Graphic Design Portfolio Examples—Inspiring Ideas to Showcase Your Work

As a graphic designer, showcasing your skills in order to attract clients and employers is essential. Creating a graphic design portfolio is an excellent way of highlighting your talents when pitching for work or applying for a job. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics(BLS) predicts around 21,100 new graphic design job openings per year over the next decade [1]. You’ll also find freelance opportunities. Your portfolio could be the factor that makes you stand out enough to win one of these positions.

Learn more about graphic design portfolios and how you can create one to attract potential employers and clients. 

What is a graphic design portfolio?

A graphic design portfolio is a collection of samples of your work that demonstrate your skill, style, and graphic design abilities. You can use a portfolio to show potential clients and employers what you've been able to achieve and as evidence of what you will be able to do in the future. In your portfolio, consider including samples of both your personal projects and your professional work. Examples of what to put in your profile include:

• Logos

• Typography

• Print designs

• Web designs 

• Video animation

• Package design

• Illustrations

• Storyboards

• Ad campaigns

• Testimonials from clients

Whatever mediums you decide to feature, remember the rule of quality over quantity. Only include samples that really sell you as a graphic designer and highlight your personal style. Ten to fifteen projects is typically a good number to include.

Types of graphic design portfolios

When putting together your graphic design portfolio, you have several options. Which you choose will depend on your style and your overall goals. Options include: Online portfolios: A digital portfolio that employers and potential clients can view via a link you send them. You’ll find various platforms available for hosting your portfolio, many with simple design features that allow you to drag and drop your projects into an existing template, with options to add descriptions and customize the look of your portfolio. Online portfolios are easy to share, and you can include a link in your emails and social media bios.

Print portfolios: If you have an in-person interview or a client meeting, you might use a print portfolio, which is a physical version of your samples. Just like a digital profile, a print portfolio is an example of your talents and should accurately reflect what you have done and can do.

Specialized portfolios: If your experience is wide, consider tailoring your portfolio to a specific niche. For example, if you specialize in graphic design for mobile apps, make sure this is prominent in your portfolio with examples of usability.

Graphic design portfolio examples

You’ll find a graphic design portfolio is very personal and the look and feel of your portfolio is a reflection of the work you do, your personality, and the type of client you’re aiming to work for. Consider using the following graphic design portfolio examples from established graphic designers for inspiration.

Aries Moross

Aries’ graphic design portfolio features a clear style and brand, which they include throughout. You’ll also see immediately that Aries works with some big names in the entertainment industry. Items in the portfolio are not in order of date, but rather, they are displayed in a way that allows everything to flow through each theme, starting with, arguably, their most impressive work. 

Gail Anderson

Gail’s portfolio is clean and clear, with an accessible menu that separates her designs and themes. While Gail’s work largely incorporates designs for entertainment, such as books and theatre, her styles vary, and her designs are clearly divided under headers. She brings it all together with a bio, explaining who she is and her career to date.

Liron Elda-Ashkenazi

Liron’s portfolio is bold and eye-catching, made up of images without explanation or segmentation. If you click on an image, it takes you to a new page with about the campaign behind the image, and additional images to really understand the brief. Similarly, if you click on the short bio at the top of the portfolio, you’re taken through to an “about me” page with more detail. 

Lotta Nieminen

Lotta’s portfolio is understated and classic, letting her images become the main focus of a grid-like design. She pairs the images with text, giving a brief explanation of each project. Lotta works with a range of established brands, and, while the campaigns are all very different, she has a distinct style that runs throughout the whole portfolio.

Best practices for creating a graphic design portfolio

Creating your graphic design portfolio involves some steps and best practices—such as curating your work, thinking about an overall style, and explaining why each design has a place—to make sure you maximize your portfolio’s potential.

Curating work: Rather than including everything in your portfolio, think of it as your business card. It’s a teaser indicating what you can do and represents your brand. Select projects that are relevant, visually exciting, and that together create an overall picture of who you are, your style, and your talents.

Include descriptions and case studies: Explain each piece of work in your portfolio, including your design and decision-making process. You might include some design sketches to demonstrate how you got to your final design. 

Maintaining a cohesive style: Make sure your portfolio aligns with your brand identity and that your personality shines through. Think about colors, images, font, and style.

Benefits of having a graphic design portfolio

As a graphic designer applying for a graphic design job or looking to attract clients as a freelancer, creating your graphic design profile can provide a number of benefits, including: 

Demonstrating skills: Your portfolio allows you to showcase your skills and abilities and examples of your work. Include your best work, and include a range of mediums.

Building a personal brand: Your graphic design portfolio is an important part of your brand identity. Incorporate your logos, style, and tone to get your brand noticed and to create an easily recognizable identity.

Attracting opportunities: A graphic design portfolio is your ticket to getting your work in front of employers and potential clients if you work as a freelancer. Use it in your social media profile and when you apply for jobs. You may wish to include a cover letter by way of introduction.

Tools for creating graphic design portfolios

When designing your graphic design portfolio, particularly if yours is digital, you’ll find a range of tools to make the process more straightforward and professional. 

Portfolio-specific platforms: The simplest way to build your digital graphic design portfolio is to use portfolio design platform websites like Behance or Dribble. These platforms provide templates where you can upload content, add descriptions, and even customize your profile with your brand colors and logo.

Website builders: If you’d prefer to build your own website portfolio for a more customizable design, check out website builders like Wix and Squarespace. With these options, you have more design freedom without having to be able to write code.

Design software: Use creative design software such as Adobe Creative Suite or Canva for design work and for formatting content in your portfolio. You can also use these to create a logo or to export your existing logo into your designs.

Who uses graphic design portfolios?

Graphic designers at all levels can find value in creating a graphic design portfolio. It’s important to remember that your portfolio is adaptable, and you can always add to it and remove things as your skills improve and your specialisms change. You may use and update your profile at different stages of your career, including:

• Learner or graduate entering the job market

• Freelance projects

• Applying for jobs

• Applying for specialist design roles

Learn more about creating your graphic design portfolio with Coursera

A graphic design portfolio is an effective way of highlighting your skills and experience to sell yourself to potential employers. If you’re a graphic designer putting together your portfolio, consider taking a course in web design. Check out Web Design For Everybody: Basics of Web Development and Coding, delivered by The University of Michigan.