Image by Jeff Kubina.

I’ve scoured the web to find nine portfolio designs that are, dare I say it, probably better than yours, mine and just about everyone else’s.

I’m sharing them because they’re fun, inspiring, creative and ultimately, works of art.

I’ll be up-front about one thing before we start, though. Unless you’re a Flash genius or have lots of dosh to spend on things like that (doing work for Nike and Microsoft helps), you’ll probably never have an online portfolio like one of these.

The main question they might encourage you to ask, though, is this: is your online portfolio reaching its full potential, or are you settling for ‘good enough’?

1. KASHIWA SATO

Creative director, art director and graphic designer Kashiwa Sato’s portfolio teeters at the edge of sensory overload and stays there, resting comfortably at the pinnacle of visual stimulus. It’s eye-candy you want to pluck from the screen.

2. JON RUPPEL

Interact with the portfolio the way you want: choose from six visualizations, six background images and filter by three categories.

3. EDWIN TOFSLIE

Scroll through Edwin’s portfolio on the left and key information follows you on the right. You can also use the sidebar to skip to the images you’re most interested in. Emphasis is on the work itself and the presentation tricks are elegant rather than overbearing.

4. PETE HARRISON

A few subtle visual effects and sounds combine to create dark alleyway ambiance. Not the scary kind — more like the kind of art-covered alleyway you’d hang out in if you were young, hip, successful and ran a clothing label. Hypothetically speaking.

5. SUSANNE PASCHKE

Subtlety and clarity are the two most fitting words to describe Susan Paschke’s portfolio. The header image contains a hidden treasure: you can click it to zoom in and explore the detail with your cursor. It’s a clever way to help the prospective client get to know her work.

6. SERIALCUT

The primary portfolio is ultra-cool but doesn’t pull too many flashy tricks. While it’s up, though, watch the ‘Yeah!Reel’ — an animated selection of their best work. It’s a portfolio in video form, and it’s incredibly well-crafted.

7. MICHAEL MULLER

This one gets off to a slow start. When you first visit the site, the instruction to ‘Move your mouse here’ coupled with the target is a little garish. Once you follow the command, though, the site’s elegance truly reveals itself. Click to one of the sub-sections. I’ll let you discover how to view different images — the discovery is part of what makes the interaction an experience you’ll remember.

8. JILL GREENBERG

This cleverly organized portfolio site co-opts Jill Greenberg’s photography as part of the design. Her work is vibrant and the minimalist surroundings funnel all attention to the photos themselves.

9. SONJA MUELLER

The animated interface counts years rather than a percentage count as it loads. The result is a fully populated and interactive forest, with each portfolio section hiding behind an aged and weathered trunk, waiting for you to spot it. Words can’t describe, so go play with it yourself!

If you’ve spotted any other insane online portfolios during your travels, don’t be shy! Share some link-love in the comments.