Our Member Support and Marketing teams are made up of artists who know our platform inside and out, giving them incredible insight into the needs of creative professionals looking to uniquely showcase their work. We understand that a great portfolio website isn’t just about showing what you’ve made, but about creating an experience that feels as intentional as the work itself.
That’s why we’re so excited about the new Flex Block feature—an incredibly versatile tool that moves beyond the confines of traditional templates. Flex Block gives you complete control over your page layouts, allowing you to uniquely combine images, text, video and other elements. To show you just what’s possible, we asked some of our own creative team members to build templates that speak to their individual practices. Let’s look at what they came up with!
Ben, Filmmaker, Flex Block Innovator
Ben, a multidisciplinary artist and filmmaker:
My work often explores themes of entropy, nostalgia, texture, and atmosphere, with a focus on collage. I’m drawn to analog formats like VHS, Mini-DV, and cassette tape and primarily work in film, video, and music–working under the moniker eaten by nostalgia. Through that project, I’ve scored the early-access strategy game It Stares Back.
In addition to my creative work, I co-host Pod People, a weekly horror film podcast. Since 2022, I’ve been Format’s video content lead–if you’ve seen a Format video on social, in-product, or anywhere else, there’s a good chance I made it.
Why Ben Is Excited About Flex Block
What excites me most about Flex Block is how versatile and open-ended it is. Whether you’re creating a dense collage of image documentation, building a modern-feeling projects page, or writing about individual works in a way that feels specific and intentional, Flex Block opens up a lot of creative possibilities. It gives you the tools to tailor your site to your work.
Ben’s Creative Vision
My vision for this template was heavily inspired by print. I love the layout play you see in contemporary movie posters and magazine design. I wanted to channel that energy and show off what Flex Block can really do when pushed creatively.
I’m really excited to use flex block to better document my own work–especially the process and ideas behind it. A lot of my video work is abstract or conceptual, and flex block gives me a way to visually expand on those ideas using screenshots, collages, and writing, rather than just showing the finished piece. It feels like an opportunity to deepen the experience of the work, moreso than simple documentation.
Anna-Sophia, an Artist Bringing Color to the Creative Experience
Anna-Sophia, a Visual Artist:
I’m part of Format’s CX and Site Building Teams. I love the visual world, particularly painting, drawing, and graphic design. I received a BFA from NSCAD University and an MFA in studio art from Rutgers University. My creative work is process-based, and ideas come through doing, collecting, building and making. I come from a classical music background and feel this has influenced my love for abstraction and hits history.
Why Anna-Sophia Loves Flex Block’s Nuanced Control
The new addition of background colors! Color and color combinations can set such a strong visual tone, I hope members see the potential that color can bring to their site. While Format offers a wide range of themes and custom pages that allow for variability, the creativity and variety of decisions available with flex block are far more nuanced and open-ended than previously possible. Images can be overlaid, unlimited buttons can be added, multiple background colors can exist across a single site, and the relationship between text and images is much more dynamic. You can engage with the layout of your work on an entirely different creative level, which I find to be very exciting.
A Template Built Organically
It started out very organically, not really thinking about the final use. As images and text were placed, elements evolved naturally.
I am excited to play around with flex block and how my work is showcased online. The digital space is the norm these days, and I am curious to see how layout can change the viewing experience of my work. At this exact moment, I view my site as an ever-changing creative project, and am looking forward to seeing how my site evolves with this feature!
Theodora, an Interdisciplinary Artist Creating Intentional Page Design
Theodora, a photographer and writer:
I’ve worked for Format since 2023 as part of the CX team and managing our Help Centre. Prior to that, I was a full-time photographer, working in product, fashion, and portraiture, and a part-time author publishing romance. Nowadays, I’m more of a hobbyist, and enjoy a nice cup of tea while sifting through photo edits or taking on new creative hobbies.
The Flex Block Feature Theodora Was Most Excited About
A lot! I work for Format’s Site Building Service, so the Flex Block was highly anticipated. Buttons are so helpful, as is the ability to get creative with text and image positioning. Being able to overlap elements is incredibly useful in creating image backgrounds and adding depth to page design.
Theodora’s Flex Block Template Vision
I wanted to create a simple but bold hero template that could be used as a call-to-action on a site’s homepage. While I was making it, I imagined it as the front page of a store or a title card for an artistic project, but I aimed to make it versatile for any type of site.
Introductory pages for my larger creative projects, as well as creating image layouts the same way I would put together a gallery wall—with intention and a lot of experimentation. I can see myself using page composition as a way to enhance the impact of my work. I’ve had the same site layout for some time now, and I’m excited to try new things with it!
Sarah Jasmine Hodgson, Curating an Experience with Flex Block
Sarah Jasmine Hodgson, a multimedia artist and curator:
I’m the Media and Content Specialist at Format. My practice is rooted in photography but spans a diverse range of mediums as a way to explore human connection and our evolving relationships with technology.
I’m based in Ottawa, Ontario and I’m very active in its arts and culture scene, driven by a love for community-building and curatorial work. After completing my BFA at the University of Ottawa, I co-founded Nosy Mag, a local DIY platform that showcases arts and culture in the city through interviews, reviews, exhibitions, and events.
How Flex Block Empowers Sarah’s Multidisciplinary Work
What I appreciate most about flex block is how it lets you treat your site like a curated space. As someone whose practice spans a multitude of mediums, I love that it doesn’t force you into a rigid structure. Whether you’re layering visual material, creating layout for text, or creating a narrative between elements, flex block gives you the tools to build something that feels personal with ease.
Sarah’s Storytelling Template
I designed my template to showcase my photographic series through layered imagery and transparency. Zoomed-in details sit behind full-sized images, creating depth and visual intrigue. The layout encourages viewers to scroll, revealing the work in a way that feels curated.
I’m excited to use flex block as a way to bring more storytelling into the user experience. It gives me the ability to shape how viewers move through the work. I see it as a tool to build more intentional pacing and atmosphere, whether I’m presenting an exhibition archive or a new body of work. I’ll be able to craft an experience.
Go, Flex
Flex Block is an intuitive feature that invites experiment and innovation with layers and elements. You can start with any of the templates above, or try making your own from scratch.
To see more examples of Flex Block in action, check out artist Alex McLeod’s world of gifs, or photographer Brittany Bravo’s editorial-inspired layout. Both templates are also available in your Format editor.
Thousands of customizations to match your unique style.
Customize your site to tell the story of your brand. Format has nearly 100 templates offering thousands of design variables.
