Printmaking Element Print
- My element was Gallium, and it's atomic number was 31.
- Gallium was discovered in 1875 in Paris, France by a french chemist named Paul E. Lecoq de Boisbaudran. Before it’s discovery, the father of the periodic table Dmitri Mendeleev predicted it’s place on the periodic table. He named it eka-aluminum as he predicted it would be placed below aluminum on the periodic table. Gallium’s main use is often combined with arsenic to create Gallium arsenide, which is dominantly used in electronics. Such electronics include the circuits of microwaves, infrared circuits, and high speed switching circuits. Also, Gallium is part of gallium nitride and indium gallium nitride, which is used in production of semiconductors mainly for solar panels, and laser and light emitting diodes. Gallium can also be used as a substitute for mercury in medical thermometers.
- My idea for the imagery was that since gallium is often used in electronic motherboards and such, I decided to place it inside of a computer screen, combined with a mouse, and electrical pathways coming out the side, representing the motherboard.
- I went through a strict process that I had in mind to create this print. I wanted to dish out as many ideas as possible for my print; some of the prototypes that I came up with was the Ga31 being microwaved in a microwave, lasers shooting at the atomic number and symbol, and the sun shining down on solar panels engraved with Gallium's atomic number and symbol. I ultimately chose the computer design due to it's connection to modern day society, and also it will be easily recognizable.
- If I did this print a second time, I would have probably tried to make the colors more full instead of making it look faded, because the fade does not play in with the theme of computers being old and what not. By making my color a bit more stand out, the computer will shine brightly on the print.
- I really enjoyed making the actual print, and using the ink alongside the brayer roller. It was really interactive, and it got me thinking that people do this as a profession, so they could make really cool designs with this kind of technique.
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