Best for
Visual artists, illustrators, and photographers who need a gallery-forward portfolio with lightbox and category filter
Stack
A ready-made Artist Portfolio UI you can fork, run, and customize with the prompt pack below.
What's actually inside
The honest engineer's breakdown — what the Artist Portfoliotemplate does, how it's wired, and where it's opinionated.
The Artist Portfolio template is built around a single organizing idea: the image comes first, everything else steps back. The GalleryGrid dominates the page in a masonry or uniform layout that lets artwork breathe. Click any ArtworkCard and the LightboxViewer opens with a Framer Motion animation — full-screen, with previous/next navigation — so clients and visitors can examine work without leaving the page.
The FilterBar sits above the grid with category tabs (Illustration, Photography, 3D, and whatever you rename them to). Clicking a tab triggers an AnimatePresence transition that adds and removes ArtworkCards smoothly rather than snapping. The AboutArtist section handles bio and portrait — thin by design, because the gallery is the pitch. CommissionsCTA at the bottom acts as the commercial hook: a call to action for potential clients that you can replace with a full inquiry form.
Honest caveat: the placeholder images are hosted externally, and the moment you swap in your own artwork URLs you will need to configure next.config.js remotePatterns — that step trips up almost every first-time forker. The commission form V0 generates is also intentionally minimal: no validation out of the box, so a zod schema is required before going live. Both are fixable in under 10 minutes with the prompts below.
Key UI components
GalleryGridMasonry or uniform image grid — primary artwork showcase surface
LightboxViewerFull-screen image overlay with previous/next navigation for detailed viewing
ArtworkCardClickable thumbnail that reveals title and medium on hover
FilterBarCategory tabs that animate GalleryGrid to show only matching artwork
AboutArtistBio section with portrait image and personal statement
CommissionsCTACommercial call-to-action linking to pricing or a commission inquiry
Libraries it leans on
Framer MotionLightbox open/close animation, FilterBar transition with AnimatePresence, layout animations on GalleryGrid reflow
next/imageOptimized gallery and portrait images with lazy loading and responsive sizes
shadcn/uiButton, Badge, and Dialog primitives used in LightboxViewer and CommissionsCTA
Fork it and get it running
This is a browser-only workflow — no terminal or npm commands required until you want to add your own MDX or custom logic. You will have a live portfolio URL in under 5 minutes.
Open the template and click Fork
Go to https://v0.dev/chat/community/UIe46hc3274 in your browser. You will see the Artist Portfolio preview on the right. Click the Fork button in the top-right corner of the preview area. V0 creates a personal copy of the template in your account and opens it as a new chat. You now own this project and can modify it without affecting the original.
Tip: If you are not signed in, V0 will prompt you to create a free account first — this only takes a minute.
You should see: A new V0 chat opens showing the Artist Portfolio template with your personal copy ready to edit.
Update your name and background color in Design Mode
Press Option+D (Mac) or Alt+D (Windows) to enter Design Mode. Click on the AboutArtist section and update your artist name and bio. Use the color picker to change the background color to match your brand. Design Mode changes cost zero credits — you can experiment freely. When you are done, press Escape or click outside the selected element to exit Design Mode.
Tip: Design Mode is best for text copy, accent colors, and font weights. For layout changes or new components, use the V0 chat prompt instead.
You should see: Your name and brand color appear in the preview without consuming any generation credits.
Replace placeholder images with your real artwork
In the V0 chat input, paste a prompt like: 'Replace all placeholder images in GalleryGrid with these artwork URLs: [your URLs]. For each ArtworkCard, update the title and medium.' V0 will update the image sources and card metadata. If your images are hosted on an external domain (not the default placeholder service), V0 may also update next.config.js remotePatterns for you — confirm this in the code panel.
Tip: Use publicly accessible image URLs. If you are hosting on Cloudinary, AWS S3, or a CDN, ensure the URLs are not signed or time-limited.
You should see: The GalleryGrid preview shows your own artwork thumbnails with correct titles and media labels on hover.
Test the LightboxViewer and FilterBar in preview
Click any ArtworkCard in the V0 preview — the LightboxViewer should open full-screen with your image and show previous/next arrows. Click the X or press Escape to close. Then click a FilterBar tab to confirm the grid filters correctly with a smooth animation. These interactions are fully functional in V0's browser preview.
Tip: LightboxViewer touch tap may not work in the preview sandbox — that is a known preview limitation, not a bug. Test on mobile after deploying.
You should see: LightboxViewer opens and closes with Framer Motion animation. FilterBar correctly shows and hides ArtworkCards by category.
Publish to a live Vercel URL
Click Share in the V0 top bar, then select the Publish tab. Click 'Publish to Production'. V0 deploys to Vercel automatically — this takes 30–60 seconds. Once complete, your live URL (e.g., your-project.vercel.app) appears in the Share panel. Copy it and test on a real mobile device to confirm the gallery and lightbox work on touch.
Tip: The first publish is always the slowest — subsequent deploys after edits are faster because only changed files are rebuilt.
You should see: You have a publicly accessible Artist Portfolio URL with your artwork visible and the lightbox working on mobile.
Connect a custom domain
Open your Vercel Dashboard at vercel.com/dashboard. Find your new project, go to Settings → Domains, and click Add. Enter your domain (e.g., yourartistname.com) and follow Vercel's DNS instructions to point your domain to Vercel's nameservers. HTTPS is provisioned automatically, usually within 60 seconds of DNS propagation. For portfolio credibility, a custom domain matters significantly.
Tip: If your domain is on Cloudflare, set it to DNS-only mode (not Proxied) while Vercel provisions SSL.
You should see: Your portfolio is live at yourartistname.com with HTTPS and no Vercel branding in the URL.
The prompt pack
Copy-paste these straight into v0's chat to customize the Artist Portfoliotemplate. Each one names this template's own components — no generic filler.
Replace placeholder images with your real artwork
Swaps every placeholder image in GalleryGrid with your actual artwork and adds proper ArtworkCard metadata. Alt text update improves accessibility and image SEO.
Replace all placeholder images in GalleryGrid with these artwork URLs: [paste your image URLs here]. For each ArtworkCard, update the title to match the artwork name and set the medium field (e.g., 'Oil on Canvas', 'Digital Illustration', 'Darkroom Photography'). Keep the existing masonry layout and hover-reveal behavior. Also update the alt text of each next/image tag to be descriptive for accessibility.
Add category filter tabs with animated transitions
Adds the FilterBar with smooth animated filtering using AnimatePresence. The layout prop prevents the common masonry reflow glitch when items are removed.
Add a FilterBar above GalleryGrid with these 4 filter buttons: All, Illustration, Photography, Digital. When a filter tab is clicked, use Framer Motion AnimatePresence to animate ArtworkCards out (opacity 0, scale 0.95) and back in (opacity 1, scale 1) so only the matching category is visible. Add the layout prop to both the GalleryGrid motion.div container and each ArtworkCard so Framer Motion handles the masonry reflow without layout shift. The active filter tab should have a filled background to indicate selection.
Add a commission inquiry form
Replaces the static CommissionsCTA with a validated inquiry form that emails leads directly to you via Resend. The zod schema ensures no invalid data reaches your inbox.
Replace the CommissionsCTA button with an inline commission form containing these fields: Name (text), Email (email), Project Type (dropdown: Logo, Illustration, Photography, Other), Budget (dropdown: Under $500, $500–$2K, $2K+), Description (textarea, minimum 20 characters). On submit, call a server action that sends the form data via the Resend API using RESEND_API_KEY from the Vars panel and emails it to your address. Add zod validation in the server action: z.object({ name: z.string().min(1), email: z.string().email(), projectType: z.string(), budget: z.string(), description: z.string().min(20) }). Show a 'Request received — I will be in touch within 48 hours' confirmation message after successful submission.Add a watermark overlay on gallery images
Adds a non-blocking watermark overlay to protect original work displayed in the gallery and lightbox. The pointer-events and user-select settings make casual image theft harder without degrading the viewer experience.
Add a semi-transparent watermark to every image displayed in both GalleryGrid and LightboxViewer. The watermark should show '@yourartistname' in small white text in the bottom-right corner of the image container using absolute positioning, Tailwind classes text-white text-xs opacity-70, and a text-shadow for legibility. Set pointer-events-none and user-select-none on the watermark element so right-click-save cannot easily isolate it. The watermark should NOT appear on ArtworkCard thumbnails smaller than 200px — only on full-size GalleryGrid images and LightboxViewer.
Store artworks in Supabase with an admin upload panel
Replaces hardcoded gallery data with a Supabase-backed CMS. You manage your portfolio from the /admin upload panel without touching code, and the GalleryGrid always reflects the latest state.
Create a Supabase table called 'artworks' with columns: id (uuid, primary key), title (text), medium (text), category (text, one of: Illustration, Photography, Digital, 3D), image_url (text), sort_order (int), created_at (timestamptz). Create a Supabase Storage bucket called 'portfolio-images' with public read access. Build a hidden page at /admin that shows an upload form: a file input (on submit, upload the file to the 'portfolio-images' bucket using SUPABASE_URL and SUPABASE_ANON_KEY, then store the public URL), plus title, medium, and category fields. Protect /admin by checking for an ADMIN_PASSWORD env var in a middleware route guard — redirect to / if not authenticated. Fetch all artworks in GalleryGrid server-side from Supabase ordered by sort_order, replacing the hardcoded image array. Enable RLS on the artworks table with a policy: anonymous users can SELECT, only service role can INSERT and DELETE.
Add Clerk auth and per-client proof approval
Adds a private client-proofing area where clients can view and approve draft work. Each client sees only their own images, and approvals trigger email notifications via Resend.
Add Clerk authentication to protect a 'Client Proofs' section of the portfolio. Install ClerkProvider in the root layout and clerkMiddleware in middleware.ts. Add a new route /proofs/[clientId] that shows a private gallery of draft artworks for a specific client — fetched from a Supabase table 'client_proofs' (id, client_id text, artwork_url text, status text, feedback text). Only the client with a matching Clerk userId (stored in client_id) can view their proofs. Add an 'Approve' and 'Request Changes' button on each image in LightboxViewer — these call a server action that updates the status column and sends an email via Resend using RESEND_API_KEY. Add NEXT_PUBLIC_CLERK_PUBLISHABLE_KEY and CLERK_SECRET_KEY to the Vars panel.
Gotchas when you extend it
The failures people actually hit when they push this template past its defaults — and the exact fix for each.
next/image `Error: Invalid src prop` on external artwork URLs — next.config.js remotePatterns not configuredWhy: next/image requires explicit domain allowlisting for every external image host. If your artwork is on Cloudinary, AWS S3, or any CDN not listed in remotePatterns, Next.js throws this error at build time.
Fix: Add your image hosting domain to next.config.js under images.remotePatterns. Each entry needs protocol and hostname.
Add your image hosting domain to next.config.js: images: { remotePatterns: [{ protocol: 'https', hostname: 'your-cdn-domain.com' }] }LightboxViewer fails to open on mobile tap — click event not registering on touchWhy: Touch events on images require explicit onClick handlers on the outermost clickable element. If pointer-events-none is applied to the wrong layer (e.g., the whole ArtworkCard instead of just the watermark), taps are silently swallowed.
Fix: Ensure ArtworkCard has onClick={openLightbox} on the outermost div, not on the inner img element. Add touch-action: manipulation to prevent iOS tap delay.
Add touch-action: manipulation to ArtworkCard's className and verify onClick is on the outermost clickable div, not the inner img element
FilterBar animation causes layout shift when filtering — GalleryGrid reflows as items are removedWhy: Masonry layout does not animate gracefully with AnimatePresence unless the layout prop is set on both the parent container and each child. Without it, remaining cards snap to new positions instead of animating.
Fix: Add the layout prop to the GalleryGrid motion.div container and to each ArtworkCard motion.div so Framer Motion calculates and animates the reflow.
Add layout prop to the GalleryGrid motion.div container and to each ArtworkCard motion.div so Framer Motion handles the masonry reflow smoothly
Commission form sends without validation — all fields optional in the current schemaWhy: V0 may generate the commission form without HTML required attributes or server-side validation, meaning empty or malformed submissions reach your email handler.
Fix: Add zod validation to the commission form server action before calling Resend. Reject submissions with missing or invalid fields and return an error message to the form.
Add zod validation to the commission form server action: z.object({ name: z.string().min(1), email: z.string().email(), projectType: z.string(), budget: z.string(), description: z.string().min(20) }).parse(formData)`Import Error | Failed to load '@supabase/ssr' from 'blob...'` in V0 preview after adding Supabase StorageWhy: V0's esm.sh preview sandbox cannot resolve the @supabase/ssr package at runtime. The error appears when you add the Supabase artwork upload flow to the admin page.
Fix: Test all Supabase Storage and auth integration only after deploying to Vercel production, where full npm resolution runs. In preview, mock the upload with a placeholder response.
Skip Supabase in preview by adding a conditional: if (process.env.NODE_ENV === 'production') run the storage upload, else show a mock success message
Template vs. custom — the honest call
A forked template gets you far, fast. Here's where it holds up, and where you'll outgrow it.
The template is enough when
- You need a gallery portfolio live today to start taking commission inquiries
- The gallery + lightbox + FilterBar workflow matches your standard portfolio format
- You are a solo artist and do not need client accounts, a shop, or multi-user features
- The CommissionsCTA or a simple inquiry form is sufficient lead capture for your current volume
Go custom when
- You need a full e-commerce shop to sell prints, original pieces, or digital downloads with Stripe
- You want rights-managed image licensing where watermarks are removed automatically on purchase
- You need a client-proofing system where clients log in, review, and formally approve work
- Your portfolio requires video or animation reels with a custom player beyond what next/image supports
RapidDev can extend this artist portfolio into a full creative business site — with Supabase artwork CMS, Stripe print sales, and client approval workflows.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Artist Portfolio v0 template free to use?
Yes. The template is free to fork from the v0.dev community gallery. You need a free V0 account to fork it. Forking the template does not cost any generation credits — credits are only consumed when you prompt V0 to make changes after forking.
Can I use this template commercially — for paid client projects or a portfolio that sells commissions?
Yes. V0 community templates are released for commercial use. You own the code in your fork and can deploy it as a paid portfolio, commission site, or client project. There are no royalty or attribution requirements from V0.
Why does my fork break the lightbox or filter animations in V0 preview?
A few things cause this. First, Framer Motion AnimatePresence requires the 'use client' directive on any component that uses it — if V0 places a Framer animation inside a Server Component during a generation, it will throw at render time. Second, the layout prop must be set on both the GalleryGrid container and each ArtworkCard for the filter transition to work correctly. Third, the LightboxViewer mobile tap issue (click not registering) is a preview environment limitation — deploy to production and test on a real device.
How do I add my own artwork images if they are hosted on Cloudinary or another CDN?
You need to add your CDN domain to the images.remotePatterns array in next.config.js. Open the Git panel in V0, connect a GitHub repo, pull locally, and edit next.config.js to include your domain. Alternatively, prompt V0: 'Add [your CDN domain] to images.remotePatterns in next.config.js.' Without this, next/image will throw 'Invalid src prop' for any external image URL.
How do I connect a database so I can manage my portfolio without editing code?
The advanced Supabase prompt in the prompt pack above sets up a full artwork CMS: a Supabase table called 'artworks', a Storage bucket called 'portfolio-images', and a hidden /admin upload page. After running that prompt and adding SUPABASE_URL and SUPABASE_ANON_KEY to the Vars panel, you can upload new artwork from your browser without touching code.
Can I accept payment for commissions directly through this template?
The template includes a CommissionsCTA and the prompt pack adds an inquiry form — but neither processes payments. To accept deposits or full payment, you would need to add Stripe Checkout via a server action. The template is designed for lead capture (inquiry form → email), not a full transaction flow. If you need Stripe integration, that falls into the custom build territory.
Why does the commission form submit without validating the fields?
V0 generates form components without required attributes or server-side validation by default. Use the commission form prompt from the prompt pack above — it includes a zod schema in the server action that rejects empty names, invalid emails, and descriptions under 20 characters before anything reaches Resend.
Can RapidDev help extend this template beyond what V0 can do?
Yes. RapidDev specializes in extending V0 portfolio prototypes into full creative business sites — things like Stripe print sales, a Supabase-backed artwork CMS with admin panel, client proofing with Clerk auth, and Core Web Vitals optimization for image-heavy galleries. Reach out if your needs go beyond what the prompt pack covers.
Outgrowing the template?
RapidDev turns v0 prototypes into production apps — real auth, database, and payments — at $13K–$25K.
Book a free consultation30-min call. No commitment.