For someone working in the creative industry it is inevitable to have a representative portfolio, in the best case even one that stand out. But something unique can be very expensive and especially young artists and designers can’t afford to invest so much time and money in it. Therefore Ji Lee, a designer who works on creative strategy at Facebook and Instagram found a tool used by us on everyday bases and repurposed it. The tool or platform we are talking about is Instagram.
Lee uses the grid of his main Instagram profile as an overview page that operates just like a website menu. Even the posts look like buttons which link you to a page of the projects. Just a simple combination of an impression and the project title, but to find the brilliant aspect of it, you have to look a little closer. By clicking on the image a tag appears which links you to another Instagram page dedicated to the specific project only. This way, Lee uses Instagram the same way a website works.
Due to fewer and fewer people visiting Lee’s website and the easy accessibility of the platform, Lee shifted his portfolio almost completely to Instagram. This gives him the advantage to easily update his portfolio at any time with minimum effort, but huge effect.
“Many creatives use Instagram to share their work so their Instagram ends up becoming their main creative channel and site so to speak,” Lee says. “With this in mind, I wanted to create a proper portfolio site by hacking the Instagram grid where I can feature all my past work.”
Since nearly every creative uses Instagram to promote their work, Lee hopes that others will ‘steal’ his idea in order to establish the platform as a valuable portfolio tool. Especially for young and upcoming artists it is the perfect way to a professional seeming portfolio that is easy to manage and not only affordable, but for free!
Find the full portfolio on his
Instagram.