Frané Lessac’s books are bright, beloved, and found in schools and libraries around the world. But her old website? “A dog’s breakfast,” as she put it.
Outdated, cluttered, and nearly impossible to navigate, Frané knew it was time for a new author–illustrator website. She needed something that felt calm and clean — a space where her readers, teachers, and event organisers could explore her work with ease.
“I wanted a place for children, parents, teachers, librarians, art lovers, curiosity seekers and other creators to gain knowledge about my work. Easy to find where to download activities, watch videos about my process, and my presentations for schools, libraries and festivals.”
We started by customising the Isabel design from our collection — a flexible base that could be tailored to her needs without visual noise. Frané didn’t want decoration layered over her work. Instead, we let her art and books shine through intuitive navigation, clean typography, and structured layouts.
What we built
- Homepage focused on her latest work and popular resources, with simple navigation for key audiences
- Books section featuring a grid of all her titles, with dedicated single pages for each
- Art portfolio with PayPal integration for selling original works
- Resources for teachers made easy to browse and download
- Video page to showcase Frané’s process and school visit presentations
- Media kit, headshot, and contact details for quick access by event organisers
To keep the project affordable, we used smart template structuring — combining content types like books, artworks, and downloadable resources into five efficient templates.
The process
Frané values fast, clear communication. We mapped out mockups ahead of time, handled the design and build in three weeks, and ensured everything was easy for her to update. “Practicality and patience” were the words she used to describe the experience:
“No matter what ‘silly’ question I throw Jin’s way, he explains it to me, step by step, with grace in layman’s terms.”
She also appreciated that our custom WordPress framework didn’t require her to mess around with code. She can now upload a new book, video, or art piece — and everything slots into place automatically.
Outcome
Frané’s new author–illustrator website is clear, responsive, and professional. It supports her long career and helps her continue building her audience across schools, festivals, and the art world.
“The satisfaction in seeing it go live, shiny and new, for all the world to explore.”
Visit Frané Lessac’s website: franelessac.com