"How do I showcase my art online without becoming a web developer?"

If you're a creative, this question probably keeps you up at night. You know you need a killer online portfolio, but the thought of building a website makes you want to stick to pencil and paper forever.

Trust me, I get it. I've worked with tons of artists, and here's what I've learned:

1. You want to show off your work, not become an SEO expert.

2. You'd rather create art than fiddle with website code.

3. But you can't ignore the internet - it's where your audience lives now.

Here's the good news: Squarespace is your new best friend. It's my go-to recommendation for creatives, and here's why:

• It's dead simple to use.

• It looks professional right out of the box.

• You can set it up and get back to making art.

The only big decision? Picking a template. After years of helping artists get online, I know what you're looking for:

1. Big, beautiful images front and center.

2. A clean, professional look that doesn't overshadow your work.

3. Easy navigation, especially if you do different types of art.

4. Some space for words (yeah, they still matter for getting found online).

I've put together a list of 15 amazing Squarespace templates that tick all these boxes. Some are straight from Squarespace, others are from third-party designers, but they're all perfect for showcasing your creative work.

Ready to find your new online home? Let's dive in!

1. Modern Day Creative by 23 & 9 Creative (7.0)

A very image-focused template with a creative flourish, this option also has plenty of room for text to go along with it.  It comes with a lot of additional resources as well, including a primer on SEO, access to the base files in Canva for modifications to any you’re not outright replacing with your own, and a bunch of additional resources.  It has a mobile responsive version as well, but then, all of the entries on this list do, so I’m not going to be calling it out specifically.

Click here for more photography style templates

2. Quinn (7.1)

This template is suited for stylists, creative directors, photographers, and other creatives. It offers a clean, minimalist layout focused on large images and bold typography, with sections for personal introduction, portfolio, client list, and latest projects.

3. Cimen (7.1)

This template is perfect for photographers and artists seeking a clean, modern portfolio. It features a minimalistic layout with large images, simple typography, and divided sections for work, services, and about.

4. Balboa by Squarespace (7.1)

Balboa is one of the few templates on this list that are available directly through Squarespace.  Now, I have nothing against Squarespace – quite the opposite – but a lot of their default templates are, well, common.  If you’ve ever been browsing the web and found multiple sites that are all based on the same core design, you realize how it detracts from each site, even if there’s nothing inherently wrong with either of them.  It just comes across as less creative, which is the opposite of what you want as an artist.  Thus, while I still think templates like Balboa are good options, you do run the risk of potential clients or fans recognizing your template from others they’ve seen recently, which detracts from your work.

5. Influence by GoLive (7.0)

This is another template that works well for creative types who focus on a personal brand or personality through multimedia, rather than focusing on the work itself.  It does a lot to put the artist forward, rather than their art.  This works great if you’re building a personal brand and freelance business online, but it’s less valuable as a “portfolio on a business card” or “submit as part of an application” style website.  In a lot of ways, your choice comes down to what kind of goals you have with your portfolio site.

6. Leon by Big Cat Creative (7.1)

Leon is a sort of southwestern, retro-inspired template design that is both bold and clean.  It uses a lot of blank space in between elements to showcase those elements in greater isolation, and allows you to draw more attention to specific pieces. 

Big Cat Creative is an interesting design company because its templates are not plug-and-play templates.  Rather, they give you elements, code snippets, and guides, and tell you how to DIY your template to be exactly what you want it to be.  Use caution if you don’t want to do the legwork, but if you’re fine with it, it’s a great choice.

7. Zion (7.1)

This template is designed for fashion bloggers, lifestyle influencers, and creative professionals. It offers a single-page scrolling layout with fullscreen sections, a prominent hero image, and integrated social media icons.

8. Cami (7.1)

This template is ideal for creative professionals such as designers, artists, and photographers. It features a single-column layout that showcases individual projects vertically with full-width images, minimalistic navigation, and social media integration.

9. Spotted (7.0)

This template is ideal for showcasing art with a grid-based gallery layout, ample white space for a minimalist look, and prominent call-to-action buttons. It allows for an artistic portfolio with watercolor paintings or contemporary art to be displayed beautifully.

Click here for more blog style templates.

10. Matsuya by Squarespace (7.1)

Matsuya is another default template provided by Squarespace themselves.  It’s a very simple template that focuses solely on showcasing art, with a relatively light amount of branding and very little else.  It’s great if you want your art to speak for itself, if you want specific pages for each piece to deliver more details but to keep an uncluttered homepage, or if you just want a place to showcase your art in one place and don’t much care about the SEO aspect of running a website.  Incidentally, if you want something similar to this but with less white space and a denser layout, consider Gates, another Squarespace-offered template.

11. Bombshell by GoLive (7.1)

This template is designed for creative types who specifically want to offer certain kinds of services as a small business or freelance career.  It uses a collage-style initial layout that links through to product pages and serves as a hybrid between a portfolio and a services display.  It includes a blog – important for SEO purposes – but doesn’t push it to the forefront.  It’s also great as a high-end and eclectic design aesthetic, and might not be ideal for more traditional forms of media or service.  Think more “muralist” here.

12. Mayke - Paper Template (7.1)

Mayke is relevant for its minimalist design and modular sections, making it easy for creative agencies, freelancers, and branding professionals to customize and showcase their work in a professional manner.

Click here for more templates for artists

13. Boho Social by Applet Studio (7.0 and 7.1)

This is a flexible template that works on both Squarespace 7.0 and 7.1, with a similar design on both.  Generally, 7.1 is more flexible for changes you might want to make, but 7.0 is easier for those who are experienced with Squarespace to get the hang of using it.  It’s really up to you which you choose. 

Though this template was originally designed for small businesses and service providers, you can tweak it with a few quick snippets to make it more tightly focused on art or photography.  A lot comes down to what you want out of the template, of course, and how much you want to expand functionality with other plugins and code snippets.

14. Atelier by Candor (7.1)

This is another template originally aimed at small businesses, using the business plan of Squarespace and a 7.1 site.  Why, then, is it on a list for portfolio templates?  It’s highly visual, and it’s great as a template to use if you’re an artist or designer who wants to sell prints, merchandise, and other items with your work on them.  How you use it is up to you, but it’s a great and flexible template kit to start with.

15. Keo (7.0)

This template offers a clean, grid-based layout that emphasizes large image thumbnails, making it suitable for visual artists and photographers. Its simple navigation and minimalist design ensure that the artwork receives the main focus.

So there you have it; my list of 15 excellent portfolio templates you can use on Squarespace.  Creatives, let me know what you think. 

Which is your favorite?  Do you have another recommendation from another designer?  Drop me a line in the comments. I’d love to hear from you.