5 Design Portfolios Sure to Inspire You

As a designer or creative entrepreneur in today's day and age, the internet is the best resource we have available.  It allows us to share our latest designs instantaneously from the local coffee shop, car, or even couch.  With this valuable resource at our fingertips, it's imperative to publish a portfolio with your latest and greatest work. The days are gone where you need a physical printed book, you'll want to have easy access to your portfolio in your pocket. Yes, this means your site must be mobile friendly. That moment will come when you bump into a creative director or designer and hit it off over a brew, share some laughs, and conversation naturally progresses to revealing your design work. You better be prepared! Let's be honest, why wouldn't you want to show off those sexy designs you labored over for hours to land your dream job?

Here are a few portfolios I've stumbled across that do a great job of showcasing outstanding work in an effective way (not listed in any particular order).

1. Noirvé

Noirvé is the boutique design studio of Vanessa Gonzales. She offers a variety of services including branding, print, web design, and many other digital offerings. I came across her site and particularly enjoy the way she has laid out her case studies. Very clean and minimal, allowing the content on those pages to shine. Her style is attractive and mature featuring an array of muted tones and design elements. 

2. Stuck With Pins

Stuck With Pins is the collection of work from San Diego based triple threat creative Corinne Alexandra. She's a photographer, designer, and traditional artist. I found her site through Dribbble and I was immediately inspired. I'm quite fond of her illustration work as it has a lot of diversity and range in style. From whimsical poster illustrations to intricate hand drawn retro style invites she's able to flex her creative muscles on the project at hand.  Her photography is unique as well, with a moody and desaturated look and feel that really ties in with her overall brand. This is another great example of a minimal layout to promote the rich content on each page. 

3. Berkeley Poole

Berkeley Poole is a New York based creative director and designer. I find her aesthetic that of modern sophistication and minimalism. She has developed a distinct style that is cohesive throughout her entire site and has brought her notable merits on on other design blogs and websites.  This is an outstanding example of a less-is-more approach with mature embellishments such as her chosen font "GT Walsheim" and her branded line illustration loading screen.  Definitely a unique and clean site here with a body of work that will surely impress any creative individual. 

4. Steve Wolf Designs

Steve Wolf is central Nebraskan native now living in Austin, TX. He has been designing from a very young age and is passionate about the work he creates. Steve freelances full time as a Senior Designer and Illustrator and has a timeless style that combines vintage elements with modern techniques to create work that is highly attractive. I have been following Steve on Dribbble for a while now and have been drawn to the way he presents his work. His site has an inviting grid of project thumbnails that tempt you to click through each one and learn more. The case study pages themselves are populated with excellent samples of work featured in contextual environments. Again, another stunning example of a well designed portfolio that accomplishes what it's set out to do. 

5. Kasey Mahoney

Kasey Mahoney is one of my favorite designers ever. We worked together a few years back at Magnetic Creative and have collaborated on many projects, shared a number beers, late night laughs, and lots of pizza!🍕  Since I met the guy,  I've had a strong interest in his work because he is fueled by passion and creativity and you will always find him creating something new. His style is whimsical, vibrant, and what I like to call 'feel good' art. Kasey is a traditional and hands on artist first, and designer second, but a truly a master of both. His portfolio does an outstanding job of immersing you into his world and providing rich content to convey his approach and direction.  

I hope you have enjoyed these portfolios as much as I have and encourage you to follow each of these creatives on social platforms. Im a big proponent of sharing quality work from individuals that are passionate about what they do. I intend to feature inspiring portfolios I find every few months. If you enjoyed this blog post, please feel free to subscribe to my newsletter below or find me on Instagram to stay updated on happenings and new posts!

-Cody