Andrea L PtakMy company name, Communicating Words & Images, defines my philosophy. The words-the message-matter. The visuals-the typography, layout, images, and colors-all work together to enhance the message.From 1974-81, I worked for a variety of firms in the cmmunications industry, including a local newspaper, three advertising agencies, a corporate in-house agency, and a large commercial printing company. This experience gave me the skills to strike out on my own in 1981, when I opened a six-person, full-service design and photography studio in San Antonio. In 1993, with my industry fully revolutionized by the computer, I moved to Seattle and downsized to a home office. This technical background and 40+ years of experience give me the perfect blend of old-school knowledge and digital technology to ensure that my work meets a high level of quality.As a designer, I excel at text-intensive projects like books, in addition to complex publications for non-profits and professional organizations where much of the content comes from staff and volunteer writers. My left and right brains work in tandem to organize the materials and produce a finished product designed to guide the reader through the text and images. My typography is top-notch as I give a great deal of attention to details like kerning and text flow. You'll find no widows, orphans, rivers, or strings of multiple hyphens in my work. Read More Read Less