How to make your portfolio site? The emphasis in design or usability?

It's possible to combine.

Was the twelfth year of freelancing, their website and not the, uh - this is the question of need :)
But to do that, of course, is better than not to do if you have the time.

How to make - depends on CA, if the CA private clients and small-town Studio, alas, the majority chooses exclusively through the eyes (and partially the thrill of the speed), so if you can cram the whistles that are not inhibited, then definitely need to the code, there is rarely someone looks, the idea of your qualifications is based on "wow-effects", as in performance of this TSA animation is a measure of skill and generally most difficult on the web.
If TSA more serious - then you need to combine.
A serious aim at the TSA with "simple" the site makes sense only if you publicly do something and do it well (speak at conferences, have promoted the channel on the tube, and so on) - in this case, it is possible to afford to make page where will be only your photos and contacts near.

Depends for what purpose.

If mailing headhunters - better as simply as possible with a focus on projects.

If for yourself - can be a kink as anything.

If for clients - so it is not needed. Portfolio on dribble/behance and exchanges work much better, because they are in one context with client flows.

Freelancer. I want to make a portfolio website (though whether it is necessary?).

Yes, it is. The presence of its own and most importantly quality of a site is a good thing.

Did an easy single-page site, but I can do something cool with the animations, 3d models and everything.

You need to look at what kind of CA you are focused and based on what you have it, you can choose the level of animations, crazy stuff, and WOW — effects. But do not forget about the burden posed by all these WOW!!! effects. I'm often faced with the fact that many people on their iron does not appear GSAP/Shaders/WebGL or was a terrible load on the device.

That is, for example, instead of some kind of beautiful animations in 3D would just be white space. Or the device may hang for a certain time while watching some of this miracle and it is bad for usability.

It's not too cool, if I may say so. This is not a problem with IE or old versions of other browsers, which could be solved in a couple of clicks. No. Here it is much more difficult. If iron man is weak, he will not see all the beauty that you can cram on the site.

So before you create a great WOW — think, and whether it will be displayed in people with weak phones/computers. Not be amiss to spend a little test, if you really just like the cool animations. IMHO.

But I'm afraid that while a visitor is in my head all this analyses, it will spend a lot of time to reach the required unit.

The visitor will look at the design of the website, its functionality, the design, the amount of information and at this point will begin the process of admiration or rejection(depends on how good or bad). And only when it reaches the desired block(if he comes), he will decide what to do next. To discuss your order or leave your website and forget the address. Okay.

To focus on the simplicity or show your skill with your website?

Based on the foregoing me, I can say only one thing: show your skill, but be careful not get too carried away. Your website is your creation and you have my personal creation to show what you can do. To show a neat approach, capabilities, branding, and so on.

What about the design: try to stick to not too saturated images. Sometimes simply black, much better rainbow of gradients, and black with white and a couple of other colors, generally pretty good. But this is all a matter of taste, personal choice, experience, time, TSA and other...

You can even site with pink unicorns and donuts to make, and it will be fun and nice to visitors, but again the emphasis on Central Asia. Depends on what sites you do and for what audience. IMHO.

We know what you're doing, maybe a month ago wondering what design is and what its doing. Another student is trying your luck at working remotely. In the furnace. Frivolous and, more importantly, silly question