What is a portfolio?

A portfolio is a collection of work samples used to display your best work. It is useful to showcase your skills and attract new clients or employers across various industries such as fashion, architecture, or design.

Types of design portfolios

The type of design work you do determines the best format for your portfolio. You can choose digital formats like a website, slideshow, or PDF, or analog formats like a print book or poster.

Graphic design portfolio

In graphic design, PDF portfolios have become increasingly popular to showcase your work and PDF design skills. By using software like InDesign or Photoshop, you can create multi-page PDFs that are customizable and can feature descriptions of each project along with other relevant information. New software like Framer makes it easier to create and share your PDF portfolio online. Your PDF portfolio can become a brochure or one-pager highlighting your best work.

UX design portfolio

Online portfolios are the most common format for UX designers, with a preference for one-page websites with contact information or comprehensive online galleries. Website portfolios are especially useful for web designers as they highlight your web design skills and display your work to the right audience. Website portfolios also showcase design elements like animation and interactivity which are essential to UX design. You can share your work easily through social media or by sending links. Website portfolios provide an opportunity to showcase your personality and creativity in ways that traditional print portfolios cannot. However, they require knowledge of coding, and there may be constraints like different browser experiences or rendering issues that require ongoing maintenance. They may also require more time to create, depending on the number of pages needed.