Element Printmaking - Ethan McLeer

My element is Helium. Its atomic symbol is "He" n the atomic symbol is "2". Helium is one of the most basic elements in the universe. It has 2 protons, neutrons, and electrons. Helium is lighter than air so it will float. Helium is commonly used in balloons for this property. Helium is also used in welding. The helium will protect the fresh weld for a moment so it can cool off enough for the weld to be functional. In my prints, you have a welder that is in the middle of welding. There is a lot of chaos in actual welding which is accurately depicted in the print. For the process of making the print, I started off with a sketch and then transferred that to tracing paper. I then put the tracing paper on a foam plate and traced the image onto the foam. From there, I put ink on the foam and put that on the paper. If I were to do this again, I would try to find a better tool for making lines in the foam. The lines I have now are a bit too thick. The part I enjoyed the most was the sketching. I liked being able to see what worked and what didn't. It was helpful for the result of my final prints.