- Eden Spivak
- Sep 21
- 17 min read
Updated: 1 day ago
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Want your portfolio website to feel like a journey through your work instead of just a collection of projects? Knowing how to build your site the right way turns a simple gallery into an engaging experience. The layout you pick can guide visitors, highlight your standout projects and show your creative process with ease. Explore these templates to see layouts in action and get inspired.
TL;DR: best portfolio layouts
These Wix’s portfolio templates templates show how layouts can make your work shine. A strong portfolio guides viewers naturally through your projects, mixing standout pieces with supporting work to tell your story. Clear structure, spacing and subtle visual cues keep it smooth, while interactive elements, project layering and short notes add personality and context.
Pick a layout that fits your field—grid, fullscreen, card, modular or something more dynamic—and use a flexible template that works on all devices. Keep it focused with 6–10 strong projects, showing process, context and growth.
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Showcasing your talent should be easy. With Wix’s portfolio builder, you can create a professional, eye-catching portfolio that shows your best work in just a few clicks. Wix’s customizable templates and easy-to-use tools let you present your skills with confidence–leaving a lasting impression on anyone who visits your site.
What’s the best way to layout your portfolio?
A great portfolio layout guides the viewer through your work without making them think. Lead with projects that grab attention, then let the rest of your work build the story of your skills and growth.
Think about flow—moving naturally from sketches to finished pieces or from small personal projects to big client campaigns keeps viewers engaged. Small touches like consistent spacing, subtle color accents or section dividers make the experience feel smooth and thoughtful without stealing the spotlight from your work.
Creative portfolio layout ideas
Interactive elements: Clickable mockups, sliders or embedded videos let viewers experience your work the way it’s meant to be seen—scrolling through a website design, flipping through a lookbook or watching a model walk in a runway video.
Project layering: Lead with a striking hero image, then reveal sketches, drafts or behind-the-scenes work as viewers scroll or click, so they get both the final product and your creative journey.
Tailored sections: Organize your portfolio by field so each layout highlights the skills and formats that matter most. For example, a graphic design portfolio might emphasize branding projects and digital interfaces, while a modeling portfolio could separate editorial, commercial and lifestyle shoots.
Visual cues: Use subtle touches like color accents, spacing or hover effects to guide attention without overwhelming the page. Consider using consistent grids, margins and alignment to create a sense of rhythm, or small animations to draw the eye to interactive elements.
Context and notes: Include brief captions or process notes that show your thinking, problem-solving or design decisions. Highlight challenges you overcame or design choices you made, and explain how your work meets the project goals.
Finishing touches: Small details like grouping projects by theme, adding client logos or showing variations of a concept make your portfolio feel dynamic, engaging and memorable. Consider adding a short case study for standout projects or subtle transitions between sections to create a narrative.
Portfolio layout strategies
Portfolio layout type | What makes it special |
|---|---|
Grid layout | Projects are arranged in a neat, uniform grid, making it easy to scan many pieces at once. Great for showing variety while keeping the portfolio clean and structured. |
Single project focus | Highlights one project per page or section, allowing you to tell the full story behind it. Perfect for case studies or detailed storytelling of process, challenges and results. |
Card/modular layout | Projects appear in uniform blocks or cards, offering structure and easy navigation. Can be interactive like clickable cards or static like modular blocks, making it ideal for portfolios with many projects. |
Fullscreen visual layout | Each project fills the screen with large images or videos for an immersive experience. Works best for visually-driven work like photography, modeling or high-impact design. |
Masonry layout | Items are arranged in a grid with varying row heights, creating a dynamic, organic feel. Helps showcase diverse projects without forcing uniformity, keeping the page visually interesting. |
Carousel layout | Projects are displayed in a rotating slider or carousel, letting viewers browse without leaving the page. Great for compact portfolios or highlighting featured work. |
Z-pattern layout | Guides the viewer’s eye in a Z-shaped pattern across the page, naturally leading them through key content. Effective for storytelling and ensuring important work is noticed. |
Asymmetrical layout | Breaks from traditional grids with uneven or creative placements. Adds a modern, dynamic feel and highlights creativity, making the portfolio visually memorable. |
Timeline layout | Projects are arranged chronologically to show the evolution of your work over time. This is useful for demonstrating growth, long-term projects or career milestones. |
Split-screen layout | The screen is divided into two sections to show side-by-side comparisons or complementary projects. Good for showing contrasts, before-and-after work or dual narratives. |
Best art portfolio layouts and themes
01. Industrial designer portfolio
This industrial design portfolio template is right in line with current web design trends (for more ideas, check out these web design portfolio examples), boasting oversized typography and design elements. Its enlarged, eye-catching features are balanced out by an ample amount of whitespace and an exposed grid, allowing for a clean and structured layout.
The template’s unique style is even extended to its icons and buttons. The hamburger icon, for example, is big and bold, opening into a fullscreen website menu. The plus icons on each of the images also stand out with a black background, contributing to the overall visual language.
To personalize the template, fill the homepage with your project’s own images, and then go into more detail in the individual project pages. Be sure to include more information about each of your projects to contextualize your work.
02. Interior designer portfolio
This interior design portfolio welcomes visitors with three images that fade into view using subtle website animations. Check out these animation portfolios for more inspiration. The rest of the homepage is much quieter, allowing the photographs to take center stage.
At the top corner of the template, you’ll find the designer’s full name and expertise, which is an important practice to help clarify what the website is all about. This template also comes with a built-in art blog, titled ‘Journal.’
In fact, creating a blog as part of your portfolio website can help establish you as a professional in your industry, as well as improve your chances of getting your website found on Google search results. Using your professional portfolio as a personal marketing portfolio is never a bad idea.
03. Creative director portfolio
With a slideshow of visuals at the top fold, this professional portfolio example lets the images take the lead. The website design makes a statement just as strong with a sidebar menu that opens up into a lightbox, and full-width strips that form interesting compositions.
An important art portfolio tip is to clarify your role in each project, so that you don’t take credit for the work of others. Simply by mentioning your collaborators by name, you’re highlighting great teamwork abilities.
04. Jewelry designer portfolio
The juxtaposition of two different ideas on a single page allows you to inspect a certain subject in several perspectives. The split screen design in this art portfolio template, paired with a pinned element at the center of the screen, is sure to pique visitors’ curiosity.
The designer’s name running down the middle serves as the page’s focal point, tying the two separate halves together. The vertical typography throws the otherwise perfect symmetry a bit off-balance, resulting in an engaging look.
This art portfolio template also doubles as an eCommerce website. See how it utilizes some of the best tips for selling art online by employing hover effects as well as a magnifying glass to observe products from up close.
05. Illustrator art portfolio
An animated splash page in which a tree morphs into the illustrator’s name acts as a captivating teaser for this art portfolio template. Once we enter the website, a series of fullscreen digital illustrations lures visitors into dreamy landscapes, with an added parallax scrolling effect that creates a sense of depth and motion.
This illustration portfolio’s logo is fixed in the website’s header, held in place as visitors browse through the different projects. The logo is also linked back to the homepage, which is an easy-to-implement website navigation tip to enhance your user experience.
06. 3D artist portfolio
One of the most important considerations when deciding how to make a portfolio is the first fold of your website. Your homepage design is often the first glimpse of your work for potential clients, which is why you should utilize this space to form a long lasting impression.
This artist website template features a mesmerizing first fold with a fullscreen animated loop. The artist’s name is placed front-and-center, together with a concise textual description of the work they produce, helping visitors get a feel for the website as soon as they enter.
The rest of the projects are displayed as thumbnails that lead to inner project pages. These thumbnails are arranged using the Wix Pro Gallery, a professional solution that retains your images’ high-file quality. It also allows for easy website edits down the line, by enabling you to add or remove projects in a few simple clicks. This makes the Pro Gallery the perfect tool for a scalable design portfolio that can adapt and adjust to your growing needs.
07. Art director portfolio
This art portfolio template greets site visitors with an especially warm welcome using a few short, conversational-sounding sentences. The text is large and colorful, taking up the majority of the first fold and acting as a decorative element that adds to the page's overall design.
The rest of the written website content adopts the same friendly tone. At the bottom of the homepage, readers are invited to collaborate using only a few simple words and a smiley face. Keeping your art portfolio genuine and allowing your true personality to shine through is a good way of building a personal brand that is authentic and generates trust.
Lower down in the footer are social media links and contact details, allowing fans and clients to find out more and explore further.
08. Fashion designer portfolio
Putting a spin on the split screen layout, this art portfolio template places a slideshow of transitioning images on the left, alongside a static image on the right. Use this design to set a tone for your website with a variety of visuals, ranging from your latest collection to inspirational pics from your mood board.
The same visual language from the first fold is maintained throughout the rest of the site, using a cohesive color palette of deep, moody hues. The use of parallax scrolling effects elevates this portfolio into an interactive browsing experience, telling a compelling and cohesive story.
09. Filmmaker portfolio
Use motion to grab our attention and add a dynamic, rhythmic feel to a page. In line with current video trends, you’ll find a large video strip on the first fold, instantly drawing visitors into this portfolio template. The strip is framed by a thick black border, making room for a sidebar and a logo design of the director’s initials.
Following this powerful introduction is a gallery of additional videos. Behind them is a retro-inspired video background, bringing to mind the early days of home television sets. At the website’s footer, visitors who’d like to see more can subscribe to the director’s newsletter. Using email marketing in your favor is a great way to keep fans and clients up-to-date on your work, driving traffic to your website.
Tip: Use this free video maker tool to edit high quality video content to support your portfolio in a range of ways.
10. Graphic illustrator portfolio
Ideal for prolific creators who have a wide array of projects to display, this portfolio template is curated in a card layout that resembles our social feeds. And with the help of social sharing icons, site visitors can easily spread the word of your beautiful creations around the web.
This template’s mobile website version has a bespoke Back to Top button of its own, made up of colorful vector art, which you can match the portfolio’s illustrations.
Get inspired: UX portfolio examples
11. Branding portfolio
When it comes to branding, you need a straightforward template to showcase your work. This portfolio template has a white background that lets the content pop off the page. The sharp images cut across the homepage, showing close-ups of the agency’s work. At the footer, visitors will find every relevant social media link and contact to easily get in touch.
12. Textile designer portfolio
This art portfolio template is a great fit for freelance designers, equipped with everything you need to boost your creative career. The project gallery on the homepage lets you show off your designs and has a detailed ‘About Me’ page, an online store, a ‘Press’ page to take pride in raving reviews and testimonials, and a contact page for initiating collaborations.
As part of this template’s online store is a Member’s Area, allowing customers to log in and become members of your store. Once registered, your shoppers can enjoy an easier checkout process, as well as keep track of their orders.
13. Digital art portfolio
An engaging introduction to the work of an artist cooperative, this portfolio template starts off with an animated loop embedded with a video. At the bottom corner is a call-to-action button, encouraging site visitors to click and learn more about the cooperative.
The template caters to the needs of artists that exhibit in different design museums and hold various events. There’s an ‘Updates’ section announcing news and upcoming meet-ups, and a ‘What’s On’ page allowing fans to reserve their spot.
14. Landscape photography
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A perfect template for your photography portfolio website, this design puts your visuals at the forefront. The layout is clean and minimal, with plenty of whitespace and a sophisticated font pairing of two sans-serif fonts.
The photography logo at the top of the page is set in the same font as the rest of the website, and is linked to the homepage for easy navigation.
Notice how the project gallery on the homepage includes a mix of both vertical and horizontal photographs. By placing them side by side in uneven proportions, the result is a unique asymmetrical look that adds visual interest to your photography portfolio.
15. 3D designer portfolio
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This digital artist portfolio template has strips filling the screen, acting as spellbinding little snippets of the projects they link to. The same projects reappear in a gallery format at the bottom of the page, so that visitors can choose their preferred method of navigation.
The inner project pages reveal a more detailed case study for the designs. Following a large hero image are a textual description, credits for everyone involved, and additional pictures of the work. An in-depth analysis of your projects is a great way to add value to your site, as can be seen in many inspirational graphic design portfolio websites.
16. Game designer portfolio
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A gamer website needs a powerful portfolio template to convey the technical abilities behind creating video games. This immersive and cinematic portfolio template includes graphics that will catch the eye of digital artists (see digital portfolio examples) and gamers alike.
As you scroll the homepage, you reach video game projects on display, carefully organized in a sequence from first to third place. A CTA leads the user to the portfolio page, where they can access all the games.
17. Home decorator portfolio
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Some of the best portfolio websites launch into a large or fullscreen visual to showcase the designer’s work, style, and expertise. Here, a large photo on the top fold sets a clear tone, followed by a paragraph introducing the designer, and a display of their projects in a square-format gallery.
The images in the gallery expand into a lightbox when clicked, and can also be enlarged to fill up the screen. This way, visitors can fully enjoy and take in your work when browsing through it.
As a one-page website, this template uses anchors to link to various sections in the page. This allows for intuitive website navigation even without the need for a new page for each category.
18. Social media portfolio
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Your social media portfolio has to show that you're ahead of the game, and this template stands out in just that way. It's got flair—thanks largely to its vibrant text colors—and the best part? You can keep your online presence as fresh as your content by easily updating the color scheme through Wix's color theme manager.
There's no need for visitors to go on a scavenger hunt across your site; this template has it all at their fingertips on the homepage. Everything from booking appointments to reading glowing testimonials is a breeze. And it doesn't stop there—the contact information stays put on every page's footer, beckoning potential clients to get in touch with ease.
Heading over to the portfolio page, it's your stage to shine with in-depth case studies that broadcast your expertise and professionalism. It's not just about listing your services; it's about showcasing the success stories that underscore your savvy in the social media realm.
What makes a good portfolio layout?
A great portfolio layout is simple, effective and built to show off your work. It should be easy to browse with a natural flow, no flashy distractions needed. Bold images and clean text are your best friends here, giving your projects space to stand out and drawing attention to what matters most.
Balance is everything. Your layout should have enough room for images, short project descriptions or links to case studies without overwhelming viewers. Sticky menus, filters or subtle animations can add a nice touch—but only if they actually make things easier to use. A good layout feels clean, uncluttered and intuitive, keeping the focus on your work and leaving a strong impression.
Creating a portfolio has never been this easy. With Wix’s AI Website Builder, you can have a fully personalized website up and running in minutes. Just share a few details about your vision, and let Wix’s AI take care of the design, customization and launch. It’s quick, smart and tailored to showcase your work beautifully. Don’t wait–let AI do the heavy lifting while you focus on creating and sharing your best work.
How to spot a professional portfolio template
A good professional portfolio template has a certain vibe—you can feel it the moment you see it. It’s clean but not boring, bold but not over the top. The typography is sharp, the spacing feels purposeful and everything just fits like it was designed by someone who gets how people browse. That’s a solid start. A great template won’t frustrate you with clunky fonts or awkward image slots. Instead, it puts your work front and center while handling the design details in the background.
But looks aren’t everything—it needs to work smoothly too. A solid template for your website type should adapt to all screen sizes (no weird layouts on mobile), load quickly and include sections that make your life easier. Think About, Contact, Testimonials and space for project highlights or detailed case studies. The best ones offer layout options or simple drag-and-drop tools so you can customize it without touching code. Here’s a tip: scroll through it like a potential client viewing your portfolio. If it feels impressive and easy to navigate, you’re on the right path. If it feels clunky or forgettable? Move on.
Learn more: What to include in a portfolio
9 smart tips for choosing a professional portfolio template
Keep it clean, not cluttered: You don’t need a flashy homepage with spinning graphics or 20 sections to make an impression. A clean layout with intentional spacing lets your work stand out and shows confidence. The best templates stay minimal without feeling empty—they provide structure without being overwhelming. If a template feels too busy it’ll distract from your projects.
Always check the mobile view: More than half your visitors will probably check out your portfolio on their phones so mobile responsiveness is a must. Do the menus work? Are the images scaling right? Is the text easy to read? A good template should feel as smooth on a phone as it does on a desktop. Extra points if it includes mobile-specific layout options.
Test the flow like a user: Put yourself in your visitor’s shoes. Can they quickly understand who you are and what you do? Is your best work easy to find without digging around? A good layout should guide visitors naturally through your story—from "About Me" to "Work" to "Contact"—or highlight standout projects right away. As you scroll through the live preview think like someone hiring you. Does it focus on your strengths? Is there enough context for each project? Are next steps like a contact button or call to action easy to spot?
Look for built-in essentials: Time-savers like pre-made About pages, Testimonials or Services sections mean you don’t have to start from scratch. If you’re using a builder like Webflow, Wix or Canva, check if the template includes contact forms, social links and footer space too. These basics make your portfolio feel polished and reliable.
Typography does more than you think: Fonts set the tone for how your content feels. Good templates pair bold headlines with clear, easy-to-read body text and a subtle rhythm that guides the reader. Skip anything overly decorative or hard to read. Pro tip: Stick to 2-3 font styles max and always double-check line spacing and text size across all screen sizes.
Image-friendly templates: If your work involves design, photography or illustration, pick a template that supports high-res images and includes galleries or project carousels. Choose one that auto-optimizes images to keep pages loading fast and offers full-width or grid layouts to keep your visuals looking their best.
Use motion wisely: Parallax scrolls, hover effects and smooth transitions can add style but too much animation can be distracting or feel over the top. Pick templates where motion adds to the experience instead of just looking cool for a moment. Ask yourself: does this effect improve the user experience or just grab attention briefly?
Pick flexibility over looks: A template might look amazing but it has to work for you too. Can you reorder sections easily? Change colors and fonts? Hide pages or duplicate layouts? A good template should feel like a tool you can shape, not something that limits you. It should adapt to your content, not the other way around.
Go with your gut (and your goals): The best portfolio layout is the one that feels right for you and matches your goals. Whether you're chasing freelance work, looking for a new job or just wanting to step up how you present yourself, a great template should reflect who you are—just with a more polished edge.
Best portfolio layouts FAQ:
How should I organize my portfolio?
Organize your portfolio by type, medium or theme so viewers can follow your work easily. Keep navigation consistent and highlight your strongest pieces first. A clear flow makes your skills and style obvious at a glance.
How many projects should I include in my portfolio?
Include 6–10 strong projects to balance variety and focus. Highlight 3–5 signature pieces with extra context to show depth. Remove older or weaker work that doesn’t reflect your current skills.
Should I include personal or non-design work?
Focus on professional work that demonstrates your skills. Personal projects can be included if they show creativity or problem-solving. Avoid unrelated work that doesn’t add value to your portfolio.
What details should I provide for each project?
Include the problem, your solution and your role in the project. Add context like client, target audience or project goals. Show process work when it helps explain your design decisions.
Is it okay to use templates for a portfolio?
Templates are fine if they don’t overshadow your work. Choose clean, professional designs that make your projects easy to view. Customize colors, fonts and layout to match your style.
Should I include client logos?
Include logos only if you have permission. They add credibility and show real-world experience. Keep them subtle so they support your projects without distracting.
Should I hide “non-fancy” work from my portfolio?
Include simpler but solid pieces of work, as they can still demonstrate important skills and growth. Avoid projects that don’t add value or misrepresent your abilities. You can place less polished work in a separate “additional work” section if needed.
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