1. Art, illustration, design & visual portfolios
| Resource | Best for | Why it fits | Directory fit |
|---|---|---|---|
| DeviantArt | Digital art, traditional art, fan art, photography, writing, communities | DeviantArt describes itself as an art-and-community platform with over 100 million registered members and more than 650 million pieces of art, making it one of the broadest “show your art” communities online. (DeviantArt) | 92% |
| Cara | Artists who want a more human-made / anti-AI art-sharing space | Cara describes itself as a social media and portfolio-sharing platform for artists and art enthusiasts, built to filter out generative-AI images so people can search for authentic creatives more easily. (Cara) | 95% |
| Behance | Design, illustration, photography, branding, creative portfolios | Behance says it has 50M+ members and is a creative network for showcasing work, finding inspiration, getting hired, selling creative assets, and connecting with creative talent. (Behance) | 90% |
| ArtStation | Concept art, game art, 3D art, animation, entertainment design | ArtStation positions itself as a leading showcase platform for art and design, with portfolios that can include high-resolution images, videos, clips, 3D scenes, and 360 panoramas. (ArtStation) | 88% |
| Dribbble | Graphic design, UI/UX, branding, web design, visual inspiration | Dribbble describes itself as a place where designers gain inspiration, feedback, community, and jobs, and encourages creators to share work and offer services. (Dribbble) | 86% |
| Tumblr | Fan art, fandom, poetry, moodboards, alt/punk/queer creative culture | Tumblr’s app listing frames it as a creative space and art social network where users can share art, connect with fans, and participate in fandom/community. (App Store) | 90% |
| Figma Community | UI kits, design files, templates, zines/layouts, collaborative design | Figma Community lets users find files, templates, plugins, widgets, apps, and creators; users can follow creators and save resources. (Figma Help Center) | 82% |
2. Writing, fanfiction, poetry, zines & storytelling
| Resource | Best for | Why it fits | Directory fit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Archive of Our Own / AO3 | Fanfiction and fanworks | AO3 is described by the Organization for Transformative Works as a nonprofit, non-commercial archive created by and for fans of books, music, art, games, shows, movies, real-person fiction, and other fandoms. (Transformative Works) | 92% for fanworks |
| Royal Road | Web novels, serial fantasy, LitRPG, fanfiction, reader feedback | Royal Road describes itself as a home for web novels and fan fictions, with writers, artists, readers, feedback, and encouragement. (Royal Road) | 88% |
| Wattpad | Serialized fiction, teen/young adult writing, fan communities | Wattpad is widely used for writers sharing stories with readers; a National Centre for Writing article notes that many users share stories for fun with a passionate community. (National Centre for Writing | NCW) | 82% |
| Substack | Essays, newsletters, personal writing, zines, project updates | Substack lets creators publish writing and build subscriber communities, with subscriptions, chat, activity, explore, profiles, and creator tools. (Substack) | 78% with moderation caution |
| Tumblr | Poetry, fanfic snippets, fandom essays, image/text blogging | Strong for expressive, casual, “old internet” creative sharing. Especially useful for fandom and identity-based creative circles. (App Store) | 90% |
| itch.io | Zines, TTRPGs, indie games, comics, experimental writing | itch.io says it is a simple way to find and share indie games online for free, and its community includes people using it for zines, literature, comics, and TTRPGs. (itch.io) | 91% |
3. Music, audio, bands & creative sound
| Resource | Best for | Why it fits | Directory fit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bandcamp | Musicians, bands, demos, albums, fan support | Bandcamp describes itself as an online record store and music community where fans discover, connect with, and directly support artists; fan pages can showcase collections and follow artists. (Bandcamp) | 96% |
| SoundCloud | Demos, songs, remixes, spoken word, casual audio sharing | Strong for “I made a song, listen to this” sharing, especially for beginners and independent musicians. Verify current free upload limits before publishing. | 88% |
| Newgrounds Audio Portal | Indie music, game music, loops, voice acting, animation/game collabs | Newgrounds is a community of artists, game developers, musicians, voice actors, and writers who create and share work across movies, games, audio, art, and community sections. (Newgrounds) | 94% |
| Ko-fi | Musicians and creators sharing updates, demos, downloads, commissions, memberships | Ko-fi lets creators set up a free page, receive tips, sell products, offer memberships, and grow a community. (Ko-fi) | 84% |
| Discord private music servers | Small group feedback, band/project rooms, song-sharing circles | Good for your “show a friend proudly” vibe if moderated and invite-based. Use as a structure, not just random public servers. | 90% |
4. Games, animation, creative coding & interactive projects
| Resource | Best for | Why it fits | Directory fit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Newgrounds | Animation, indie games, art, music, voice acting, old-internet creative community | Newgrounds’ own homepage calls it a community of artists, game developers, musicians, voice actors, and writers creating and sharing work on the web. (Newgrounds) | 96% |
| itch.io | Indie games, game jams, TTRPGs, zines, experimental projects | itch.io describes itself as a simple way to find and share indie games online for free; it is also widely used by indie creators for non-game creative projects. (itch.io) | 94% |
| Scratch | Youth-friendly creative coding, games, animations, interactive stories | Scratch is a free programming language and online community where users can create interactive stories, games, and animations. The Scratch Foundation says millions of kids have created over a billion projects and that moderators help keep the community safe, kind, and welcoming. (Scratch) | 97% for youth/family |
| GitHub | Code projects, websites, open-source tools, game mods, technical portfolios | GitHub is best for technical creators; GitHub docs describe collaborative development models using repositories, branches, pull requests, code review, and discussion. (GitHub Docs) | 80% |
| Figma Community | Interactive prototypes, design systems, web/app mockups, creative templates | Good for people who make digital products, UI, layouts, posters, or community resources and want others to duplicate/remix them. (Figma Help Center) | 82% |
5. DIY, crafts, cosplay, props, maker projects & how-to builds
| Resource | Best for | Why it fits | Directory fit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Instructables | DIY builds, crafts, cosplay, recipes, electronics, home projects, step-by-step guides | Instructables describes itself as a community for people who like to make things, where users can explore, share, and make projects. (Instructables) | 96% |
| Hackaday.io | Hardware hacks, electronics, art-tech, robotics, maker documentation | Hackaday.io describes itself as the largest online repository of open hardware projects and encourages creators to document progress from the idea stage forward. (Hackaday) | 90% |
| Ko-fi | Selling crafts, commissions, digital downloads, memberships, art/cosplay support | Ko-fi supports free creator pages, tips, products, commissions, memberships, and community growth. (Ko-fi) | 84% |
| Tumblr | WIP posts, cosplay progress, art process, fandom craft sharing | Strong for informal “look what I made” posting, especially within fandom/punk/alt circles. (App Store) | 88% |
| Discord project servers | Private sharing, accountability groups, craft circles, mini-painting nights | Great for smaller, safer spaces: “drop your WIP,” “finished project Friday,” “paint night,” “zine night,” etc. | 92% if moderated |
6. 3D printing, miniatures & physical project sharing
| Resource | Best for | Why it fits | Directory fit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Printables | 3D models, STL files, miniatures, tools, cosplay pieces | Printables describes itself as a community site for 3D printer users where people can discover printable 3D models, download them for free, and read articles. (Printables) | 94% |
| Thingiverse | 3D printable files, open sharing, maker designs | Thingiverse describes itself as a community for open hardware where users can download millions of 3D models and files for 3D printers, laser cutters, or CNC. (Thingiverse) | 90% |
| MakerWorld | 3D models, multicolor prints, maker sharing | MakerWorld describes itself as a 3D printing model community for designers and makers with thousands of free 3D models and STL files. (Maker World) | 88% |
| MyMiniFactory | Curated 3D models, tabletop minis, cosplay, creator storefronts | Strong for miniatures/tabletop and paid/free STL creators. Verify creator terms and costs before listing. | 86% |
| Cults3D | 3D models, hobby prints, cosplay, miniatures | Useful, but includes more commercial/premium files; include with cost/license caution. | 78% |