Illustrator Portfolio Websites | Tips and Examples
We all know the saying, “images are worth a thousand words.” Let us help you get your illustrations noticed with these top portfolio tips for illustrators.
June 18, 2021
Michelle Dao
Theme used: PeakMichelle Dao (she/her) is a Vietnamese Canadian illustrator based just outside Toronto, Ontario, who has primarily worked in animation. She is a graduate of Seneca College’s Illustration program, specializing in children’s illustrations and media. Michelle has a passion for creating enthralling worlds, charming characters, and dreamy colour palettes.
https://michelledaoart.format.com
HANNA
Theme used: PeakHanna was born in South Korea and spent her formative years traveling to China and Japan. She has been interested in the diverse artistic cultures of East Asia. She is settling in Italy now, immersing herself in the depths of Italian art, which became a significant role in her work. After graduating in comic art at college, she worked as an illustrator and cartoonist. She is expanding her focus to traditional oil painting right now.
https://hanna-kvcg.format.com
ONIONLABS
Theme used: MediumNelson Wu is a Chinese Canadian artist who is interested in animation and video games. Graduating from OCAD University, he is currently working in the gaming and entertainment industry. He has produced a variety of illustrations, pixel art, and animations. A sense of dystopia, nostalgia, and surrealism are often themes present in Nelson’s work.
https://nelsonwu-art.format.com
Serena Valerio
Theme used: ClaritySerena Valerio is currently a student at Sheridan College studying Illustration and mainly focusing on Motion Graphics. Her main goal when making work is to put a smile on anyone's face who views her creations. She loves combining flat shapes and bright colours to create simple and light-hearted designs. Thank you !
https://serenavalerio.format.com
Sadie Lew
Theme used: GlossSadie Lew is Mexican-American illustrator with a BFA in Art. She specializes in drawing people and lives in Colorado with their dog.
https://sadielew.format.com
Liza Goncharova
Theme used: PeakLiza Goncharova (she/her) is an award winning designer and freelance illustrator based in Minneapolis. She specializes in line art and character-based work. Coming from a diverse background, Liza utilizes her hand-drawn illustration skills to bring in the human element into everything from a campaign initiative and brand identity to comics and animation. Focuses on her passion for social justice, storytelling, anthropology, folklore and psychology.
https://lizarova.format.comIllustration Portfolio Tips: Start With Clear Goals
Starting a website can feel intimidating, especially when you don't know where to start. The best way to establish your professional illustration portfolio is a clear goal in mind and a plan. Here’s where you can start: what's the purpose of your website? It's likely to attract new clients or show off your creative work for job opportunities. In that case, you want to craft a plan that will get you the results you want.
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Heather Storm
Theme used: AmazonHeather Storm is a Washington based illustrator and printmaker. She has over a decade of experience working in fine art publishing. Heather's body of work is inspired by our wild spaces and public lands. She love sharing her work through selling Giclée and Letterpress cards and prints.
https://heather-storm.format.com
Renaud Lavency
Theme used: Horizon LeftRenaud Lavency is a freelance illustrator, character designer and animation director. Before going freelance, Renaud was a concept provider in an advertising agency and he still loves playing with concepts and ideas. His way of making things is quite simple: have fun and find a challenge in every project.
https://renaud-lavency.format.com
Matt Panuska
Theme used: SharpMatt Panuska is an Artist, Illustrator, and Woodcarver. He was raised in west Texas, and attended the School of Visual Arts in New York. Matt draws influence from a number of sources, but namely Americana folk art, psychedelia, outsider, and visionary art.
https://matt-panuska.format.com
Sam Ashley
Theme used: SharpAt Dishustle, creative work is led by graphic artist Sam Ashley. With hundreds of marketing and publishing projects produced throughout his career, Sam strives to keep pushing into fresh forms of visual communication. His current drive is in defining a new, authentic pixel style of vector art.
https://dishustle.format.com
Mathilde Vigneau
Theme used: PeakMathilde Vigneau is a freelance illustrator and art director based in Paris. She is inspired by women, nature, myths, mythology, feminism and pop culture.
https://vignettevignette.format.com
Pac23
Theme used: DetailFrancisco "Paco" Perez, is an illustrator/designer based in Miami, FL. Pac is an 80's kid who lives in a world which evokes an overriding sense of imagination made up of robots and flying tattooed animals who rock. Same place where comic books and urban art meets video games. His inspirations cross the spectrum from reality to imaginary with a colorful flair.
https://pac23art.format.comIllustration Projects For Portfolio: Highlight Your Best Work
Rather than sharing every artwork work you've ever done, think about curating your portfolio to showcase your best work instead. We've said it before plenty of times, but your illustration portfolio is only as strong as your weakest work, which means you want your best work to shine through. Cluttering your website with subpar projects will only bring down your overall achievements. If you're not sure what to include in your portfolio, consider the type of work you'd like to do and cater your website to appeal to those types of projects. Don't forget to ask colleagues who will give you honest and constructive feedback about your chosen pieces.
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FengYe
Theme used: DaylightYunjie Huang (artist name as FengYe) is a passionate and creative illustrator, graphic designer and ceramic artist based in London. As a critical thinker and talented researcher, she draws inspiration from numerous sources and use visual language to translate abstract concepts into artistic creations. Her personal style focuses more towards dreamy, soft and whimsical concepts with surrealistic undertones.
https://fengyesart.format.com
Justin Keys
Theme used: FrameJustin Keys, a native of Mendenhall, Mississippi, has risen to prominence as a highly influential artist and graphic designer in Indianapolis. His captivating work and unique style have captured the hearts of many, leaving a lasting impact on the art scene of the city. Through his innovative approach and dedication to his craft, Justin has become a beacon of inspiration for aspiring artists in the community.
https://justin-keys-idzb.format.com
Van Wentz Visuals
Theme used: ReelHailing from Cleveland Ohio, Van Wentz is a gifted illustrator and portraitist whose work is respected for being full of passion, and perspective. He uses graphite pencils to produce the appearance and feel of both old Hollywood film and rich monochrome photography, pushing artistic boundaries. Van Wentz's pencil portraits flawlessly merge reality and imagination, leaving you awed by his artistic vision and meticulous attention to detail. His art is a remarkable addition to any collection.
https://van-wentz-visuals.format.com
Geo Law
Theme used: AmazonGeo Law is a London based British born Chinese illustrator who uses a blend of doodle and character art to create little worlds with texture and detail. He has worked for notable global brands from Taco Bell, Google and Kiehl's to name a few. His work is inspired by retro video games, comic books and hiphop music and is fuelled by curiosity and pots of coffee.
https://geolaw.format.com
Michael Yoshimura
Theme used: FrameMichael Yoshimura - Concept Artist. His passion lies in combining the mediums of cinematography, CG, and architecture - communicating spatial design through visual narratives and multi-media. Michael received his Bachelor & Master of Architecture from the Azrieli School of Architecture & Urbanism. Michael has also studied in Spain at Universidad Europa de Madrid.
https://myoshimura.format.com
Javi Aznarez
Theme used: PeakBased in Cadaqués, Spain, Javi Aznarez worked as a cartoonist in Paris for four years, before making the decision to leave the city and settle in a quiet town on the Spanish coast, surrounded by nature. He runs the gallery Taller de Tabakov. Recently he has been working in collaboration with Wes Anderson for The French Dispatch.
https://aznarez.format.comIllustration Tips For Beginners: Create Consistently
Whenever you plan a creative portfolio, we ask beginner illustrators what type of work they'd like to get into. Often, the answer is "I don't know." The best way to get around this is to try a breath of projects and see what area of illustration you enjoy working in. The truth is, the only way to find out is to produce work consistently and to try a wide range of styles and project types from comics, product illustrations, book covers, and animations.
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Lazuli Ray
Theme used: ChromaLazuli Ray is a graphic designer/illustrator from Texas. They have been designing and illustrating since they were a teenager, for over 10 years. Lazuli obtained their Associates in Art degree in December 2014, and completed their BFA in Painting and Drawing from UTSA in May 2022,
https://lazuliray.format.com
Sheena Holm
Theme used: ApertureSheena Holm is a concept artist living in Los Angeles. They are currently working with ForeVR Games, creating environments, props, and marketing assets. As a graduate of Art Center College of Design, their background consists of ten years of freelance work for theme parks and games.
https://sheenaholm.format.com
Timothy Soriano
Theme used: PostTimothy Soriano is a passionate and creative artist with a penchant for creating worlds and stories with characters that are compelling and intriguing, not only in design, but with their personalities and backstories. Once he gets immersed into a story, he can't help but be passionate about what kind of characters he can shape out of a story's world! Timothy believes even fictional characters and stories can be as powerful a source of inspiration as any other.
https://tsoriano.format.com
Libby Morris
Theme used: OrderLibby is a sussex-based illustrator and natural history enthusiast with a degree in ecology and conservation. She studies birds, plants, insects and fungi before going home and drawing them. Her creative process originated from self-teaching natural history, and the blend of illustration and ecology has bloomed into an exciting and varied career. She has worked on projects for HarperCollins, RSPB and Waitrose, and runs Little Plover which sells greetings cards based on her illustrations.
https://libby-morris.format.com
Eve Pyra
Theme used: CurveEve Pyra is a digital and traditional illustrator based in Cardiff, UK. She spends her days creating illustrations for books, magazines and various clients who need visuals to enrich their projects, ideas and services. She also sells art prints and colouring pages which can be found on her Shop page. Her work has a rich, textured and vibrant quality. She is passionate about Health & Wellbeing, Nature, Spirituality, Culture and Femininity.
https://portfolio-orntxgi.format.com
Jane Cabrera
Theme used: OraJane Cabrera is a well-known author and illustrator of children’s books. She has written and illustrated 59 books that have been translated into more than 25 languages. She has won awards in both the US and Europe. Jane’s books range from picture books to board books for babies. Jane designs her books from the initial concept, including novelty elements and hand typography. Many of her picture books are based on traditional nursery rhymes, updated with her own modern fun twist.
https://janecabrera.format.comDigital Illustration Tips: Regularly Update Your Portfolio
Your life experiences, artistic influences, and project work will continue to shape your creative style, which is why you must regularly update your digital illustration portfolio to reflect your work. Stylistic trends will also change over time, so you want to show potential clients that you can maintain relevance in your work. Try to keep your portfolio pieces recent within a 2–3 year timeframe.
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Jennifer Woodall
Theme used: PeakJenn Woodall is an award-winning illustrator and comics creator who dwells in Toronto, Ontario. She has a Bachelor of Design from OCADU in Illustration as well as a BDes in Fashion Design. She self-publishes her own comics and also has her work distributed and published through Silver Sprocket, based in San Francisco.
https://jennwoodall.format.com
Veronica Lee
Theme used: FullframeVeronica Lee is a Korean illustrator from Toronto, spending her 3rd year in OCAD U. With her experience of working as an art teacher at the preschool, Veronica draws children's picture books, develop and design language workbook. She is also interested in preschool education. Currently, she is the chief editor for Magazine Be, which is an online women's magazine that helps neglected women in Korea.
https://lee-veronica.format.com
Emilie Leduc
Theme used: ForegroundEmilie Leduc iis a children's book illustrator, based in Montreal. She completed a Bachelor’s of Graphic Design at the University of Québec at Montréal (UQAM) in 2010 and received her college diploma in Animation from the Cégep du Vieux Montréal in 2005. Emilie has worked as a computer graphics designer, and animation artist on several television series before focusing on illustrating books.
https://emilieleduc.format.com
Sid Sharp
Theme used: PeakSid is an illustrator and comic artist whose drawings are usually irreverent and a little spooky. They live in Toronto, where they're working on a new graphic novel.
https://sid-sharp.format.com
Henry Rivers
Theme used: AmazonBest know for his playful, minimalist posters, Henry Rivers is an illustrator with a passion for travel. Working in a combination of hand-painted and digital techniques, Henry creates richly textured artworks with a sense of calm and escapism. Originally from the Isle of Wight, Henry is currently living and working in London. His artwork has been exhibited in 18 different countries and appeared on wine bottles, book covers and airline trolleys.
https://henryrivers.format.com
Steve Adams
Theme used: OraSteve Adams is an illustrator.
https://steveadamsillustration.format.comIllustration Tips For Beginners: Take On Work That Aligns With You
If a project comes your way that you're truly not excited about, learn how to pass it up gracefully. While it may feel like you need to take on all the projects that come across your desk as you start your career as an illustrator, you must learn to only take on work that aligns with your goals. Otherwise, you risk producing sub-par work for projects you're not as excited about, and it won't be helpful to building your portfolio.
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