The demands for web-based portfolios will differ between disciplines as well as from person to person. For example, a photography portfolio needs to keep images as its focus, where as a web design showcase might need to be more adventurous in terms of layout and aesthetic in order to demonstrate desired skills.
The decision to use a template or a custom layout should be made based on the format that will best showcase the skills and services you have to offer.
Cost and Time
Often the most pressing concerns when building any website are budget and time. If web design is not your specialty, then you might not need to spend much time on a complex design. Instead, you can afford to dedicate your time to the presentation of your own creative work using a ready-made template, avoiding the cost of hiring a designer to build a new kind of layout, or taking time to design one yourself.
However, if your industry is web design or development, it is well worth the extra effort to build your own layout to demonstrate your skills and create a unique face for your design business.
Creative Templates
Using a pre-existing template for your portfolio doesn’t mean you can’t be creative. Most good portfolio templates allow plenty of space for customizations, allowing you to keep your portfolio unique and true to your creative spirit. The Theme Forest template above is a great example of a clean, creative template you can use for your portfolio, and it’s WordPress compatible, which is perfect if you’re looking for a low maintenance option.
There’s plenty of great advice around for creatives who are choosing a portfolio template, and plenty of inspiring examples you can turn to.
Custom Layouts for Web Designers
For web design portfolios, the portfolio itself needs to serve as an example of what you can do. Designing your own layout is another way for you to showcase your professional skills. Remember that, as a web designer, your portfolio needs to demonstrate your ability to adjust your creative skills to meet the needs of different brands, organizations, and products. At the same time, your portfolio needs to show that you are capable of applying the same techniques to your own professional activity. A custom layout and unique aesthetic – as demonstrated by web designer Tim Potter’s site above – is a great way to show off your talents and dedication to your craft to potential clients.