Behance is an online platform used by creatives around the world to showcase and discover creative work. On the site https://www.behance.net, users can create profiles to share their projects, process, and collaborations in fields like graphic design, photography, illustration, and more.
One way users share their work on Behance is through project or portfolio galleries. These galleries allow creatives to organize all their relevant work into a curated showcase that tells the story of their creative vision and process. The galleries are often used to apply for jobs, solicit feedback from peers, or simply document their journey and progress. With over 10 million users on the site, the galleries provide valuable exposure and networking opportunities for emerging artists and designers.
While galleries are most commonly used to feature visual creative works like graphic designs, illustrations, or photographs, some innovative users have begun utilizing the platform to share written creative works as well through “essay galleries”. These galleries feature long-form written content, often on creative or design-related topics, presented and formatted like a traditional essay or article.
One example is the essay gallery “An Essay on Failure” by designer Luke Jones. In over 8,000 words spread across multiple pages on Behance, Jones shares deeply personal stories and insights from failures in his design career. With elegant layouts and illustrations to break up the text, he candidly examines what he’s learned from setbacks. The gallery has received over 10,000 views and 500 comments, demonstrating how written essays can also engage audiences on Behance.
Another creative using the gallery format for written work is Michaela Lakicevic, who published the 5,000+ word essay “On Creativity and Staying Bold” on her profile. Focusing on pushing creative boundaries despite fears of failure or rejection, she reflected on lessons learned over her decade long career. With text interspersed with her bold illustrations, Lakicevic created a cohesive reading experience on Behance that showcased both her writing and visual skills. Her gallery garnered positive feedback from others seeking courage to take creative risks.
Of course, when presenting long-form written works on a visual platform like Behance, attention must be paid to ensure the writing and any accompanying layouts or graphics come together harmoniously. Simply copying and pasting blocks of text risks losing readers. Incorporating design elements thoughtfully supports the reading experience.
Designers Tom Wujec and Brian Singer created an exemplary essay gallery called “Lessons Learned: Stories from 35 Years in Design” that uses a magazine-style layout to enhance the 12,000 word written piece. Each section begins with an illustrated title slide followed by pages organized with headers, pull quotes, and images that maintain reader engagement throughout. Careful formatting presents the writing in an aesthetically pleasing manner fit for Behance.
By creatively using the project gallery format, writers are finding new ways to share and promote long-form written works to Behance’s large design community. With opportunities to break up text visually and leverage Behance’s social capabilities, galleries allow written works to reach broader audiences and participate in the feedback culture of the site. For creatives looking to strengthen their written communication skills or publishing credentials, “essay galleries” offer an innovative format for showcasing works on Behance and potentially kickstarting new collaborations or career opportunities. As more visual storytellers incorporate writing into their practices, it will be interesting to see how the merging of art and writing continues to evolve on platforms like Behance.
While primarily focused on visual arts, the creative network Behance is seeing potential for written creative works through innovative “essay galleries” that thoughtfully combine long-form writing with design elements. By carefully crafting layouts that enhance reading experiences, galleries provide writers a new outlet for sharing personalities, stories, and ideas – improving discoverability and exposure within Behance’s expansive global community of creatives. With attentive formatting that leverages both words and aesthetics, these galleries show writing can participate meaningfully alongside visual arts on the leading online creative platform.