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Sonja M. Torres

Professional Summary

Spanaway, WA

Skills:
 
Software: Hardware:
  • Adobe Illustrator
  • Adobe InDesign
  • CorelDraw
  • Freehand
  • Dreamweaver
  • FrontPage
  • Photoshop & ImageReady
  • Quark
  • MS Word, Excel & PowerPoint
  • Gerber Composer & Omega
  • Signlab
  • Adobe Acrobat
  • Hewlett-Packard 5000 6-color oversize printer
  • Embosstrak 48 Plotter
  • Gerber Graphix 4B Sign cutter
  • Gerber Edge
  • Flat bed and oversize scanners
  • Roll and flat laminators

Training & Education:

  • 20+ years on the job experience, including sign making and silkscreen industry
  • Pierce College Digital Design Program (graphic design and business skills)
  • CompuMaster & Pryor Pamphlet and Brochure Design seminars
  • CompuMaster Website Building Seminar
  • CompuMaster Photoshop Conference
Other Qualifications: I’ve been an artist all my life, always drawing from the time I could hold a crayon. Following that path, I began learning about graphic design in high school and then entered the print industry, quickly followed by 11 years in sign making and silkscreen design, then adding web design to my skills after that. I am adept at recreating logos and polishing customer supplied art that may be below print quality, and at managing large volumes of work with pending deadlines. In my 23 years in the business, I’ve done graphics for every format and my gift is making them all work together, so I can take a concept such as creating a logo design and then translate it effectively into print, web and banner designs, and even hand-paint a mural of it on the business wall if that’s what is needed. Experience also includes newsletter writing and editing; creative writing; marketing. Pierce College Digital Design degree is nearly complete, 3.98 GPA

Work History:

9/2008-12/2009: Valley Sign, Orting, WA
Graphic Artist/Executive Assistant
Duties: Create graphic designs and logos for sandblasted wood signs using Signlab, assist in sign making production including vinyl and masking cutting,  masking lay-up and painting. Office duties include supervising employees, writing orders, processing sales and managing employee timesheets.

8/2003-9/2008: Carlson Wagonlit Travel, Tacoma, WA
Graphic Artist/Marketing Coordinator
Duties: Create marketing collateral for all branches and facets of travel agency sales including newspapers, flyers, postcards, magazines, tee shirt designs and Internet; coordinate marketing planning and billing with co-op venders; design and maintain company's websites; prepare company contracts, business letters and invoices; manage petty cash and deposits.

4/2002-5/2003: Kinko's, Tacoma, WA
Graphic Artist/Sign maker
Duties: Layout and prepare artwork and scale drawings for sign and banner making using Gerber Omega, Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, Pagemaker 6.5 and Acrobat; design and produce cut vinyl signs and banners as well as various large printed products; help customers use computers and copy machines, assist with bindery, laminating and mounting processes.

8/2000-8/2001: Travel Chair Company, Gig Harbor, WA
Graphic Artist
Duties: Layout and prepare artwork and scale drawings for silk-screening using CorelDraw and Adobe Illustrator; create and maintain www.travelchair.com website according to company design using FrontPage and Photoshop; design product labels and advertising materials for magazines and mailings; prepare and reclaim screens, set up silk-screens for various print jobs and mix inks to Pantone Matching System.

9/1991-9/2000: Zumar Industries, Inc., Tacoma, WA
Graphic Artist
Duties: Layout and prepare artwork and scale drawings for silkscreen processing using amberlith film. Layout is done to state or customer specifications and performed primarily with a Gerber Graphix Advantage Composer computer program and Embosstrak friction-feed plotter. Other methods include using the Gerber Graphix 4B Sign cutting machine, hand cutting amber and hand-applying vinyl and reflective materials directly to sign surfaces. Supervisory duties include training and helping the screen processor, keeping track of orders due and monitoring work hours and breaks. Job also includes communicating with customers about job/computer requirements, layout possibilities, and answering their questions. Other graphic programs used regularly are Adobe Illustrator and CorelDraw.

9/1987-9/1991: Western Metal Arts, Tacoma and Kent, WA
Graphics Assistant
Duties: Prepare film negatives and positives for silkscreen and acid etching processes using horizontal-rail and vertical cameras, step-and-repeat machine and typesetting machine.

References and portfolio available upon request. Download .pdf version of resume.