About the Project

“Elements – Experiments in Character Design” was my senior thesis project. It premiered at the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design Senior Thesis Exhibition from April 2011 – May 2011 with 72 element characters. In November of 2011, 40 more elements were completed, and in May 2017, the final six elements (113-118) were completed.

Shortly after its premiere, the project went viral from being featured on websites such as BoredPanda and The Mary Sue, and is still circulating the internet ten years later. I am perpetually amazed and humbled by all of the teachers, students, parents, and art fans have reached out to me about the project.

Elements Shop

Do you want a copy of Elements for yourself? Visit my shop for flashcards, downloadable PDFs, a digital coloring book, and more! Most digital downloads are pay-what-you-want, and educators can get a special discount code!

Visit My Shop

The Elements on display at Discovery World in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Press

Frequently Asked Questions

How did you come up with this project?

I came up with this project in my high school chemistry class. We were watching a video about the periodic table of elements, and the narrator was acting out/personifying some of the elements. Instead of taking notes like a good student, I started drawing human element characters. I created a whole story around them  and drew them throughout the rest of my high school and college years. It was an idea I had always been very passionate about, which is why I decided to make it my senior project!

Will this project be available as a poster?

I am not actively making a poster at this time. I have flashcards and PDFs available in my shop, and I personally recommend my high-resolution PDF that you can print out and hang up in your classroom/bedroom/etc.!

You spelled something wrong, or one of your element facts is inaccurate.

(Technically not a question, but whatever.) I am always open to hearing feedback regarding facts or errors you may have spotted – even though I have researched the elements thoroughly, I am NOT a science major and am always looking for new and correct information. I may even be willing to change/alter some of the facts in future iterations of the Elements.

Can I use your designs in a project/presentation/my classroom/etc.?

Please see my Terms of Use (below) for how you can use the Elements!

Can I do fanart/fanfiction/other fan interpretations of your Elements?

By all means, yes! I would love that! Just remember that I do own the copyright to the Elements, and please don’t do anything that will make money off of them. For more information on anything NOT labeled a fanwork, please see my Terms of Use below.

I’d love to collaborate with you on an Elements-related project (board game, comic book, etc.)!

I get a lot of these requests, and although I am flattered, I do not have any current plans to collaborate with anyone on the canon (or “official”) version of “Elements”.

You mentioned that educators get a special discount on items in your shop?

Yes indeed! Educators, please email me at kaycie.kcd@gmail.com using your school email account, and I will send you the discount code.

Terms of Use

Last updated 12/15/2021 - Click to Expand

Updated 12/28/22
(added re: AI use)

My Elements art MAY be used in the following circumstances:

– For use in school projects or classrooms IF you provide credit to my name (Kaycie D.) and a link back to my site: kcdstudios.com
– Reposting on your blog/tumblr/site/Facebook page IF you provide credit to my name (Kaycie D.) AND a link back to my site: kcdstudios.com (When in doubt, it’s always best to provide a link, rather than downloading the images and re-uploading them back onto the web.)
– For fan art/fan fiction purposes on your personal blog/tumblr/site/Facebook page IF you state that the works are fan-made and provide credit of the idea/characters to my name (Kaycie D.) and a link back to my site: kcdstudios.com

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My Elements art MAY NOT be used in the following circumstances:

– for reposting on your blog/tumblr/site/Facebook page WITHOUT my consent, knowledge, my name (Kaycie D.), or a link back to my site: kcdstudios.com
– for commercial use, such as merchandise (t-shirts, mugs, posters, etc.)
– for the purposes of editing, such as modification or removal of any image/information
– for any mass-produced digital publishing, such as an app or eBook
– for any blockchain-related technology including NFTs, cryptocurrency, or future inventions in the space
– for any artificially-generated technology (i.e. Lensa) or future inventions in the space

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For any questions about usage not covered on this page, PLEASE email me at: kaycie.kcd@gmail.com