Best Graphic Design Portfolios & How to Start Your Own

Are you a graphic designer, or do you want to be one but are unsure of how to start? Either way, you have come to the right place.

Whether you are a freelancer, full-time, or just starting out, it’s crucial to have your graphic design portfolio ready. A portfolio helps showcase your work, past experience, talent, and skills. Similar to a resume, a graphic design portfolio helps potential clients and employers evaluate your work’s quality.

Given that portfolios are the gateway to prospective clients, make sure that your profile stands out from the rest. A good-quality portfolio will not only help you get more projects but also assure people of your skills and talent and increase your chance of landing bigger clients later.

By contrast, a poor-quality portfolio would be difficult to get noticed and make it hard to get any clients. 

So, how do you make a stellar portfolio? 

10 Best Graphic Design Portfolios on the Internet

While several websites provide ready-made templates to create a portfolio, it is best that you have your own style. It will only help display your creativity and uniqueness. 

Here are the ten best graphic design ideas to get you inspired. 

Allison Bratnick

Allison Bratnick is a graphic designer based out of Boulder, Colorado, USA. She is known for creating logos and designs for companies that have a focus on health and wellness. 

One look at her portfolio and you will know why it has made it to our list. A clean grid-like style displays her work, followed by a brief introduction. For those looking for minimalist graphic design portfolio ideas, Allison Bratnick’s profile is where you can derive inspiration from.

Source: allisonbratnick.com

Kim Dero

Kim Dero is an independent packaging designer living in Portland, Oregon, USA. He has a wide range of experience in designing packaging for food and beverage brands. 

Dero’s profile is simple yet vibrant, making it easy for a user to navigate through the website. Moreover, you can click on each image to see the quality of work Dero has produced.

Source: kimdero.com

Stephanie Bruckler

Stephanie Bruckler is an Austrian designer and art director currently situated in New York City. Bruckler boasts of a stellar portfolio, having worked with clients such as Tiffany & Co, Tom Ford Beauty, Airbnb, and Nike. And why not, since her portfolio comes across as elegant, understated, and innovative at the same time.

Source: stefaniebrueckler.com

You will not only find the work she has produced but the details of the clients too. So for those looking for creative design portfolio ideas, Stephanie Bruckler’s website is the one you should look at. 

Alessandro Scarpellini

Alessandro Scarpellini is a designer and art director who specializes in branding, strategy, digital design, and visual language. He has worked with a wide range of clients across the world and has had his work featured in the Monogram Logo, Alphabet Logo, The Brand Identity, Creative Boom, and the likes. 

Scarpellini’s portfolio can be best described as sophisticated yet restrained. One glance can give anyone an idea of Scarpellini’s talent and skills. 

Rafael Kfouri

While searching for creative graphic design ideas, Rafael Kfouri is a name that cannot be missed. Kfouri is a renowned, award-winning graphic designer who is the creative lead at DOJO. He has worked as an art director in the past and boasts of famous clients, including Nike, Adidas, Louis Vuitton, and Xbox.

What’s more, Kfouri has also won multiple awards, including a bronze at the Cannes Festival, making him one of the best in his field.

If you are someone who doesn’t want to create a lengthy portfolio, Kfouri’s portfolio is the one for you. His portfolio is only a page long and showcases his best works, along with a brief introduction about himself and his achievements. While the website may seem confusing to navigate, the vibrant visuals help users to appreciate and enjoy the work done by Kfouri.

Grant Burke

In case you are wondering whether to add text to your portfolio, look no further than Grant Burke’s website. 

Burke is an Ottawa-based graphic designer who specializes in illustration, branding, and logo design. Unlike many portfolios that exhibit their projects on the landing page, Burke’s site describes the kind of work he does and why you should hire him, followed by his previous work. 

Upon clicking each grid, you will be directed to the project, which describes the details of the assignment and the approach undertaken by him. However, the portfolio keeps text to the minimum, ensuring that the artist’s creativity remains the centerpiece.

Brian Winston

Brian Winston is a graphic designer based out of Denver, Colorado, USA. He has carved a niche for himself in creating on-brand designs for the print and web. Broadly, Winston’s work is classified into Creative Direction, Product Mockup, Branding and Design, and Illustration.

Source: brianwinstondesign.com

Winston’s portfolio makes it to our list, owing to its simple yet elegant outlay. The first page displays some of Winston’s best works, along with project details. Each project briefly explains the issue faced by the client and how the designer helped resolve it.

Brandon Perez

Are you looking to build a portfolio that is not too vibrant? Worried that it may not be visible? Don’t worry, as Brandon Perez’s portfolio is here to dispel all your doubts.

Source: brandon-perez.pixpa.com

Brandon Perez is the best example when it comes to keeping it simple yet classy. He is a graphic designer who has dabbled in print, digital media, and photography. Perez has used a combination of just two colors, green and grey, to showcase his profile. While the website may appear plain at first, it is its understated nature that makes it unique. Moreover, the use of typography and a short grid-like display further enhance the portfolio.

Jena Locastro

Jena Locastro is an independent graphic designer living in New York. She is experienced in creating graphics for social media platforms, advertising agencies, creative directors, print, and online media. In addition, Locastro has also created visuals for postcards, brand logos, and product packaging. 

Source: jenalocastrodesign.com

Locastro’s profile comes across as straightforward and natural. She has made sure to highlight the broad areas of her work and provides brief details of the clients she has worked with. Neither too bright nor too simple is why Locastro’s portfolio has made it to our list.

Jim Stahn

Looking to add some quirkiness to your webpage? Take inspiration from Jim Stahn’s portfolio.

Jim Stahn is a graphic designer who presently works for Summit Orthopedics. While most of his work was focused on health and medical services, you can also find samples of visuals created for events and other digital media. Stahn’s website displays all his work in a grid-like structure. Each grid comes with a caption that can easily convey what the project is about. You can click on each grid to understand the format used, the project’s target audience, followed by its description.

How to Create Your Own Design Portfolio?

Now that you have looked at examples of some of the best graphic design portfolios out there, it’s time to create your own. Sounds difficult? Well, it’s not.

Given the intense competition among graphic designers and artists, everyone wants their portfolio to be the best. But how do you do that? Here are some tips that will help you.

Put Yourself in the Shoes of a Client

To some, even the thought of building an outstanding portfolio can be tiresome. After all, you need to spend several hours deciding the theme and layout, which projects to display, followed by numerous edits. However, put yourself in the shoes of a client. 

Which portfolio would you choose – one that has a unique style and creativity or one that is unoriginal? The first one, of course. Thus, before designing your portfolio, take some time to ideate its layout, colors, and what you can do differently. 

Add a Personal Touch

We have already described how being innovative will make your portfolio stand out from the others. While there are several graphic design samples to help you get started, don’t forget to add a personal touch to your profile. 

A personal touch can mean anything, ranging from the use of bright colors or themes, interactive elements, text, or handwritten typography. You can also create your personal logo or brand name and add it to your website. However, ensure that the portfolio isn’t cluttered and comes across as professional.

Describe Your Projects

While the common practice is to display a gallery of your best works on a portfolio, ensure that you provide a brief description of your projects. 

The description should include details such as the name of the project, the client, your role, whether you collaborated with other designers, the aim of the project, and the approach or method you used for the assignment. The best way to do so is by creating a separate page for each work you wish to display on your website. 

However, keep in mind that the visuals and illustrations must be the main highlight of your portfolio. Ensure that the graphics are large-sized, have a high-quality resolution, and are visible on your site’s landing page.

Use Good Quality Layouts

Using a simple and clean layout is essential while building a stellar portfolio. Many times, graphic designers select layouts that are either too bright or cluttered, making it difficult for people to navigate their website. This may, in turn, cause potential clients to turn them down, irrespective of the quality of the work.

While you might be tempted to showcase all your projects, it is important that you only choose the best ones to be displayed. 

Ideally, three to six projects can be posted on your website. You also need to keep in mind that the project description, the ‘About Me’ section, and ‘Contact’ are brief. It is suggested that before starting a layout, create a rough one, which will help you decide where and how to place the images, how many to place, and the amount of text required.

How to Make a Graphic Design Portfolio with No Experience

Have you decided to start a career as a graphic designer? Have you often wondered how to make a graphic design portfolio with no experience? Look no further then.

For those with no prior experience with graphic design, it can be daunting to think about what they can add to their portfolio. They may be more worried about their profile being ignored than creating one that stands out among their competitors.

In case you are a graphic designer with no experience, here are some ways you can create a brilliant portfolio.

Recreate Existing Designs

Many new and upcoming graphic designers start off by recreating or redesigning existing projects. By recreating, you cannot not only understand the nuances of designing but with experience, also learn and develop your independent style and approach. You may also get to know how to address any issues with projects and ways to address them.

Source: giphy.com

Work with Local Graphic Designers

Before you apply for full-time positions, it is best that you collaborate with local graphic designers. You can either choose to undertake an internship or become a freelancer. Working with fellow designers will help you develop teamwork and interpersonal skills while also honing your skills. And who knows, the graphic designer that hired you might even employ you full-time or recommend you to other clients.

Take Up Voluntary Positions

While starting out, it may not be possible to get paid well. There’s quite a possibility that you may be asked to work for free. Is there a wedding coming up? Ask if you can design the wedding invitations. 

Are there any events coming up? Approach the organizers and request to create invites and posters. And if you are a student, you can help in designing posters, logos, or any illustrations required for any events or competitions.

In addition, you can also take part in graphic design contests. This will help you understand where you stand, learn from your competitors, and improve your work.

Build Your Brand

The most important thing for any graphic designer is to create their personal brand. Without a personal brand, people will not know of your unique skills, talent, and style. A personal brand can include creating your personal logo, brand name, illustrations, and other elements that can help others identify you as a graphic designer. You can also take up online courses on graphic designing to upskill yourself from time to time. 

Conclusion

For a graphic designer, a portfolio is a gateway to getting opportunities. Without a portfolio, people will not be aware of your skills, accomplishments, and projects undertaken in the past. Thus, graphic designers must invest enough time creating a graphic design portfolio website that isn’t just good but outstanding too.

Now that you have learned how to make a design portfolio, go ahead and create your own!