2/10/2025

Lampblack is a black pigment created through an incomplete combustion reaction, where carbon-rich materials such as oil or tar burn in a limited supply of air, producing soot that is collected as a fine powder. The primary element involved in this process is carbon. 

Today, we made lampblack ink. The process involves mixing gum arabic and alcohol, then applying it to a heated silverware utensil to produce a charred substance known as soot. the technique i used is the knife method ans two fires letting one knife sit over the two candles to produce soot fast. my technique worked really well.

Chemistry plays a key role in paper making because it involves processes like breaking down wood fibers into pulp, which is then turned into paper. Chemicals like sodium hydroxide and sodium sulfide help dissolve the lignin in wood, making the fibers easier to bond. In handmade paper, the process is more personal and artistic, as artistsans choose the fibers, control texture, and even add natural dyes or embedded materials. This makes handmade paper unique and cool.

In today's class we learned about Chinese painting, we explored light and dark brushwork with ink/ dye. We practiced delicate strokes for soft lines on elements like petals, then transitioned to heavier strokes to add depth and contrast. The lesson focused on controlling brush pressure to achieve a balance of tones, enhancing the mood and texture of our artwork.

For our dying and bonding lab, Our technique resembled the dyeing methods used in Africa (batana wax)  rather than those in India and Japan.. We began by applying glue using sticks to create our mural. One person handled two corners, another managed one corner, and I took care of the final corner. Once we finished applying the glue, we allowed it to dry so the mural would be visible after dyeing. Next, we wrapped rubber bands around the bandanna and submerged it in dye from the other table. Finally, we unraveled the bandanna to reveal our finished results.

Today we made woven designs representing chemical bonds. There are two kinds of bonds: ionic and covalent.  My partner and I chose to create an ionic bond design. I chose the colors orange and yellow while Jackson did red and blue. These different colors represent the attraction between oppositely charged ions. Ionic bonds happen between metals and nonmetals, using the outer electrons aka valence electrons!! If you struggle to remember, "Co" from covalent usually means sharing or together, while ionic represents charge. Overall, I really enjoyed this activity and I had the opportunity to converse with classmates I usually don't interact with.

Throughout my project, I combined 2 steam subjects: engineering and technology and design. The two were used to represent objects in my drawing. One thing I learned from this project is what my element is used for and it's periodic information. In my drawing there's a machine that represents the making of zirconium teeth that relates to engineering. For technology and design, I drew different types of jewelry that contains zirconium. For elements of art, my drawing included shape, color, value, and a little bit of texture. For principles of design my drawing included unity and pattern. The P.O.D that worked for me best was pattern because I tried to show repetition in teeth and rings.