An online portfolio is a website created by an artist as a way for him to show off his work. This type of portfolio can take a number of different forms and serve a wide range of purposes, though it is usually created as a way to attract paying clients. There are many different online communities that have been created to allow artists to share their work and network in a mutually beneficial way. An online portfolio can be created by many different kinds of artists, though it is typically made by a visual artist.
Sometimes also called a web portfolio, an online portfolio can take many different forms and usually serves to express the artistic style and work of a particular artist. While the designs of online portfolios can vary widely, they are usually created in a way that is easy to read and navigate so visitors can more clearly see the work of an artist. Common layouts include a main page or main menu that provides a number of links to different galleries, or directories, which display the work of the artist. Most artists design an online portfolio with different galleries to show off different projects, styles, or types of work they can do.
There are a number of websites and online communities that consist of online portfolios of artists collected together. This allows someone to easily navigate from one online portfolio to another, and see the work different artists have created. These communities also provide artists with ways to more easily network and communicate with each other, providing critiques, suggestions for new techniques, and recommendations on places to look for professional work. This type of community will also typically provide an artist with various templates or layouts to use for his or her online portfolio, and these groups can be free to use or require a monthly subscription fee.
An online portfolio can be used by many different kinds of artists, though visual artists tend to use them more than performers or musicians. Among visual artists, however, everyone from photographers, graphic designers, and illustrators to concept artists, computer modelers, and sculptors are likely to use a web portfolio to show off their work. Animators can use a portfolio to show off the work necessary to create a final animated piece, such as concept artwork and storyboards. Even a writer can potentially use an online portfolio as a way to show off his or her work, especially one in the form of a blog.