Graphic design portfolio examples
A graphic design portfolio is itself a piece of design, so it gets judged twice. The strongest ones are simple, typographically careful, and let each project tell a short story.
Graphic design portfolios, 9 ways.
Layouts made for graphic design, each shown with a full portfolio of work. Open one and click around; every one is a live site.
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For graphic design, editorial
An index of your work, set properly.
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Poster
For graphic design, studios
Your name edge to edge. Titles set huge.
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Static
For experimental
Raw HTML with blue links and nothing else.
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Headline
For graphic design, studios
A statement set huge, then each project as a row with its images.
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Grid
For any discipline
The classic. Even thumbnails, numbered captions, nothing in the way.
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Square
For product, still life, design
A calm, centred grid of square crops. Nothing competes with the work.
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Tiles
For illustration, pattern, print
Big square tiles in three columns, with room to breathe.
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Sidebar
For designers, multidisciplinary
Every project listed on the left, the work scrolling on the right.
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Board
For illustration, design, photography
Works laid out as sheets on a calm grid, with clear sans-serif captions.
How to make a good graphic design portfolio.
Five things the best ones have in common, whichever platform you build on. More on our graphic design portfolio website builder.
(01) Lead with the work you want more of
Put the kind of project you want to be hired for first. Everything on the site is a signal of what you'll say yes to.
(02) Tell each project in three lines
The brief, what you did, and the result. Credits and your role matter when you worked in a team.
(03) Show the system, not only the logo
Applications, grids, type and colour in use. A single mark on a white background tells people very little.
(04) Let the site stay out of the way
A clean index and generous images beat animations. Clients look at your work, not at the scrolling effects.
(05) Add clients, services and a way to reach you
A short about page with the clients you've worked with and what you offer turns interest into an email.
Free for up to 12 works. Every theme included.
About graphic design portfolios
What is a design portfolio?
A curated set of your design projects that shows what you can do and how you think, with each project explained briefly - the brief, your role and the result. It's the main thing studios and clients look at before hiring a designer.
What does a good design portfolio look like?
It's simple, typographically careful and easy to scan. Projects are shown as systems in use, not just logos on white, each with a short explanation. The strongest ones lead with the kind of work the designer wants more of.
How many projects should a graphic design portfolio have?
Six to ten projects is plenty. Pick the ones closest to the work you want to be hired for, and show each in enough depth that someone understands the problem and your solution.
How do I show design thinking in my portfolio?
For a few key projects, show the brief, early sketches or directions you explored, why you chose the final one, and what happened after launch. A few process images and three sentences are enough; case studies don't need to be essays.
Should I include personal projects in my design portfolio?
Yes, if they're good and show the direction you want to go in. Label them as personal or self-initiated so clients understand the context, and keep them in their own collection.