Above the fold: what must appear at the top of the page

In 2010, we talked about 'above the fold' for a 1024x768 computer screen. In 2026, your visitor arrives on mobile in 70 to 80% of cases. The mobile above-the-fold area is about 600 pixels high. That's all you have to convince them to stay.

According to data from Nielsen Norman Group, content above the fold receives 84% of the visitor's total attention. Everything below is optional. It's tough but that's the state of the web in 2026.

Visible immediately. Format: 'First Name Last Name' large, 'Painter' or 'Visual Artist' or 'Sculptor' smaller underneath. No poetic slogan instead of the title. If your name is common, add a keyword: 'Marie Tremblay, Studio' or 'Marie Tremblay, Painter'.

The image that must trigger emotion in 2 seconds. Three options depending on your style:

• Emblematic complete artwork: one of your most representative works, 16:9 or 4:5 format depending on site ratio
• Texture detail: close-up on the material of an artwork, more immersive
• You creating: photo in the studio, more human

Choose only one of the three. No rotating carousel (it disorients).

A line that completes your name and title. Format: 'I [action verb] [object] for [target audience].' No more than 15 words. Example: 'I paint abandoned interiors for the urban uprooted.'

This sentence picks up your mission statement developed in the artist storytelling.

A single call-to-action button, visually dominant. Direct text: 'View available artworks' (most common), 'Discover the catalog', 'Buy an artwork'.

Avoid weak CTAs: 'Learn more', 'Discover my universe'. They convert half as much.

Maximum 5 to 7 links in the menu: Artworks, About, Statement, Exhibitions, Press, Contact. Clickable logo at the top left that returns to the homepage.

No complex dropdown menus on mobile, prefer a simple hamburger menu.

A subtle element that reassures: 'Represented at Galerie loriginal' or 'Artworks in the MNBAQ collection' or 'Seen in La Presse'. Not an aggressive banner, rather a discreet mention that anchors credibility.

Logos of galleries, media, institutions or collections where you are featured. Very small, at the bottom of the visible area. This is what distinguishes a 'convincing amateur' site from a 'pro artist' site.

On mobile (600 pixels high): strict vertical stacking. Name + title at the top, dominant image, positioning sentence, CTA. The rest goes below the fold.

On desktop (800 pixels high): you can organize in 2 columns (image left, text right) or 1 full-width column with a hero image. More space to integrate trust indicators in the same view.

• Mistake 1, rotating image slider. The eye jumps, attention scatters. A single image is better than 5 scrolling by.
• Mistake 2, autoplay video with sound. Aggressive, violates accessibility standards, drives away 40% of visitors.
• Mistake 3, newsletter pop-up that opens upon arrival. Asks for sign-up before the visitor has seen a single artwork. Spam site behavior.
• Mistake 4, philosophical quote in the intro. 'Art is the expression of the soul...' → the visitor closes the tab in 3 seconds.
• Mistake 5, long biography before the artworks. No one reads your bio before seeing your work.