Donal Jolley's Portfolio

Since I left my full-time job in lithography in August 1994, I have tried to push the boundaries of Photoshop design. From New York Times Bestselling Book covers to cartooning to complex works utilizing over 100 Photoshop layers in one piece, I comfortable in many different design environments and the requirements that follow.

The portfolio on this website covers a wide variety of design work, though not every particular style or category. For example, though I have done work for major product manufacturers, publishers, non-profits, design agencies and small companies I've chosen not to publish direct sales materials, logo design, book design or CD covers. I'm one of those people you might find at Border's or Barnes & Noble pouring over design books of all sorts, and go to used book stores and antique malls just to dig up old books and magazines to study how the "old guys" did it. One of my favorite quotes is attributed to Frederic W. Goudy, the influential type designer who said "All of the old guys stole our best tricks!"

There is no such thing as a perfect designer or a perfect client. I have my share of clients that didn't fit and jobs that didn't thrill me. As I went through pieces I've created over the past ten years or so it was easy to remember what was going through my mind as I created just about every piece. One of the remarkable things to me was that no matter how I felt about a client or a job the work itself remained consistent. There wasn't much difficulty in choosing pieces representative of a particular style or method.

The other thing that came to mind was that other people have always been more impressed with my work than I am. To me it is more important to be a good friend, father, brother and son, and in a client relationship to work as effectively, efficiently and as cost-effective as possible than to be known as some hot-shot designer or author.

One thing I've always felt strongly about is the practice of designing for awards. I am by no means an introvert, and while I don't think it immodest to say one is excellent at one's job if it's true, I have never been one to toot my own horn. I know I could make a lot more money and gain a higher reputation by becoming active in design guilds and entering my work in competitions, but that's just not me. Put me in with the kids at the elementary, middle or high schools and I'm in my environment! Let me draw with a sick kid at the hospital or a bored sibling at my boy's hockey practice and we'll end up best friends for life. That's a whole lot more fun and a lot more memorable for both participants.

Oh, and I just hate returning phone calls. It's a phobia kind of thing and I probably shouldn't write this, but it's true and there aren't any self-help groups for it. Totally comfortable when talking on the phone but returning calls makes my blood pressure rise. Weird, but true.