iodine - 53

    printed by Kylie Budge

    Iodine: Iodine is a shiny blue-black solid element. The French scientist Bernard Courtois discovered it in 1811 in seaweed when he treated seaweed ash with sulfuric acid. Dried seaweeds, particularly those of the Liminaria family, contain as much as 0.45% iodine. Iodine is primarily used in medicine, photography and dyes. It naturally occurs in the environment chiefly as a dissolved substance in sea water, although it is also found in some minerals and soils. (Source: www.mii.org/Minerals/photoiodine.html)

    I was inspired to use images of the sea and kelp in my print design because of the strong iodine content in this particular seaweed. I didn't know about iodine in seaweed until I lived in Japan where people eat many different kinds of seaweed every day. I've grown to love eating seaweed through nori, kombu, hijiki and wakame in Japanese food.

    Printmaking process: This print was made using the traditional Japanese woodblock printing method. First a woodblock was carved with the design and then watercolour inks were applied to the block. Then Japanese paper (pre-dampened) was carefully placed over this and a baren (a small, round, flat disc covered in a bamboo leaf) was used to rub across the back of the paper. The paper is then taken off the block and placed flat to dry between dry sheets of newspaper.

    Comments and faves

    1. wingedlion (61 months ago | reply)

      A nicely cut print ! I think it would also work well in color, in deep warm brown, like iodine solution, for instance.

    2. carenloebelfried (61 months ago | reply)

      Ooooh! I love this!! The flowing kelp and the fish swimming through and around it. Very successful design, and theme!

    3. almapottery (61 months ago | reply)

      I love this.A nice japanese feel to it

    4. lookability (61 months ago | reply)

      Beautiful - and great process.

    5. ★

      sj_block added this photo to her favorites. (58 months ago)

    6. kylie budge (57 months ago | reply)

      thanks so much for all your lovely comments on this print of mine :)

    7. ★

      book sniffer added this photo to their favorites. (53 months ago)

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