SKILL.md — Portfolio Builder

Build a personal portfolio that makes people remember you. Backed by 67+ UI styles, 161 color palettes, 57 font pairings, and portfolio-specific patterns. Pipeline: understand → brand identity → content → build → deploy.

Overview

A portfolio has one job: make someone want to work with you. Everything — design, copy, project selection, interactions — serves that goal.

Pipeline (5 Phases):

Phase 0 — Understand    →  Who are you? What do you do? Who's looking at this?
Phase 1 — Design        →  Visual identity: style, palette, fonts — the "feel" of your work
Phase 2 — Content       →  Bio, project descriptions, skills, contact
Phase 3 — Build         →  HTML/CSS + interactive project grid + animations
Phase 4 — Deliver       →  Live preview → Vercel deploy

Portfolio Types

Type	Audience	Focus
Designer	Clients, hiring managers	Visual work, case studies, process
Developer	Recruiters, clients, collaborators	Projects, tech stack, GitHub
Creative (photographer/illustrator/etc.)	Clients, galleries	Full-bleed imagery, minimal text
Freelancer	Potential clients	Services, past work, contact/CTA
Student / Career Changer	Recruiters, hiring managers	Projects, skills, story arc

Tech Stack

Default: HTML + CSS + Vanilla JS — same as Landing Page. No framework needed.

Fastest to build and deploy
Zero dependencies, maximum control over animations
Vercel deploys as static files instantly

File Structure

portfolio/
├── index.html          # Main page (single-page or anchor-nav)
├── styles.css          # Design tokens → reset → layout → components → sections → animations
├── main.js             # Filter, lightbox, scroll effects, mobile nav
├── assets/
│   ├── images/         # Project screenshots, avatar, OG image
│   └── fonts/          # Self-hosted fonts (optional)
└── README.md

Phase 0 — Understand

0.1 Key Questions

Question	Why It Matters
What do you do?	Designer / developer / photographer / freelancer / student / hybrid
Who will visit this?	Recruiters, clients, collaborators, gallery curators
What's the #1 goal?	Get hired / get freelance clients / get into a program / just have a presence
How many projects to show?	3–6 is ideal; quality over quantity
Do you have a brand already?	Existing colors, fonts, logo — or starting fresh
Tone?	Minimal, bold, dark, playful, editorial, technical, luxury
Any reference portfolios?	Sites you love or want to differentiate from

0.2 Portfolio Archetype Mapping

Archetype	Key Sections	Visual Priority
Designer	Hero + Selected Work (case studies) + About + Skills + Contact	Case study detail, process shots
Developer	Hero + Projects (live links + GitHub) + Skills/Stack + About + Contact	Code snippets, live demos, GitHub stats
Creative	Full-bleed Hero + Gallery/Grid + About + Contact	Imagery dominates, minimal UI chrome
Freelancer	Hero + Services + Work + Testimonials + Contact	CTA prominence, trust signals
Student	Hero + Projects + Skills + About + Contact	Story arc — growth and potential

Phase 1 — Design Research

1.1 The Design Database

# Style search
python3 src/ui-ux-pro-max/scripts/search.py "<query>" --domain style --max-results 5

# Color palette
python3 src/ui-ux-pro-max/scripts/search.py "<mood/industry>" --domain color --max-results 5

# Typography
python3 src/ui-ux-pro-max/scripts/search.py "<style/mood>" --domain typography --max-results 3

# Portfolio-specific patterns
python3 src/ui-ux-pro-max/scripts/search.py "portfolio" --domain landing --max-results 5

# Product-type rules for personal sites
python3 src/ui-ux-pro-max/scripts/search.py "portfolio personal site" --domain product

# Full design system
python3 src/ui-ux-pro-max/scripts/search.py "<query>" --design-system -p "Portfolio"

# Stack-specific snippets
python3 src/ui-ux-pro-max/scripts/search.py "<query>" --stack html

1.2 Portfolio-Specific Aesthetic Principles

A portfolio IS the design work. If it looks generic, the viewer assumes the work is generic.

❌ Generic (avoid)	✅ Distinctive (aim for)
White background, Inter font, grey text	A palette that expresses personality
"Hi, I'm [Name]. I'm a designer." hero	An opening line that creates intrigue
3-column card grid with identical padding	A layout that reflects the work's character
Hover: opacity 0.8	Hover: reveals project info with personality
Footer: "© 2024 Name. All rights reserved."	Footer that's an extension of the brand

1.3 Color Strategy for Portfolios

Unlike landing pages (accent = CTA), portfolio colors express personality:

Persona	Palette Direction
Minimalist designer	Near-white + 1 strong accent, generous whitespace
Bold creative	Dark bg + vivid accent, high contrast
Technical developer	Dark/terminal aesthetic OR clean light with code-inspired accents
Warm freelancer	Earthy tones, approachable, human-feeling
Luxury/premium	Deep neutrals + gold/champagne, refined typography

1.4 Design Brief for Portfolios

## Portfolio Design Brief: <Name>

### Identity
- **Who:** <name + role>
- **Archetype:** <designer / developer / creative / freelancer / student>
- **Portfolio goal:** <get hired / get clients / just have a presence>
- **Target viewer:** <recruiters / clients / collaborators>

### Personality (pick 3 adjectives)
- <e.g., precise, warm, bold>

### Style Direction
- **Primary style:** <from search — e.g., "Dark Editorial", "Soft Minimalism">
- **One-word aesthetic:** <e.g., "focused", "expressive", "technical">
- **Why this style fits the work:** <one sentence>

### Color Palette
- **Background:** <hex> — <name>
- **Background secondary:** <hex> — for cards/panels
- **Text primary:** <hex>
- **Text muted:** <hex>
- **Accent:** <hex> — used sparingly, maximum impact
- **Border/divider:** <hex>

### Typography
- **Heading font:** <name> + weight + Google Fonts URL
- **Body font:** <name> + Google Fonts URL
- **Heading style note:** <e.g., "tight tracking, large scale contrast">

### Layout Pattern
- **Grid:** <e.g., asymmetric 2-col, masonry, full-bleed row>
- **Project card style:** <e.g., image-first with hover overlay, minimal text card>
- **Section transitions:** <e.g., full-width dividers, staggered entry, none>

### Interactions
- **Project card hover:** <e.g., scale + overlay with title/tags>
- **Scroll animations:** <e.g., stagger fade-up on work grid>
- **Cursor:** <default / custom dot / none>

1.5 Quality Criteria

Archetype identified, primary goal clear
3+ style options searched before deciding
Palette expresses personality (not just "clean" defaults)
Font pairing has contrast — one display, one body
Layout pattern matches work type (photography ≠ code projects)
User approved Design Brief

Phase 2 — Content

2.1 Hero Copy

The hero opening line is the most important text on the page. It must answer: who are you, what do you do, and why does it matter — with personality.

Formula options:

Formula	Example
Role + differentiator	"Product designer who obsesses over the 0.1-second moments"
Outcome-first	"I make complex software feel simple"
Bold statement	"Good design is invisible. Great design is inevitable."
Playful/direct	"I build things for the web. Currently open to work."
Name + descriptor	"Hi, I'm Maya — I design for humans, not screens"

Avoid:

"I'm a passionate designer with 5 years of experience"
"Welcome to my portfolio"
Generic adjectives: creative, innovative, dedicated, passionate

2.2 Project Descriptions

Each project entry needs:

### <Project Name>
**Role:** <your role — e.g., "Lead Designer", "Solo Developer">
**Type:** <e.g., "Mobile App", "Brand Identity", "Web App">
**Tags:** [<tech/skill tags>]

**The challenge:** <1-2 sentences — what problem needed solving>
**What I did:** <2-3 sentences — your specific contribution and decisions>
**The outcome:** <1 sentence with a result if possible — "Reduced onboarding time by 40%">

[Live →](<url>)  [Case Study →](<url>)  [GitHub →](<url>)

Rules:

Lead with the PROBLEM, not the technology
Your ROLE must be specific — "designer" is not a role, "designed the onboarding flow" is
If you have metrics, use them. If not, describe the qualitative outcome
3–6 projects max — curate ruthlessly

2.3 About Section

Structure:

Who you are — current state (role, location, what you're focused on)
How you got here — brief arc (not a resume, a story)
What you care about — the "why" behind the work
What you're looking for — open to work / specific types of projects / collaborations

Length: 80–150 words. Not a bio, not a CV. A person.

2.4 Skills / Stack Section

For designers:

Design: Figma, Prototyping, Design Systems, Typography, Motion
Research: User Interviews, Usability Testing, Competitive Analysis

For developers:

Frontend: React, TypeScript, Next.js, CSS/Tailwind
Backend: Node.js, PostgreSQL, REST/GraphQL
Tools: Git, Docker, Vercel, Figma

Display as tag clouds, icon grids, or grouped lists — never just a plain bullet list.

2.5 Contact Section

Keep it dead simple:

Email (the most important thing — make it clickable with mailto:)
2–3 social links (GitHub, LinkedIn, Twitter/X, Dribbble — pick what's relevant)
Optional: a short "currently available for..." line
Optional: a simple contact form (Formspree)

No contact forms with 6 fields. No "let's grab coffee" filler.

2.6 Quality Criteria

Hero opening line has personality (not generic)
Each project leads with the problem, not the tech
Roles are specific, not just job titles
About section reads like a person wrote it
3–6 projects, curated for quality
Contact section has a mailto link as the primary action

Phase 3 — Build

3.1 HTML Structure

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
  <meta charset="UTF-8">
  <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0">
  <title><Name> — <Role></title>
  <meta name="description" content="<150-char personal description>">

  <!-- Google Fonts -->
  <link rel="preconnect" href="https://fonts.googleapis.com">
  <link href="https://fonts.googleapis.com/css2?family=<HeadingFont>:wght@400;600;700&family=<BodyFont>:wght@400;500&display=swap" rel="stylesheet">

  <!-- OG Tags -->
  <meta property="og:title" content="<Name> — <Role>">
  <meta property="og:description" content="<description>">
  <meta property="og:image" content="<og-image.jpg>">
  <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image">

  <link rel="stylesheet" href="styles.css">
</head>
<body>
  <nav class="nav" id="nav">...</nav>

  <main>
    <section class="hero" id="home">...</section>
    <section class="work" id="work">...</section>
    <section class="about" id="about">...</section>
    <section class="skills" id="skills">...</section>  <!-- optional -->
    <section class="contact" id="contact">...</section>
  </main>

  <footer class="footer">...</footer>

  <div class="project-modal" id="modal" aria-hidden="true">...</div>  <!-- optional lightbox -->

  <script src="main.js"></script>
</body>
</html>

3.2 CSS Architecture

/* ── 1. Google Fonts ── */
/* ── 2. CSS Variables ── */
:root {
  /* Colors from Design Brief */
  --color-bg: <hex>;
  --color-bg-secondary: <hex>;
  --color-text: <hex>;
  --color-text-muted: <hex>;
  --color-accent: <hex>;
  --color-border: <hex>;

  /* Typography */
  --font-heading: '<HeadingFont>', serif;
  --font-body: '<BodyFont>', sans-serif;

  /* Type scale */
  --text-hero: clamp(3rem, 8vw, 7rem);
  --text-h2: clamp(1.75rem, 4vw, 2.75rem);
  --text-h3: clamp(1.125rem, 2vw, 1.5rem);
  --text-body: 1.0625rem;
  --text-sm: 0.875rem;

  /* Spacing */
  --section-padding: clamp(5rem, 12vw, 10rem);
  --container-width: 1200px;
  --gap: 1.5rem;
  --radius: 8px;
  --radius-lg: 16px;

  /* Transitions */
  --transition: 0.3s ease;
  --transition-slow: 0.6s ease;
}

/* ── 3. Reset + Base ── */
/* ── 4. Layout (.container, .section, .grid-2, .grid-3) ── */
/* ── 5. Nav (fixed, scroll-aware bg change) ── */
/* ── 6. Hero ── */
/* ── 7. Work / Project Grid ── */
/* ── 8. Project Card + Hover ── */
/* ── 9. About ── */
/* ── 10. Skills ── */
/* ── 11. Contact ── */
/* ── 12. Footer ── */
/* ── 13. Modal / Lightbox (if used) ── */
/* ── 14. Scroll animations ── */
/* ── 15. Responsive ── */

3.3 Project Grid

<!-- Work section with optional filter -->
<section class="work" id="work">
  <div class="container">
    <div class="work__header">
      <h2 class="work__title">Selected Work</h2>
      <!-- Optional filter tabs -->
      <div class="work__filters" role="tablist">
        <button class="filter-btn active" data-filter="all">All</button>
        <button class="filter-btn" data-filter="design">Design</button>
        <button class="filter-btn" data-filter="dev">Development</button>
      </div>
    </div>

    <div class="work__grid" id="work-grid">
      <!-- Project Card -->
      <article class="project-card" data-category="design" data-index="0">
        <div class="project-card__image">
          <img src="assets/images/project-1.jpg" alt="<Project Name> — <brief description>" loading="lazy">
          <div class="project-card__overlay">
            <span class="project-card__type"><Type></span>
            <h3 class="project-card__title"><Project Name></h3>
            <div class="project-card__links">
              <a href="<live-url>" target="_blank" rel="noopener" class="project-link">Live ↗</a>
              <a href="<case-study-url>" class="project-link">Case Study →</a>
            </div>
          </div>
        </div>
        <div class="project-card__meta">
          <div class="project-card__tags">
            <span class="tag">Figma</span>
            <span class="tag">React</span>
          </div>
          <p class="project-card__desc"><One sentence problem description></p>
        </div>
      </article>
    </div>
  </div>
</section>

.work__grid {
  display: grid;
  grid-template-columns: repeat(auto-fill, minmax(340px, 1fr));
  gap: var(--gap);
}

.project-card__image {
  position: relative;
  overflow: hidden;
  border-radius: var(--radius);
  aspect-ratio: 16 / 10;
  background: var(--color-bg-secondary);
}

.project-card__image img {
  width: 100%;
  height: 100%;
  object-fit: cover;
  transition: transform 0.5s ease;
}

.project-card:hover .project-card__image img {
  transform: scale(1.04);
}

.project-card__overlay {
  position: absolute;
  inset: 0;
  background: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.75);
  display: flex;
  flex-direction: column;
  justify-content: flex-end;
  padding: 1.5rem;
  opacity: 0;
  transition: opacity var(--transition);
}

.project-card:hover .project-card__overlay,
.project-card:focus-within .project-card__overlay {
  opacity: 1;
}

3.4 Project Filter

// main.js — project filter
const filterBtns = document.querySelectorAll('.filter-btn')
const projectCards = document.querySelectorAll('.project-card')

filterBtns.forEach(btn => {
  btn.addEventListener('click', () => {
    const filter = btn.dataset.filter

    filterBtns.forEach(b => b.classList.remove('active'))
    btn.classList.add('active')

    projectCards.forEach(card => {
      const match = filter === 'all' || card.dataset.category === filter
      card.style.display = match ? 'block' : 'none'
      // or use animate: card.classList.toggle('hidden', !match)
    })
  })
})

3.5 Scroll-Aware Nav

const nav = document.getElementById('nav')
window.addEventListener('scroll', () => {
  nav.classList.toggle('nav--scrolled', window.scrollY > 60)
}, { passive: true })

.nav {
  position: fixed;
  top: 0; left: 0; right: 0;
  z-index: 100;
  padding: 1.5rem 2rem;
  transition: background var(--transition), padding var(--transition);
}
.nav--scrolled {
  background: var(--color-bg);
  padding: 1rem 2rem;
  box-shadow: 0 1px 0 var(--color-border);
}

3.6 Scroll Animations (staggered for grid)

const observer = new IntersectionObserver((entries) => {
  entries.forEach(entry => {
    if (entry.isIntersecting) {
      entry.target.classList.add('visible')
      observer.unobserve(entry.target)
    }
  })
}, { threshold: 0.1 })

document.querySelectorAll('.animate-on-scroll').forEach(el => observer.observe(el))

.animate-on-scroll {
  opacity: 0;
  transform: translateY(20px);
  transition: opacity 0.5s ease, transform 0.5s ease;
}
.animate-on-scroll.visible {
  opacity: 1;
  transform: translateY(0);
}
/* Stagger project cards */
.project-card { transition-delay: calc(var(--index, 0) * 0.08s); }

@media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce) {
  .animate-on-scroll { opacity: 1; transform: none; transition: none; }
}

3.7 Implementation Rules

Rule	Detail
CSS variables only	No hardcoded colors or spacing in components
`clamp()` for type	Hero heading scales with viewport, no media query needed
`loading="lazy"` on all images	Especially project screenshots — they're large
`aspect-ratio` on image containers	Prevents layout shift before images load
Hover must work on keyboard too	`focus-within` on project cards, not just `:hover`
Mobile nav	Hamburger at <768px, full menu on desktop
Alt text	Every project image needs descriptive alt text
Active nav state	Highlight current section via IntersectionObserver

3.8 Quality Criteria

Phase 4 — Deliver

4.1 Preview

# Start local preview
python3 -m http.server 8080
# or
npx serve .

Use start_web_service tool for a hosted preview URL.

4.2 Validation Checklist

Visual:

Design Brief's aesthetic is recognizable throughout
Fonts loaded correctly, no layout shift
Responsive at 375px / 768px / 1280px
No horizontal scroll at any breakpoint
Dark mode (if applicable) looks intentional, not accidental

Content:

Hero opening line has personality
3–6 projects shown, each with problem + role + outcome
About section reads like a human
Contact has a working mailto link

Technical:

Page loads fast (images optimized or use placeholder until user provides real ones)
No console errors
OG preview looks good (check with opengraph.xyz)
Favicon set

4.3 Deploy to Vercel

npx vercel --prod

Or use deploy_to_vercel tool. Zero config needed for static HTML.

4.4 Image Placeholders

If the user doesn't have project screenshots yet, use elegant placeholders:

<!-- Placeholder with aspect ratio preserved -->
<div class="project-placeholder" style="aspect-ratio: 16/10; background: var(--color-bg-secondary);">
  <span class="project-placeholder__label">Project Screenshot</span>
</div>

Or use a generated gradient:

.project-card--placeholder .project-card__image {
  background: linear-gradient(135deg, var(--color-bg-secondary) 0%, var(--color-accent-dim) 100%);
}

4.5 Delivery Summary Format

## ✅ Portfolio Live!

**Name:** <Name>
**Role:** <Role>
**Archetype:** <designer / developer / creative / freelancer / student>
**Style:** <primary style from Design Brief>
**Palette:** <2-3 main colors>
**Fonts:** <Heading> + <Body>

### Projects showcased
- <list of projects>

### Sections built
- Hero / Work (N projects, filter: <categories>) / About / Skills / Contact

### Preview
<live URL>

### To deploy to production
1. `npx vercel --prod` from this folder
2. Connect to custom domain in Vercel dashboard

### Next steps
- Replace placeholder images with real screenshots
- Add your real email to the contact section
- Set up analytics (Plausible / GA4)
- Consider adding a case study page for your best project

Technical Reference

Portfolio Patterns (common layouts)

Pattern	Best For
Single page, anchor nav	Most portfolios — simple, fast
Multi-page (index + case studies)	Designers with deep process documentation
Full-bleed grid	Photographers, illustrators — image-forward
List / editorial	Developers, writers — text-forward
Experimental / interactive	Creative technologists — the portfolio IS the work

Design Database Quick Reference

python3 src/ui-ux-pro-max/scripts/search.py "<query>" --domain style
python3 src/ui-ux-pro-max/scripts/search.py "<query>" --domain color
python3 src/ui-ux-pro-max/scripts/search.py "<query>" --domain typography
python3 src/ui-ux-pro-max/scripts/search.py "portfolio" --domain landing
python3 src/ui-ux-pro-max/scripts/search.py "<query>" --domain product
python3 src/ui-ux-pro-max/scripts/search.py "<query>" --design-system -p "Portfolio"
python3 src/ui-ux-pro-max/scripts/search.py "<query>" --stack html

Quality Maxims

The portfolio IS the design work. If it looks generic, the viewer assumes the work is generic.
Curate ruthlessly. 4 great projects beat 10 mediocre ones. Every time.
Lead with problems, not tools. Nobody hired anyone for knowing Figma. They hired them for solving the right problems.
Your opening line is your handshake. Generic hero copy = forgettable person. One specific, true sentence > three polished clichés.
Interactions should feel like the work. A motion designer's portfolio should move. A minimalist's should be still. The UI IS the proof of concept.
Make contact embarrassingly easy. Big visible email address. One click.

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