Top 20 Graphic Design Portfolios that Deserve Your Attention

Published by Clipping Path India at November 25, 2023

A Snapshot of Graphic Design Portfolio

A graphic design portfolio is a designer’s arsenal of graphic and artistic work. It’s one of the most crucial factors for a client or employer before hiring a graphic designer. A portfolio should embody a selection of a graphic designer’s best work alongside professional samples from client projects.

With a strong portfolio, you can prove your design skills and draw the attention of prospective clients. It’s also an opportunity to:

Share your design process with clients
Present your artistic creativity
Showcase your unique and compelling style

A graphic design portfolio includes contact information like a resume. It can also feature case studies from previous employers.

Graphic designers today showcase their portfolios today through their websites. With that, not only do they connect with clients but also help graphic designers build communities and share their work with potential fans and followers across the globe.

What should a Graphic Design Portfolio Include?

So what does a graphic design portfolio website need to entail to stand out? Your portfolio is something way more than proving you know how to use Photoshop or Illustrator. Most graphic designers will incorporate logos, print design, web design, or typography in their portfolios.

Some of the best graphic design portfolios today may also encompass the following visuals:

Motion graphics
Animation
Illustrations
Video
Storyboards
Product design
UX design
Ad campaigns
Brand identity

Suggested Article– Top Graphic Design Training Institutes in USA.

Top 20 Graphic Design Portfolios That Are Worth Following

After carrying out in-depth research online, we have compiled 20 best graphic design portfolio websites for your benefit. The works and portfolios of these 20 graphic designers have captivated us to a great extent which prompted us to list them in the round-up.

1. Jessica Walsh

In the competitive design industry, it requires enticing imagery and typographic finesse to create a portfolio that pulls in top clients like Apple, Benefit, and Levis.

Jessica Walsh has been named one of Ad Age’s “Top 10 Visual Creatives”, among many other accolades. Currently, Jessica Walsh is a design professor, creative director, and head of creative agency &Walsh, and her portfolio on Behance brings her into the limelight.

Why do we love this graphic designer’s website?

Walsh’s approach to design type is luminous, graphic, and complex. Her style also favors lush and colorful photography and illustrations. This could get overwhelming, but Jessica is well-versed with negative space, using watchful visual composition to draw the eye and make a statement.

2. Heather Shaw

This graphic design portfolio website entails samples of book and website designs, branding, and more. It’s worth following for designers who work in different media but want to present a robust and spellbinding portfolio.

Why do we like this graphic designer’s website?

Heather Shaw’s portfolio is clean & crisp and easy to navigate. It shows an array of skills and approaches to resolving client problems with visual consistency. Heather also leverages text fruitfully to pinpoint each project and encourage further engagement with the work.

3. Gail Anderson

If your portfolio design pieces embody a lot of detail, it will look complex and messy. However, this graphic design portfolio website maintains simplicity with a left-hand navigation.

With each click, you have a scope to view detailed posters, book covers, and more at a scale that displays how they look for print while also being easy to scroll on your cell phone.

Why do we prefer this graphic designer’s website?

Anderson’s works are elegant, artistic, and timeless. Each piece showcases her dedication to the depth and value of design thinking, technical know-how, and passion for design.

4. Stefan Sagmiester

Sagmeister’s website represents the curiosity, knack, and power of the designer. The home page features a grid of images with text that shows up as you scroll over each image. With a click, images and/or videos will appear in front of you that show the details of each project.

The site is a fusion of collaborations, art projects, and more traditional designs, like the corporate identity of the Jewish museum.

What makes it one of the best graphic design portfolio websites?

This portfolio site not only shows the quality and technical ability of the designer but also provides any client working with Sagmeister a sense of what the design process might be like.

5. Lotta Nieminen

Top-grade designers often let the work do the talking. Lotta Nieminen, with his streamlined graphic design portfolio, makes a statement among his clients.

The value of the work is redoubled with the addition of text as it helps you explain different parts of your design elements. This is what the portfolio masters at. It is a great portfolio format for designers taking an interest in graphic design works like:

Logo design
Branding
Packaging
Product design

Why did we choose this graphic design portfolio?

The portfolio reflects a simplistic and minimalistic approach. It also displays a variety of skills and tactics with a consistent vision. Take a closer look at the website navigation — it’s clean and impressive, adding to the functionality of the site.

6. Mike Mills

Mike Mills is a deft designer, artist, and filmmaker, well-known for his aesthetic and original style. His portfolio reflects the diverse design skills that he possesses. The website offers a quick lesson in crisp design and clean layout with easy-to-understand headers and professional photography.

Your graphic design portfolio as a newbie designer is different from the portfolio that you will prepare after having years of experience.

For instance, if you design a logo in your 1^st year graphic design class, it might have been your best work then. It reflects that you know how to deploy Illustrator or other design software alternatives. But 5 years later, you have to ask yourself — does that logo belong to a professional portfolio?

As your graphic design works grow, you’ll find it tough to make decisions about what to incorporate and what to exclude from your portfolio.

Why did we opt for this graphic designer’s website?

This portfolio example stands out as Mills has found a way to include samples of design that span from the 90s to today. You will find the inclusion of antique designs overwhelming. Overall, it’s a graceful and cohesive portfolio with exceptional attention to detail.

7. Gleb Kuznetsov

Kuznetsov’s portfolio merges product design, user experience, and graphic design to produce something entirely new. This Dribble-hosted portfolio has 50+ images, which could be overwhelming. But they’re divided into 7 easy-to-understand projects.

This makes it a marvelous graphic design portfolio example for designers who want to showcase long-term or tricky projects.

Why do we appreciate this graphic designer’s website?

Apart from stunning imagery, the designer outlines his unique vision and personality in his brief “About” statement. That shows he is a visionary, aiming for a bigger goal to achieve.

8. Luke Choice

3D animation is a thrilling design form that’s getting in vogue. But if you’re someone in the market for an animated billboard, it may be tough to identify how you might use this creative form for your business.

This website is a killer example of a portfolio that enlightens with simple text, graphics, and video. It provides both a quick look and a deep-dive into how this excellent designer approaches his art form.

What makes this graphic designer stand out?

If you’re doing something new and unique, it may be a selling point. But truly new ideas can also challenge people who aren’t “in the know”.

This hints that your portfolio can’t just sell your designs. It also requires teaching viewers about the new format you’re using and why you think it’s crucial.

9. Leandro Assis

A graphic design portfolio at times isn’t just about a style; it’s also about a vibe. This mind-blowing portfolio from the designer Leandro Assis is a reflection of that vibe.

From brand identity to hand lettering to package design, this portfolio showcases multiple design skills and original styles.

What Grips us to this graphic designer’s website?

What makes this portfolio a cracking one is the experience it provides. No doubt, it provides quality work too. Fun icons, sleek UX, and plenty of white space make this playful site a pleasure to peruse.

10. MDZ Design

Concise and electric images on this graphic designer’s website provide site visitors with a peek at execution and strategy.

MDZ Design also extends product design and strategy to clients, making their graphic design portfolio a perfect example for strategy-focused designers.

What sets this graphic designer’s website apart?

Although the range of services this portfolio shows could be overwhelming, their approach to problem-solving highly commendable. They show easily how their process leads to positive outcomes for their clients.

11. Aries Moross

If you want to produce a design portfolio that speaks for itself, Aries Moross portfolio can be a perfect choice for inspiration. Moross is an award-winning graphic designer who designed a visually stunning website to display his enthralling and aesthetically pleasing collection of works.

His design portfolio contains little text with more design elements focusing more on the artistic work. Moross’ work is split into several types and mediums, making it easy for potential clients to fathom their skills and experience.

12. Maria Marie

Another breathtaking portfolio example that speaks for itself is that of Marioly, the founder of Maria Marie. The layout and color palette produce an arresting, yet serene portfolio that speaks volumes about Marioly’s work. Attention to detail with no text in designs is also a feature of Maria Marie.

This portfolio is a fitting example of how to use specific color palettes and interesting geometric layouts to bring out a truly striking design portfolio.

13. Skyler Hefley

Unlike the single scrolling page design portfolios, Skyler Hefley’s portfolio website is packed with full of information. By incorporating case studies and various mockups, Hefley efficiently showcases his work and what he can do for prospective clients.

This is a glorious example of a simple, yet fruitful design portfolio created tapping into Adobe Express –that is visually enticing, easy to scroll through, and to the point.

14. Alex Fisher

Alex Fisher’s online portfolio is a majestic visual display of a graphic designer’s and illustrator’s artistic prowess. Alex’s website showcases feminine and eloquent elements that are perfectly complemented by a tad bit of a whimsical innocence that you’d find in a Disney classic.

You will find her artwork and website alike jaw-dropping, craving this was your own portfolio. Alex’s site gorgeously and brilliantly functions as a visual testament to her creative and artistic talent. Do yourself a favor and head over to this stunning website to get killer design inspiration.

15. Mindy Nguyen

Mindy Nguyen is a visual artist and designer who helps brands with identity, art direction, web design, etc. She currently freelances and also works with “ilovecreatives” Studio to provide her design service.

Her website’s homepage is a reflection of her “About + Portfolio” page. Above the fold, she narrates what she specializes in with good typography, short copy, and catchy animations.

Once the short bio ends, you’ll find her works, i.e., her online portfolio showcasing her work. Each portfolio item incorporates four things: an image, the company’s name, what she did for the company, and a link to either see the live project or pick up more about the project.

Everything is tidily presented with negative space, proper visual hierarchy, and emojis.

16. Arrowood Design Agency

Arrowood Design is a full-service, client-oriented design firm, founded by Lisa Arrowood and it specializes in residential projects. The homepage provides a glimpse into the kind of work Lisa masters.

Lisa leverages color and a consistent mix of modern and antique to produce classic spaces that feel inspired but natural. It’s an ideal example of having a digital presence as an interior designer.

17. Janae Cobos

Janae Cobos is an Ohio-based graphic designer and illustrator. The portfolio website is a breath of fresh air reflecting playfulness and innocence on the homepage. A pencil sketch of a girl greets you and introduces Janae Cobos superbly.

Her collection of work samples is mesmerizing. No surpise, Janae has worked with Disney, Pixar, Coca-Cola, BBC Studios, and The New York Times.

18. Gregory Curley

Orange county-based graphic designer, Gregory Curley boasts a strong and inspiring design portfolio. Her portfolio is appealing because it showcases a variety of categories Gregory has expertise in and has worked on extensively.

It encompasses advertising, packaging, illustration, brand promotion, logos, product design, posters, publication design, web design, point of sale, technical drawing, banners, and more.

19. Damn Website

If a name could speak for itself, Nando’s damn website does that evidently. Nando’s showy, yet tasteful vaporwave-esque design is a testament to fully displaying your brand identity and design skills as a graphic designer.

Nando connects the motif of “damn” by applying choice repetition of the word along with visual design elements to further back up his claim of being a damn good designer — and it works.

His portfolio website is a complete reflection of bold artistic approach to design, expertise as a graphic designer, and overall personality as a highly imaginative individual.

20. Be Kind Design

Last but not least, on our list is Be Kind Design, a design studio known for turning frowns upside down since 1986, and it showcases too! It follows a minimalistic design type, but its functionality and content design make it stand out.

Featuring a homepage, social media icons, and case studies, “Be Kind Design” narrows down its online portfolio to only the bare necessities, keeping you glued to its website.

The case studies feature some of their best work with complete details. They put together design elements strikingly, demonstrating their profound knowledge of art direction, graphic design, and product design.

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Time to Make Your Graphic Design Portfolio…

Graphic design is a broad field that offers scores of options for specialization. From illustration and visual identity design to web and marketing graphic design, you can choose any type to build your portfolio. That’s where the above 20 graphic design portfolio websites come into play.

We prepared the round-up focusing on relevant expertise and experience along with creativity, uniqueness, and diversity to help you create a fetching graphic design portfolio and draw in your clients.