Elizabeth HatzenbuehlerAndrea Leigh Ptak's philosophy: The words-the message-matter. The visuals-the typography, layout, images, and colors-all work together to enhance the message. From 1974-81, she worked for a variety of firms in the communications industry, including alocal newspaper, three advertising agencies, a corporate in-house agency, and a large commercial printing company. This experience gave her the skills to strike out on her own in 1981, when she opened a six-person, full-service design and photography studio in San Antonio. In 1993, with her industry fully revolutionized by the computer, she moved to Seattle and downsized to a home office. This technical background and 40+ years of experience give her the perfect blend of old-school knowledge and digital technology to ensure that her work meets a high level of quality. As a designer, Ptak excels at text-intensive projects like books. Her typography is top-notch as she gives 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 her work. Read More Read Less