So, I'm a big fan of music (both listening and playing). I was just looking around Google for Steampunk stuff when I happened upon this:
CLICK ME!
A Steampunked guitar! Now, I am a bassist at heart, but I certainly would not mind having one of these on my person. The orb thingy at the bottom piques my interest. I'm not sure if one would actually use it for anything. Maybe the pickups are steam-powered.
It must be good for playing heavy metal.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Steamboy?
What a fascinating movie. It was really quite interesting to see Steampunk meet anime. By virtue of what I have seen in the past, there were many elements of Steampunk which were included, but also many which were left out of the picture.
To give the movie credit, it was full of action and always moving at an incredibly fast pace (typical for anime). It also employed many different kinds of advanced steam technology. These ideas were actually quite original (some were not, but there are some inventions that simply need to be included, regardless of banality).
On the other hand, though, it lacked the post-apocalyptic element that exists within Steampunk. All things considered, Steampunk is a dark genre that exposes the true innate nature of man to be inclined to evil. This was not at all the case in Steamboy. I would say that, as a family-friendly cartoon, it was good. As a Steampunk work, I am forced to say that it lacked one of the most vital elements of the genre.
To give the movie credit, it was full of action and always moving at an incredibly fast pace (typical for anime). It also employed many different kinds of advanced steam technology. These ideas were actually quite original (some were not, but there are some inventions that simply need to be included, regardless of banality).
On the other hand, though, it lacked the post-apocalyptic element that exists within Steampunk. All things considered, Steampunk is a dark genre that exposes the true innate nature of man to be inclined to evil. This was not at all the case in Steamboy. I would say that, as a family-friendly cartoon, it was good. As a Steampunk work, I am forced to say that it lacked one of the most vital elements of the genre.
Friday, April 17, 2009
Interesting sculptures
Steampunk sculptures
The little transportation-like device on the right kind of creeps me out. I imagine a decrepit old villain trying to take over the world in that thing.
The little transportation-like device on the right kind of creeps me out. I imagine a decrepit old villain trying to take over the world in that thing.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Catastrophism (Blog Prompt #9)
A very common theme throughout the genre of Steampunk is that of catastrophism. The settings within most Steampunk stories tends to be somewhat post-apocalyptic. The air is dark and gloomy and society tends to have crumbled upon itself. Man, feeling the weight of this, gives in to his base desires, furthering the process.
In The Difference Engine, Iterations 3 and 4 paint a picture of a frenzied and lost society, marred by recent events. Edward Mallory journeys through England and sees many horrible things. He sees a group of children breaking shop windows in the middle of public and stealing whatever they can. One is greatly injured, but the others leave him behind. Mallory also comes across the dead body of a sailor and is almost shot by the same man who killed the sailor. Edward, too, gives in to his base passions with Hetty. Society itself seems to be crumbling under the weight of all that has happened, and it doesn't seem to be getting much better.
In The Difference Engine, Iterations 3 and 4 paint a picture of a frenzied and lost society, marred by recent events. Edward Mallory journeys through England and sees many horrible things. He sees a group of children breaking shop windows in the middle of public and stealing whatever they can. One is greatly injured, but the others leave him behind. Mallory also comes across the dead body of a sailor and is almost shot by the same man who killed the sailor. Edward, too, gives in to his base passions with Hetty. Society itself seems to be crumbling under the weight of all that has happened, and it doesn't seem to be getting much better.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Setting in The Difference Engine (Blog Prompt #8)
As with all Steampunk literature, The Difference Engine takes place in London, in its darker corners. Once again, the theme is somewhat dark and gloomy. The world as we know it is completely different from what it really was at that point in time. The United States of America was divided into five countries, Texas having its own individual nation. The Ottoman empire still existed. Many things were different. It seems to be up to the reader to decipher the reasons why these things happened. However, the alternate reality is an essential part of Steampunk. With Charles Babbage’s Difference Engine having been invented, many things changed.
The story opens up in a darker area of London … a sort of red light district. This, of course, sets up a good deal of background for Sybil Gerard, at the time a prostitute. The portrayal of her environment contributes to her burning desire to escape to Paris at Dandy Mick’s suggestion. A dark setting is, of course, a common theme in all Steampunk. However, the atmosphere tends to be almost post-apocalyptic. This is not so in the novel The Difference Engine, for one reason or another. This is odd, especially considering how The Difference Engine is considered to be the quintessential Steampunk novel. However, one may consider the current (or then-current) state of affairs in the book, taking into account the divided United States and the broken state of affairs within Sybil Gerard’s life, to be, if nothing else, bordering on post-apocalyptic.
The story opens up in a darker area of London … a sort of red light district. This, of course, sets up a good deal of background for Sybil Gerard, at the time a prostitute. The portrayal of her environment contributes to her burning desire to escape to Paris at Dandy Mick’s suggestion. A dark setting is, of course, a common theme in all Steampunk. However, the atmosphere tends to be almost post-apocalyptic. This is not so in the novel The Difference Engine, for one reason or another. This is odd, especially considering how The Difference Engine is considered to be the quintessential Steampunk novel. However, one may consider the current (or then-current) state of affairs in the book, taking into account the divided United States and the broken state of affairs within Sybil Gerard’s life, to be, if nothing else, bordering on post-apocalyptic.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Some Characteristics of Steampunk
Within the genre of Steampunk lies a multitudinous array of characteristics. The style of writing is very gothic. The setting is generally very dark and gloomy, almost post-apocalyptic. Stories typically take place during the Victorian era. The world has either already been met with disaster or there is an impending disaster that needs to be stopped quickly. Although the era is mid-to-late 19th century, there is a wide spectrum of highly technological devices. These devices, although very advanced (even for our time), are bound by 19th century scientific developments (e.g. The Steam Engine). One of the main characters is typically a scientist, be it the protagonist or the antagonist. The genre seems to be heavily influenced by both Mary Shelley and H.G. Wells. There is also a somewhat widespread interest in the animation of nonliving matter.
Although there are more characteristics behind this genre, I cannot think of any at the moment.
Although there are more characteristics behind this genre, I cannot think of any at the moment.
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Jasper Morello (Blog Prompt #7)
Steampunk can take many forms: movie, book, or apparently music. The short film The Mysterious Geographic Explorations of Jasper Morello falls under the category of Steampunk. Among its attributes are the futuristic forms of technology, still bound by 19th century mechanics. Alongside this is the dark, post-apocalyptic air that shrouds the environment.
Within Jasper Morello are many different forms of technology. The whole of the world is in mid-air (the reason behind this is not explained) and most travel takes place through a sort of mid-air railway. This does not include the air-ships, which are aerial vehicles fashioned after the design of old sea-ships. Jasper Morello, an air-navigator, also has a compass which resides inside of a box that, when a specific button is pressed, opens up in such a way that can be counted as somewhat fancy. However, all of these pieces of equipment hold one common factor: they all seem to be steam driven. Their design is very Da Vinci-esque, so although the devices are very futuristic, their design remains bound to nineteenth century thought.
The other blatant Steampunk characteristic within Jasper Morello is the dark, gloomy, post-apocalyptic environment that envelops the world in which the characters live. The whole of the environment is foggy and in a sort of sepia tone, and all of the characters are silhouettes. A plague is spreading rapidly across the region, and it is the job of Jasper Morello and the crew with whom he sails to find a cure. The dark, somewhat gothic undertones that lie within the story are defining traits of Steampunk.
Within Jasper Morello are many different forms of technology. The whole of the world is in mid-air (the reason behind this is not explained) and most travel takes place through a sort of mid-air railway. This does not include the air-ships, which are aerial vehicles fashioned after the design of old sea-ships. Jasper Morello, an air-navigator, also has a compass which resides inside of a box that, when a specific button is pressed, opens up in such a way that can be counted as somewhat fancy. However, all of these pieces of equipment hold one common factor: they all seem to be steam driven. Their design is very Da Vinci-esque, so although the devices are very futuristic, their design remains bound to nineteenth century thought.
The other blatant Steampunk characteristic within Jasper Morello is the dark, gloomy, post-apocalyptic environment that envelops the world in which the characters live. The whole of the environment is foggy and in a sort of sepia tone, and all of the characters are silhouettes. A plague is spreading rapidly across the region, and it is the job of Jasper Morello and the crew with whom he sails to find a cure. The dark, somewhat gothic undertones that lie within the story are defining traits of Steampunk.
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