All design options live in your Portfolio Editor and are split into two main areas:
Branding (fonts, colors, visual identity)
Layout (structure and how content is displayed)
This guide walks you through both.
Where to Find the Design Settings
Go to your Portfolio Editor
In the top right, click Branding or Layout. These two sections work together:
Branding defines how your portfolio looks
Layout defines how your portfolio is structured
Branding: Fonts, Colors, and Visual Identity
Branding settings allow you to subtly (or boldly) express your personal brand , whether that’s clean and minimal, editorial, bold, or modern.
Fonts
Authory provides curated font pairs (headline + body font) that are designed to work well together.
Click Fonts
Select a font pair
See the preview update instantly
This makes it easy to find a typography style that fits how you want your work to feel (professional, modern, editorial, or personal) without having to make complex design decisions.
Background Color
You can change the overall background color of your portfolio.
The default is white. You can switch to soft colors, darker tones, or anything in between.
This background color applies consistently across:
Your portfolio homepage
Collections
Individual content items
Accent Color
Accent colors are used for interactive elements such as:
Buttons (Collection tabs, Subscribe, Contact)
Hover effects
Links
Choose an accent color that contrasts well with your background and reflects your personal style. Once saved, this color is applied automatically across your portfolio.
Header Cover
The header can be styled separately from the rest of the page:
You can:
Upload a cover image
Use a plain color
Remove the cover entirely
If you remove the cover, the background color you selected in Branding will extend to the top of the page, creating a cleaner, more minimal look.
You can re-add a cover image at any time.
Layout: Structuring Your Portfolio
While branding controls visual style, layout controls structure, as in, how visitors move through your portfolio and consume your work.
Header Layout Options
Authory offers three header layouts:
Centered (default)
Left-aligned (larger profile picture)
Sidebar (a more editorial or magazine-style layout)
Each layout creates a very different first impression, while still keeping everything readable and professional.
Collections Layout: Tabs vs Grid
Collections can be displayed in two ways:
1. Tabs (default)
Collections appear as tabs at the top of your portfolio
The first collection is open by default
Visitors can switch between collections without leaving the page
This works well if you want visitors to immediately see your work samples.
2. Grid
Visitors first see an overview of your collections
Each collection opens on its own page
Each collection can have its own background, headline, and description
This option is ideal if you want to guide visitors more deliberately through your work or create more distinct sections.
Content Layout (Tabs View Only)
If you’re using Tabs for collections, you can choose how content items are displayed:
Grid (default)
Masonry
Stacked (larger previews)
List
Text-only
This layout choice applies to all collections when using Tabs.
Content Layout (Grid View)
When using Grid for collections:
Each collection can have its own content layout
One collection might use a stacked view
Another might use a grid or list view
This gives you more flexibility to adapt layout to the type of content you’re showing.
How Branding Applies Everywhere
Branding settings apply consistently across:
Your main portfolio
Standalone collections
Individual content items (when shared directly)
This means:
Fonts stay consistent
Background and accent colors carry through
Your portfolio looks cohesive no matter what someone is viewing
Branding can only be changed from your portfolio homepage, but it affects everything downstream.
Examples: Same Content, Very Different Portfolios
Using the same content, small changes to:
Fonts
Colors
Header layout
Collections layout
Content layout
...can result in portfolios that feel very different.
All the examples below are the exact same content, just different layout and branding settings.
Minimal
Editorial
Bold
Dark
Highly visual
Clean and text-focused
The goal is flexibility without complexity: No design manual required, and no way to accidentally make things look broken.
Key Takeaway
Authory’s branding and layout system lets you:
Express your personal brand
Control how visitors experience your work
Create visually distinct portfolios with minimal effort
All while keeping everything easy to understand, fast to adjust, and consistently professional.