10 Portfolio Example Websites to Spark Your Creativity

If you are any type of creator, from a web designer to a photographer to an artist to a graphic designer, setting up a portfolio of your best work is a must. You can grab new clients, showcase your top customers and show off what makes your creations stand out from the crowd. We looked through dozens of sites to find the very best portfolio example sites for inspiration.

What Makes a Portfolio Example Outstanding?

Online portfolios have a heavier image element than some other types of sites. The goal is to showcase your work, so you need photos to fully show before and after or finished results. Portfolios should include:

• About section
• Gallery of projects
• List of clients
• Contact information
• Trust factors

If someone hasn’t worked with you before, they have no reason to trust you. It’s crucial to include social media proof, customer testimonials and images of your work to showcase your talent and reliability. 

Here are 10 examples of excellent portfolio example websites to kickstart your creativity.

1. Alice Lee

Source: https://www.byalicelee.com

The conversational tone of this portfolio example grabs the user and pulls them in. We love that the top hero image is of Ms. Lee looking at a mural she designed. As the user scrolls, they see additional artwork and creations by her. 

Ms. Lee works on murals, ceramics and illustrations. Her portfolio separates these different mediums, so you can browse her work more easily. We like the shopping feature, where she sells ceramics and other creations.

2. Lauren Hom

Source: https://www.homsweethom.com

Everything about Lauren Hom’s site screams style and fun. From the bright colors to the play on her name with the headline “Hom Sweet Hom,” the entire design screams her personality. She lists some of the brands she’s worked with, showing an impressive range from Google to Starbucks to Adobe. Listing big name clients adds to the trust factor of the site.

The navigational hierarchy is excellent, guiding users to the information they seek. As one scrolls down the page, they’ll see examples of Lauren’s typography and designs. A few highlights appear, but you can also click on the call to action (CTA) button to view her entire portfolio. 

3. Meagan Fisher Couldwell

Source: https://owltastic.com

Meagan Fisher Couldwell is known for her advanced CSS techniques. Note the tie in to owls and the name of the site to create some unique branding. Owls are known for being wise, so it matches the experience level of the designer.

We like the images of featured work to show what she’s capable of but instead of bright pops of color, she sticks with some soft neutrals to put the focus on her layouts and typography. Understanding typography takes years of practice, so users understand she’s a pro in this area. 

4. Jae Bin Lee

Source: https://www.jaebinlee.com

This portfolio is quite unique in looking more like the chapters of a book at first glance. As you move through the site, you see a layout that looks like a title page and copyright information. Look a bit closer and you see the chapter headers are for his education, professional work and personal passions. 

The focus on interior design works well with the storytelling aspect combined with rich photographs of Lee’s work. He adds some trust elements to the bottom of the page by linking to social media pages and listing his memberships in IIDA and the American Society of Interior Designers. 

5. Kyson Dana

Source: https://www.kysondana.com

The informal feel of Dana’s website pulls the user into the story. He talks about how he is an art director and brand designer but the image of him in the forest is amateurish at best. Still, the overlapping text and scrolling features of the site show his design skills. 

As you scroll, you see beautiful images, showing that he isn’t an amateur photographer at all. He shares video campaigns, mobile experiences and product launches. The range of his work is striking when laid out in order. 

6. Gail Anderson

Source: https://www.gailycurl.com

The site’s design is quite retro, with a huge hero image of bottle caps from yesteryear. The logo designs pull site visitors in and make them look to the left, where the navigation for the portfolio lives. Projects break down into topics such as theater, books and publications. 

As you click on each link, a story comes to life that shows the types of designs Gail Anderson is famous for. Everything is organized into categories rather than appearing as a long scroll. 

7. Heather Shaw

Source: http://heathershaw.com

The grid-style layout for Heather Shaw’s portfolio presents a neat, minimalist appearance. The focus is on the categories she designs in. You can click to see additional examples of responsive web design, book, print, poster and logo design.

We like the array of muted color overlays to add pops of color and draw user attention. It shows a sophistication in color psychology many sites don’t possess.  

8. Jessie Maxwell Bearden

Source: https://www.jessiebearden.com

The parallax scrolling on Bearden’s site pulls the visitor in and shows the cutting edge design work she’s capable of. We particularly like the unique illustration, bright pops of color and fun features such as a box of crayons to the side. The headline/name is sticky and moves down the page as the user scrolls. The bright illustration/artwork animates, with an eye winking at the user. 

Even the navigation bar turns transparent so you can see the artwork behind it as you choose which area to move to first. Ms. Bearden is smart to include some of her clients as they contain big names such as Lego, Bumble, Bai and Nabisco. 

9. Mike Fernandez

Source: https://www.mike-fernandez.dev

We love the interactive, game-like feature of Mike Fernandez’s website. However, this is where we want to caution you when getting creative with your portfolio. This particular portfolio example fell a bit flat when we tried to exit the game-like mode and find out more information about Mr. Hernandez. 

Perhaps expert gamers will have more luck getting from Point A to Point B than we did. That said, the concept is quite intriguing and makes us want to know more about his work. If you could combine the development aspect of the game with a small hamburger menu, the site would be more functional. It still was worth mentioning for the unique animations and look. 

10. Jean-Christophe Suzanne

Source: https://jcsuzanne.com

There is so much to love about this portfolio design. Our favorite feature is the huge typography with Mr. Suzanne’s initials. The typographical hierarchy of the site gives a lot of information from the name to the role of creative developer he currently holds. As you scroll down the page, you see a timeline of designs. 

Hovering over any point on the timeline showcases some of the work Mr. Suzanne completed while there. Click on each link for more detail. 

Portfolio Examples to Inspire You

Look at portfolios from designers you admire. Each likely has something unique to bring to the table. Consider your personal story as a creator and tap into the power of excellent UX design to come up with a portfolio that helps sell your work as a designer.