Looking for a super-stylized periodic table

August 1, 2006 1:02 PM

Calling designers: I'm looking for a really stylized periodic table of the elements!

Or at least the symbol for Iron. I need something really cool-looking. Like super-cool. I'm talking super-clean fonts, everything well-designed, creative, etc. Now stop reading the green and get to work!

posted by neilkod to grab bag (33 comments total)

The chemical galaxy is pretty cool. They sell posters.
posted by bonehead at 1:22 PM on August 1, 2006

Stowe's

Benfey's

Zmaczynski's

Giguere's

Rasmol and Chime

More here and here
posted by methylsalicylate at 1:36 PM on August 1, 2006 [2 favorites]

Ok, let me clarify-I'm looking for a more 'traditional' view of the periodic table but with some attention to typography-does that make sense?

Ideally, I'd like a really uber-cool looking version of this.
posted by neilkod at 1:49 PM on August 1, 2006

If you want just the symbol for Iron, why not make one yourself? There are some fantastic fonts out there, and the basic design (info in a box) wouldn't be complicated to make.
posted by chimaera at 1:54 PM on August 1, 2006

I'm not sure that begging graphic designers to work for you for free is the purpose of Ask Metafilter, neilkod.
posted by MegoSteve at 1:57 PM on August 1, 2006 [1 favorite]

http://www.inkscape.org/
posted by Optimus Chyme at 2:01 PM on August 1, 2006

Surely someone has already done some sort of periodic table with a focus on clean typography. And surely someone on the green has seen such example, right?
posted by neilkod at 2:02 PM on August 1, 2006

Here's one that I thought was pretty cool-looking. Any others?
posted by neilkod at 2:06 PM on August 1, 2006

Do you want the whole table or just the entry for Iron? I mean, what do you want? Just clean typefaces? Why can't you do the layout if all you really need is the one for Fe?
posted by Optimus Chyme at 2:25 PM on August 1, 2006

Also, what does "stylized" mean in the context of your question?
posted by Optimus Chyme at 2:26 PM on August 1, 2006

Well, something that looks 'cool' and clean. I'm a database guy-perhaps I'm using the wrong words. I'm looking for an example or two of a periodic table that has had some thought put in to the typography and layout.
posted by neilkod at 2:29 PM on August 1, 2006

How about this?

http://www.dayah.com/periodic/Other/Periodic%20Table.pdf
posted by Optimus Chyme at 2:36 PM on August 1, 2006

By the time you'd asked your question, you could have created 25 different versions of the thing yourself!

By "clean" fonts you probably mean sans-serif fonts, like Verdana or Arial or that new Calibri that Microsoft is touting.

As for layout ... there are only four things to lay out, five if you do that little nucleus diagram in the touchspin flash version you linked to. There are only so many ways to lay out one main and four supplementary bits of information.

Do you want this for a tattoo or something?
posted by AmbroseChapel at 2:37 PM on August 1, 2006

I think he's looking for a "fluffy" version of the periodic table, sorta like the politically incorrect alphabet. Not "cool" like a chemist would think it was cool, but that a 15 year old girl taking chemistry for the first time would think it was cool.
posted by hatsix at 2:37 PM on August 1, 2006

Optimus Chyme, hastix-you're on to something! Is 'sty

Ambrose, I dont have access/know-how of any of these design tools. If I could do it in Sql*Plus, I would have done it already :)
posted by neilkod at 2:41 PM on August 1, 2006

What about this plus this
posted by hatsix at 2:42 PM on August 1, 2006

Maybe stylized wasn't the best word?
posted by neilkod at 2:43 PM on August 1, 2006

I know this is noise in the green, but methylsalicylate, those are awsome!!!!!
posted by Megafly at 2:59 PM on August 1, 2006

You want the 15 year old girl version, eh? Well, I made this for you in like 5 minutes, using nice clean fonts. Is this more like what you want, sort of? You seem to be having trouble describing what you're looking for.
posted by MadamM at 3:02 PM on August 1, 2006

You've read this, I presume?
posted by scrump at 3:02 PM on August 1, 2006

Well there's this one.
posted by washburn at 3:24 PM on August 1, 2006

From what I've seen, the elements and the Periodic Table are just simple squares with lettering. What are we missing?

Can you tell us for what purpose(s) you need it, and perhaps provide an example of things you think are similar? You might help us understand exactly what it is you're looking for.
posted by fandango_matt at 3:28 PM on August 1, 2006

fandango_matt - AmbroseChapel got it first-I'd like to find a clean-looking periodic table and get the Fe symbol (box, numbers, and all) tattoo'd on my right calf. Its a cycling thing.
posted by neilkod at 3:52 PM on August 1, 2006

Aha--so you've decided on a tattoo?
posted by fandango_matt at 5:58 PM on August 1, 2006

Hah! I knew it.

Well if it's a tat, and it stands alone, not as part of a table, then it doesn't need to be square/rectangular, does it?

How about a circle, with the info around the outside?
posted by AmbroseChapel at 6:24 PM on August 1, 2006

Like this?


posted by fandango_matt at 6:27 PM on August 1, 2006

Going crazy with the circle idea, what about something like this:



only a rough idea because I only have Elements on this computer and can't put text on paths.
posted by AmbroseChapel at 6:46 PM on August 1, 2006

fandango_matt - I've decided to get a SECOND tattoo. Here's what I decided on for the first one (thanks the green!)

On preview, it looks a LOT better now that its had some time to heal :)
posted by neilkod at 7:41 PM on August 1, 2006

Ambrose, I'd like to keep it square - I dont think i've ever seen a tattoo of a single element before. Then again, I'm in Utah :/

I think it would be badass to have a single-element tattoo, square and all. It wouldn't be too big so I think I could keep it a square.

Fandango_matt-just like that. I like the little isotope-y thing in the top-right corner on the one that i linked to earlier though.
posted by neilkod at 7:43 PM on August 1, 2006

If you've got the symbol for Scorpio, Separation & change on one leg, why not get the symbol for iron (Mars & male) on the other?
posted by bonehead at 8:25 PM on August 1, 2006

Here's a rendering of the existing and proposed tattoo(s):


posted by fandango_matt at 1:43 AM on August 2, 2006

A link to the PDF was already given, but www.dayah.com/periodic/ is the cleanest, simplest out there that still has a modern look. The layout is featured in a graphic design book called The Anatomy of Design.
posted by Lucent at 4:14 AM on August 2, 2006

fandango_matt, man I haven't laughed this hard before having my coffee in a long time! Imagine my shock when I woke up to check the thread and saw my own skin!
posted by neilkod at 5:56 AM on August 2, 2006