A strong graphic design portfolio is clean, curated, and story-driven, with 6–10 standout projects, short case studies, and clear contact info.
You’re building a site to win work, not to archive everything. Tight choices, sleek presentation, and an easy path to reach you beat a giant gallery. Set a simple grid, pick readable type, and keep spacing consistent so every piece feels part of one system.
What Reviewers Want To See Fast
Reviewers skim. They want proof you can think, design, and ship. Lead with outcomes, then back up with a few process frames that show how you solve problems. Industry groups give the same advice: curate, tell the story, and polish delivery AIGA portfolio steps and NN/g portfolio guidance.
Portfolio Structure At A Glance
The strongest setups share a pattern: a clear homepage, 3–5 flagship case studies, a small gallery of supporting pieces, and a plain contact page. Your homepage sets the tone with a one-line value statement and a grid of projects. Each case study needs a headline, a one-sentence summary, a hero, the goal, your role, the constraints, a few process clips, and the results.
Portfolio Sections And Purpose
| Section | What It Shows | Make It Work |
|---|---|---|
| Homepage | Your taste and range | Grid of project cards, short value line, quick nav |
| Case Studies | Thinking and craft | Goal, role, constraints, decisions, results |
| Gallery | Extra depth | Selected stills that support your specialties |
| About | Credibility | Short bio, tiny portrait, résumé link |
| Contact | Easy outreach | Email link, location, light social links |
Design System For Your Site
Typography: pick one family with two weights. Use a size scale that reads well on phones. Color: keep the UI neutral; let the work bring the hue. Spacing: set an 8px or 4px baseline and keep it steady across cards, captions, and breaks. Grid: 12 columns on desktop, 4 on mobile; keep media in consistent aspect ratios to reduce jumpiness.
What A Graphic Design Portfolio Should Include (Practical List)
A short headline on the homepage that says who you help and what you make. A grid of labeled projects. Case studies with goals, role, constraints, process beats, and results. A simple About page. A contact page with an email link. Social links if they add trust. Optional: a press or client row if you have it.
Curation: What To Include
Pick depth over volume. Two tight brand systems beat ten loose comps. Choose projects that match the work you want next. Packaging roles call for dielines, materials, finishes, and shelf photos. Product design calls for flows, states, and shipped screens. Identity gigs call for marks in context, usage rules, and before-after comparisons.
Case Study Anatomy
Hook, Brief, Role
Hook: one line that says what changed. Brief: the goal, the audience, and the constraints in plain terms. Role: your part and the team shape.
Process And Decisions
Show 4–8 frames that carry the story: moodboards, sketches, type trials, layout options, and tests. Add crisp captions that name the decision: “Switched to a 12-column grid for cleaner rhythm,” or “Raised body size for small-screen legibility.”
Results And Proof
Close with outcomes tied to the brief. If you can share numbers, do it. If not, show scope: screens shipped, SKUs launched, or print run. NN/g advises choosing a small set of deep studies over mass galleries, a pattern that fits hiring reality quality over quantity.
Writing Style That Works
Keep sentences short. Drop filler. Let captions do heavy lifting so the page stays scannable. Each image should earn its space with a clear label: “Logotype grid,” “Packaging dieline,” “Landing page fold,” “Onboarding flow.”
Image Quality And File Prep
Export clean PNG or high-quality JPGs; avoid heavy GIFs for long sequences. Use 2x images for crisp type on modern screens. Compress assets so pages load quickly. Give each image alt text that says what’s in the frame and why it matters. Keep it load-friendly online.
Homepage Layout That Works
Start with a simple header: your name, a short title, and quick links. Next comes a grid of project cards. Each card needs a punchy title, a one-line summary, and a thumbnail that reads at small sizes. End with a contact block—email, location, and links to Behance or Dribbble. If you post to Behance, keep covers consistent and crop for impact.
Platform Choices
Hosted builders are fine. Squarespace, Webflow, and Adobe Portfolio make it easy to set type, grid, and media. Keep templates light; strip flourishes that steal focus from the work.
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- Too much work, not enough story.
- Busy backgrounds that fight the content.
- Text over images with low contrast.
- Process dumps with dozens of near-duplicates.
- Images without captions.
- Overlong timelines that bury the outcome.
- No contact info.
SEO And Findability
Use your name and a concise title in the site title tag. Give each project a descriptive meta description that mirrors the first line of the case study. Use clear slugs like /brand-system-for-acme or /editorial-layout-series. Add Open Graph images so your links look good when shared.
What Reviewers Scan In 30 Seconds
Top bar: name and role. First screen: project grid with clear titles. Above-the-fold card: your sharpest piece. Footer: contact and links. That’s the pass-fail scan many reviewers use in a packed day, and it drives the advice from groups like AIGA.
Ethics, NDA, And Credit
If a project is under NDA, mask sensitive data and explain limits. Blur private info, swap sample text, or crop screens to the parts you owned. Give credit to teammates and partners. A small line at the end of the study keeps it clear and respectful.
New Graduates Vs. Mid-Level Designers
Student work can shine when the story is crisp. Show the brief and your reasoning, not just polished posters. For mid-level talent, shipped work and team outcomes matter. Call out your contribution: direction, concept, type system, layout, production, or handoff. NN/g backs the idea that a few deep studies beat long galleries; depth tells your story better than volume curate with intent.
Navigation Patterns That Keep People Moving
Use a sticky breadcrumb on case study pages. Add a back-to-grid button near the end of each project. Offer a “next project” link with a thumbnail. Keep a simple footer with your email and social links.
Printed Leave-Behind Or PDF
A one-page teaser or a slim PDF can help during in-person reviews. Keep it light on text with a link to the full site. Use the same grid and type rules so the handout matches your online presence.
File Names And Asset Hygiene
Keep file names human: client-name_project-slug_stage_001.jpg. It helps reviewers and keeps your site tidy when you revisit a project months later. Group assets by study, place exports in a /images folder, and keep originals safe in cloud storage.
Where To Host Process
Keep large research decks or prototypes behind a private PDF or Loom link if needed. Public pages should be compact and easy to skim. If a reviewer wants more, send deeper material on request. AIGA’s advice aligns with this: show the story, keep it lean, and polish delivery AIGA guidance.
Case Study Outline You Can Reuse
| Section | Goal | Target Length |
|---|---|---|
| Hook | State the change in one line | 1 sentence |
| Brief | Goal, audience, constraints | 2–3 lines |
| Role | Your part and partners | 1–2 lines |
| Process | Decisive beats with captions | 4–8 images |
| Decisions | Why this direction won | 3–5 bullets |
| Result | Outcome tied to the brief | 2–3 lines |
| Credits | Team and tools | 1 line |
Review Workflow
Ship, then refine. Start with three strong projects and a clean contact page. Share the link with peers for feedback. Patch issues, ship again. Set a monthly reminder to refresh copy, replace older items, and add recent wins.
Portfolio Shape For Different Goals
Agency Roles
Show range across branding, digital, and print. Pair a flagship identity with a web launch and a packaging or editorial piece.
In-House Roles
Show depth, systems thinking, and shipped assets tied to real metrics. Include design tokens, component grids, or layout rules if that’s your lane.
Freelance Work
Show studies that mirror briefs you want to land. Add a Services page with clear scopes; keep pricing on request unless you target productized gigs.
Photography And Mockups
Use light shadows and grounded perspectives. Keep mockups consistent across a study so the page feels cohesive. Swap device frames for bare-edge crops when type is the star. Skip fake stats or made-up quotes.
Contact And About Page Tips
Keep forms short. Add a direct email link for people who prefer it. Place location and time zone. Add a short note about availability and preferred project types. Link a plain PDF résumé with your name in the filename.
Maintenance Habits
Compress media, test on phones and desktops, and check link targets. Retire work that no longer reflects your taste. Keep an “in progress” folder so you can swap fast when you finish something stronger. Keep checks regular.
Quick Checklist
- Clean grid and spacing.
- Clear project titles and one-line summaries.
- Crisp hero images and readable captions.
- 3–5 case studies with outcomes and decisions.
- Plain About and Contact pages.
- Fast load; no intrusive pop-ups.