case study
a portfolio that looks like you made it
for photographers, designers, illustrators, and anyone who needs their work to speak
the problem with portfolio sites
portfolio platforms give you a template. you pick a layout, swap in your images, adjust the colors, and end up with a site that looks like every other portfolio on the same platform. the work is yours — the presentation isn't.
building from scratch is the opposite problem. you get full control, but now you're managing hosting, domains, deployment, SSL, responsive breakpoints — all before you've placed a single image.
what you actually want is a page that feels designed by you, without the overhead of maintaining a website.
the approach
bb.bi gives you a blank canvas with an AI assistant. describe what you want — layout, typography, mood, color palette — and the AI generates a complete HTML page. the result is unique to you because the input is unique to you. no templates, no themes, no "pick from these 12 layouts."
the generated page is pure HTML and CSS. you can edit every line. move things around in the visual editor, or open the code and change anything directly. it's your page — not a template with your content slotted in.
what you need
a portfolio page works on the free plan. no plugins needed — it's just HTML. 15 AI credits is enough to generate a page and refine it a few times. upgrade to pro for subpages (separate pages for each project) and a custom subdomain.
how it works
1. claim a handle
sign up and pick a handle. your name, your studio name, or something short — mika, studio-k, elliot. this becomes your URL: bb.bi/elliot (or elliot.bb.bi on pro).
2. describe your portfolio
open the AI assistant and describe what you want. be specific about the feeling, not just the layout:
"portfolio for a film photographer based in Tokyo. large images, minimal text. black background, white type. show projects as a vertical scroll with full-width images. include a short bio at the top and contact email at the bottom. typography should feel editorial — something like a magazine."
or go a completely different direction:
"portfolio for a graphic designer. white background, tight grid of project thumbnails. hover to see project name. playful, colorful — each project card has a different accent color. sans-serif, lots of whitespace. no bio, just work."
3. generate and refine
the AI generates a complete page. from here, you refine: make the images bigger, add more space between projects, change the font to something more geometric. each refinement costs 1–10 credits depending on the model you choose.
you can also select specific elements in the visual preview and edit just that part — change one section without touching the rest.
4. edit the code (optional)
the generated page is standard HTML and CSS. switch to the code editor and change anything — add animations, tweak breakpoints, embed a video, link to external projects. there's no abstraction layer between you and the output.
5. publish
hit publish. your portfolio is live. share the link, put it in your bio, print it on a business card.
going deeper with subpages
on the free plan, you get one page — enough for a single-page portfolio. upgrade to pro and you can create subpages for each project, an about page, a contact page, or whatever structure fits your work.
elliot.bb.bi → portfolio home (project grid) elliot.bb.bi/tokyo-nights → project detail — full photo series elliot.bb.bi/about → bio, clients, exhibitions elliot.bb.bi/contact → email, social links
each subpage is its own HTML page. you can generate each one with the AI — describe the project detail layout once, then use a style reference to make new subpages match the same visual language automatically.
why this works for creatives
every portfolio is different
a photographer's portfolio should look nothing like an illustrator's. the AI generates from your description, not from a template library. two people giving different descriptions get completely different pages.
the work is the design
portfolio platforms add chrome — navbars, footers, sidebars, "powered by" badges. with bb.bi, the page is just HTML. if you want a single full-bleed image with your name in the corner and nothing else, that's a valid portfolio.
you can always go deeper
start with AI generation. then edit one section visually. then open the code and add a CSS animation. the tools don't fight each other — they layer. you decide how much control you want.
it's free to start
the free plan includes a page, 15 AI credits, and a bb.bi/you URL. enough to have a portfolio live in minutes. upgrade later if you need subpages or a subdomain.
example: a photographer's portfolio
Mika is a film photographer in Tokyo. she claims mika as her handle and opens the AI assistant.
she describes: "dark, cinematic feel. large images stacked vertically. each image has a thin caption below it — location and year. no navigation, just scroll. my name at the very top in small uppercase letters, and an email at the bottom."
the AI generates a page. she refines: "add a subtle fade-in as images scroll into view." then: "make the captions slightly lighter, more like a whisper." two refinements, three credits total. she publishes.
her portfolio is at bb.bi/mika. later she upgrades to pro, enables the subdomain (mika.bb.bi), and adds subpages for individual series — each with its own layout generated by the AI, all sharing the same dark, cinematic tone via style reference.
optional: add plugins
a portfolio doesn't need plugins, but they can be useful:
- contact form — let visitors send you a message directly from the page (free)
- counter — track page views or likes (free)
- guestbook — a public comment wall for visitors (pro)
- posts — add a blog section for process notes or project writeups (free)
- media library — host images with permanent short URLs for sharing elsewhere (pro)
enable a plugin, and the AI assistant knows about it — it can generate sections that use the plugin's SDK automatically.
build your portfolio in minutes
claim a handle, describe your vision, and let the AI generate your page. edit it until it's perfect. free to start, no credit card required.