4 portfolio tips that junior designers need to know

portfolio tips for junior designers

When you're just beginning your design career or are in the early stages, it can be tricky to get your portfolio just right. Perhaps you don't have enough work to create a long pdf of examples, and you may not feel you've contributed enough to a project to include it on your website. But there's no need to panic.

If examples of truly inspiring work – such as these design portfolios – leave you feeling inadequate, what you probably need is some advice tailored to your level. We asked top creatives what they're looking for in a portfolio, and more specifically, what advice they have for junior designers. Read on to discover what they said...

Thank you for reading 5 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access

Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription

Join now for unlimited access

Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

Founder & director of Inkygoodness, Lisa is a published writer and arts journalist, focusing on creative business, graphic art and illustration and design education. Her words have appeared in Computer Arts magazine, Creative Bloq, Digital Arts and IdN.

Latest in Portfolios
Concept art portfolio
How to create a stellar concept art portfolio
best website builder - wix screenshot
How to build a portfolio website with Wix
Portfolio website
How to create a stunning portfolio using Fabrik
Behance vs Artstation
Behance vs Artstation: What's the best portfolio website?
create a portfolio website
10 tips to create a stunning portfolio website
Homepage featuring image of young woman
Build an online portfolio in 5 easy steps
Latest in Features
Nintendo and AI art; a vibrant illustration showcases a large group of popular video game characters, seemingly from the Mario franchise
Mario and Zelda creator rejects AI to "find what makes Nintendo special" – what we can all learn from Shigeru Miyamoto
Selection of Guinness ads throughout the ages
The best Guinness adverts of all time – from the toucan to a singing pint
Tina Touli headshot
"The 9 to 5 work routine was draining my creativity”: a day in the life of Tina Touli
Promise Mascot Agency;
How Ikumi Nakamura's 'art bible' helped create Promise Mascot Agency's grotesque mascots, and why collaboration in indie game development is vital
Stanley 'Artgerm' Lau discuses AI; a digital illustration showcases a stylised female figure, reminiscent of a comic book superhero, likely Supergirl, with vibrant colours and a dynamic pose
"In the future, there will be fewer artists like me – real artists" says Stanley 'Artgerm' Lau as he reflects on the dangerous impact of AI on art
Pittura, a short film made at ArtFX
"We wanted to talk about AI and its relationship to art" – how we made 2025’s VES Student Award-winning animation Pittura