, Articles and Events. Each is contained in a different area of our database, and each is found in its own set of areas.

First, note that all Articles and Events are owned by a single Artist. As such, you can see the Artist Profile of any Article or Event by clicking on the profile link included with each Article and Event.

Quick Search Menu

Quick Keyword Searching

There is a quick search feature built into every page. In the navigation bar is an input field where you can enter text for keyword searching. When you enter text into this field and click "Search", you will be taken to a results page that lists matches for your search.

Note that you must select whether you are searching for an Article, Member or Event. By default the site assumes you are searching for Articles.

The keyword feature ignores words with less than four letters (a limitation of the full-text searching behavior of the database environment we run).

Advanced Searching

You can do advanced keyword searching for each type of entry. Each type of entry has its own filtering features explained below.

Member Directory Search Menu

Directory Search

The Directory Search allows you to fine-tune searches for member profiles on the site. The top field (search terms) is for including keyword searching. The remained are limitations. You can limit your member search to members from specific countries, states and cities. Any field left blank is ignored.

Below the region filters are flags for member types, such as "Individuals" and "Bands". When none are checked, the search includes all member types. When one or more types are selected, the search will limit results to members that include one of your selected types--so if you select "United States" for the country and check "Individual" and "Band" for types, your results will show any individual or band in the United States.

The next set of flags with a gray background further limit your search to members whose expertise includes your selection. By selecting "Art" and "Writing" your results will only show members who have both "Art" and "Writing" entered as their areas of expertise.

The "Hiring" and "Freelance" flags will further limit your search to members who have set their status as "Hiring" or "Available for freelance work".

Events Search Menu

Event Search

Searching for events is simple. Each field in the event search form is optional. Like the member directory search, the event search allows you to filter results based on keywords, country, city and state. You can further limit results based on dates. Note, you can leave one or all of the date fields blank--choosing June 2005 (leaving the day of month blank) will bring up matches that are set for June 2005.

Article Search

The article search is straightforward. Use keyword filtering to find the article you want. You can also limit your results to a specific topic (like "Wildlife Art").
Article Search Menu

Browsing the Site

Another way to find what you are looking for is to simply browse the site. Most browsers will show drop-down menus under each category on the navigation bar. If you put your mouse over "Art", for example, a list of links will appear that will list topics belonging to art, such as "Wildlife Art", "Fantasy Art", etc. Clicking on these links will show you pages listing all articles belonging to that topic, in order of the most recently posted. At the bottom of each drop down is a link to a directory that includes members that relate to the category (like "Artist Directory").

There is also a member directory where you can browse for members based on several criteria (Area of Expertise and/or Member Type); these directories are the broken up into Country, State and City.

The site Calendar is another way to browse with clicks. You can view events on the site based on dates.

Member Links Example

Yet another way to find what you are looking for is to understand the links that belong to each member. Every article and profile contains a set of links related to that member. They include links to members' home pages, email links, guestbook links, calendar links and slideshow links. A member's articles will also display a link to the member's profile.