· Inspiring Growth, one artwork at a time ·
By Julia de Schultz, April 9, 2025
Everything from stardust to smartphones begins with the periodic table.
Growing up, the periodic table always felt like something distant — a boring set of elements with strict rules I didn’t care to learn.
It was a tool for people who were actually into chemistry, which definitely wasn’t me at the time.
I never imagined I’d one day create periodic table wall art that made this complex tool feel alive and beautiful. It never felt tangible or real. Maybe I wasn’t listening properly; maybe it was how it was taught — more like a checklist than something living and breathing.
Either way, I always missed out on the magic.
It wasn’t until much later that something finally clicked.
In Living Untethered by Michael A. Singer he briefly explains the origin of matter. That moment opened up a wholly different perspective for me.
Suddenly, the periodic table wasn’t just a dusty old chart — it was the foundation of everything. I started diving deeper into the origins of the universe, the building blocks of nature and the elements that make up everything around us.
Each element became something to appreciate — something without which life as we know it would not exist.
For the first time, the connection between the periodic table and how it maps who we are, where we come from and what we’re doing with Earth’s finite resources.
The periodic table now speaks a poetic truth to me. Here are some of the facts that altered everything for me:
The Periodic Table organises all known chemical elements — currently 118 — by their atomic number, electron configuration and recurring chemical properties.
Hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe — and fuels stars.
Every atom in your body, the oxygen you breathe, the calcium in your bones, the iron in your blood — comes from stars that exploded billions of years ago.
These atoms are recycled over again and again. The atoms passing through you right now may once have been stone, tree or even dinosaur. (To explore the table in more depth, check out this interactive version by the Royal Society of Chemistry.)
The layout of the table isn’t random — it reveals patterns in behaviour, such as how elements in the same column tend to act similarly.
Dmitri Mendeleev, who created the first version in 1869, left deliberate gaps predicting elements that hadn’t been discovered yet — and has been proved correct.
The table provides a kind of cosmic code — one containing the building blocks of stars, planets and people.
My shift in perspective led directly to the creation of The Elements of the World Print a piece of periodic table wall art that invites you to feel something about the universe, not just observe it.
I didn’t want to make another “perfect” periodic table—of which there are already plenty in existence. I wanted to pair it with the philosophical truth that we all exist on a huge ball of dirt, made up of each of these elements, spinning in a vast, dark universe.
It’s meant to evoke the perspective enjoyed by astronauts: that shows you Earth without borders.
You see one planet — made up of the same core ingredients and shared by all.
5. Why This Design Is Different
I like structure. I like things to look neat — even if I’m not always neat myself.
There’s something satisfying about order and clarity.
This design delivers clean lines, precise text and room for interpretation.
The periodic table sits at the centre though doesn’t scream for attention. The information is precisely delivered and the planet floats in a gravity field of text.
I enjoy learning and distilling things down to their essence — no fluff, just the most important insights.
What makes this periodic table wall art different isn’t just the data; it’s the design, symbolism, and emotion behind it. I’ve packed the print with exactly that: compact, clear information you can explore in your own time without it taking over the room.
I used the periodic table symbols for each naturally occurring element on Earth, turned them into unique patterns, and wrapped the world in them visually. Each pattern represents a different element, and together they form a textured view of the planet’s invisible ingredients.
Some people have asked whether these patterns represent the actual locations where those elements are found — and they don’t. Many elements appear in multiple places, and some regions are rich in several. It just wasn’t practical or necessary to map it out geographically and that was never the point.
Instead, the idea was symbolic: to reflect the fact that everything on Earth is made of these elements. I used blue tones for some of the element groups — not because they chemically relate to water, but because I chose to represent the oceans with them. It was a purely aesthetic decision, guided by what felt visually balanced and calming.
The goal was to bring together science, structure, and visual beauty — not to overwhelm, though to create something that quietly draws you in.
This print is for anyone who sees the world differently and wishes their art to represent the world the same way
— science lovers, deep thinkers, students, or just curious souls.
Whether it ends up on a child’s bedroom wall, a classroom, home office, or kitchen wall — it’s there to spark thought, encourage reflection and remind you of how beautifully connected everything is.
“The nitrogen in our DNA, the calcium in our teeth, the iron in our blood, the carbon in our apple pies were made in the interiors of collapsing stars.”
To me, that’s the heart of it. The periodic table isn’t just chemistry — it’s a map of the universe’s creation from leftovers. It helps us make sense of the matter that makes us.
It’s one of the greatest tools humanity has ever created, and doesn’t have to live in textbooks alone.
My hope is that this print makes it feel approachable, inspiring and just a little bit magical.
If you’ve ever felt intimidated by science or thought the periodic table didn’t matter to you — maybe this print will prove your way in.
A quiet reminder of where we come from and what connects us all.
👉 You can explore this unique piece of periodic table wall art in my shop—or share it with someone who loves science, learning, or seeing the world differently.
Let’s bring more curiosity to our walls. 🌍✨
Ray of Light Prints creates large inspirational wall art designed to spark curiosity, deliver meaningful knowledge, and fill your space with wonder.
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