What is steampunk style. Mechanical style - steampunk - miscellaneous (creativity) - creativity of hands - catalog of articles - life lines
Today we will try to figure out what it is modern style steampunk and why distinctive features he can be recognized. In general, steampunk is one of the most self-sufficient and recognizable styles, thanks to its characteristic attributes. When I mention the word steampunk, I immediately imagine a classic Victorian landscape with characteristic English streets, various steam mechanisms and technical means with a cold shine copper pipes, adventurous gentlemen in tall top hats and large safety glasses. Steampunk is especially interesting for its unusualness. Synthesis of antiquity and high technology represents a new field for various stylistic decisions and maneuvers. So, in order.
Steampunk (or steampunk) - direction science fiction, simulating a civilization that has perfectly mastered the mechanics and technology of steam engines. As a rule, steampunk implies an alternative version of the development of humanity with a pronounced general stylization of the era of Victorian England (second half of the 19th century) and the era of early capitalism with a characteristic cityscape and contrasting social stratification. 
The "punk" component of steampunk includes a special emphasis on "low" human nature", driven by low passions - lust, anger, vanity, greed and envy. General style steampunk often looks cynical (rudely frank) and pessimistic (dystopian), however, thanks to the comic possibilities of retro-stylistics and alternative history, humorous and parody motifs are also widespread. 
Although many of the works now recognized as steampunk were published long ago, the term steampunk itself only emerged in the late 1980s, as an ironic variant of the word "cyberpunk". It is believed to have been invented by writer Kevin Jeter, who was trying to find general term for your works. In all of these works, the world was set at the level of 19th century technology, and the storytelling style emulated Victorian fiction such as H.G. Wells's The Time Machine. 
The creation of works in the steampunk genre was greatly influenced by the science fiction literature of Jules Verne, H.G. Wells, Mark Twain and Mary Shelley.
One of the most famous early examples of steampunk is Captain Nemo's well-known Nautilus submarine. Mervyn Peake's novel Titus Alone (1959) anticipated many of the foundations of steampunk. The television series "Wild Wild West" (1965-1969) was one of the first works in which the main features of steampunk appeared. And the film "Brazil" (1985) had a strong cinematic influence on the genre. 
The following types of steampunk are distinguished. Alternative historical steampunk - based on stylization of real life historical world XIX - early XX centuries. The most typical stylizations are Victorian England. Sometimes a separate subgenre of Western steampunk stands out - steam technology in the style of the Wild West. Fantasy steampunk - describes fantasy worlds that are technologically reminiscent Europe XIX V. In these worlds, magic and fantasy races coexist quite well with the steam engine: (gnomes, orcs, elves). 
Characteristic elements of the steampunk world can be considered technologies based on the principles of mechanics and steam engines that have reached high degrees development: steam locomotives, steam buses, steam carriages, airships, primitive airplanes, robots and other mysterious mechanisms made of riveted metal, copper pipes and wood. The machines are abundantly equipped with levers and instruments with analogue dials and arrows. The use of steam turbines as high-speed engines for a variety of industrial machines - pumps, separators, circular saws, machine tools, alternators - is widespread. The appearance of the cars, as a rule, is maintained in the style of Victorian England. 
The steampunk style can also be recognized by the weapons of the Industrial Revolution and variations on its theme: revolvers, single-shot and repeating rifles, early examples of automatic rifles, early examples of machine guns, rifled artillery guns, early examples of tanks, balloons, airships, and there may be early examples of aircraft. Limited use edged weapons, such as swords, sabers, knives. A special accessory is a blade placed inside the cane. Information Technology Victorian era - these are street newspapers, reminiscent of cash registers, non-electronic counting machines, telegraph, pneumatic mail and pneumatic transport. 
Steampunk is also characterized by an urban setting: red brick factory chimneys, a cloudy dirty gray sky, smog, cobblestone streets, street gas lamps, shops, shops, theaters, city slums. Accordingly, the overall atmosphere is quite gloomy. Clothing and accessories of Victorian England are aristocrats in a top hat and coat, under which there is a tailcoat, trousers and a shirt with lace. Ladies in corsets and crinolines with a hood on their heads and stockings with garters on their legs. Workers in caps, jackets, boots. Pipe smoking is common, pocket watches on a chain, canes, etc. are used. 
Victorian steampunk characters are mad scientists and engineers a la Frankenstein, criminal maniacs like Jack the Ripper and ideological criminals (Professor Moriarty), brave travelers (Phileas Fogg), detectives of the Sherlock Holmes type, corrupt aristocrats (Dorian Gray), secret agents police, spies, revolutionaries, street vendors, proletarians, capitalist-industrialists, petty employees and clerks, socialites, prostitutes, respectable family citizens (bourgeois), street boys, the first feminists - educated and determined young ladies interested in science and striving for adventures. 
Steampunk has a specific artistic form led to the emergence of a certain steampunk style in world culture. Its manifestations include all kinds of modding and redesign modern items everyday life “in the style of steampunk”, specific accessories and decorations, replete with levers, valves and gears and trimmed with appropriate materials (such as shiny copper, polished wood and leather), some elements of clothing, which are mainly stylizations on the theme of the Victorian era (a characteristic accessory are safety glasses - “goggles” (from the English goggle) various types and shapes). 
The word "Victorian" and the name Kevin Jeter. This writer in 1987 proposed calling fantasy stories that contain the aesthetics of the times of Queen Victoria “steampunk.” She ruled Britain in the second half of the 19th century, which means steam locomotives, airships, mad scientists and analog dials. Steampunk is as if electricity had not been invented and steam-powered armored airplanes designed by Count Sukhoi took off from the deck of the dreadnought Admiral Kuznetsov.
Fundamentals of philosophy. Until recently, steampunk was all about design. But now fans are already running around with a new ideology. It has a punkish nonconformism, a rejection of everything digital, an interest in dystopias and an imitation of old-fashioned pioneers, scientists and inventors.
What to have fun
Books. Jules Verne became the progenitor of steampunk without even knowing it. The submarine "Nautilus" with portholes in rivets, Phileas Fogg in a top hat, controlling an airship - you can't think of anything more steampunk. Will do H.G. Wells and especially the science fiction writer William Gibson, who was noted for almost all types of technopunk. And Ray Bradbury's story "The Assassin" is an example of skepticism towards the digital world.
Movie. “Wild Wild West” is an example of Western steampunk, “The Musketeers” is an example of alternative history. "Sherlock Holmes" by Guy Ritchie is a classic of the genre. To immerse yourself in steampunk, you can simply follow the example of Robert Downey as Sherlock. But it's only about appearance. If you start behaving the same way, they will force you to take your urine to the drug control center for analysis, and they will be right.
How to dress
If you live in a steampunk world, the words “polyvinyl chloride” and “polyacrylic vinyl” can only summon demons. However, they will not come, because steampunk is atheistic and believes in science. You can only dress in what you have in a world without oil and electricity - natural fabrics and skin. Style - Victorian: vests, tweed, cuffs, suspenders, breeches. To all this - rivets and soldier's boots as symbols of industrialism and a penchant for adventure, plus mechanical pocket watches. That is, it should look like an old-fashioned London accountant who has decided to join the Hells Angels, but still has a little doubt. If you live in St. Petersburg or for some other reason are not afraid to look like a freak, you can wear a bowler hat or top hat, even a leather one.
What to do
We do not recommend changing your profession: making money through science and travel, these activities respected among steampunks, was already difficult in the times of Krusenstern and Edison. But there are many exciting and weird hobbies, together with which your riveted leather vest, top hat and tweed breeches will form a harmonious steampunk ensemble.
Behaviorism. IN late XIX For centuries, people were studied not only by cutting them into pieces, as in the Renaissance, but also by living people. Consciousness was then considered a machine, where the stimulus is the control lever. Now behaviorism is not so relevant, but no one is stopping you from quoting Skinner and studying the conditioned reflexes of your colleagues when the tax office comes.
Archeology. This is where travel, research, and boots come in handy. You can engage in banal treasure hunting, but if you have already joined the semi-fantastic steampunk, choose a hobby that matches. For example, the search for unknown paleocivilizations.
Engineering. Everything mechanical and analog meets steampunk. And designing watches, retro bicycles or bronze steam-powered masturbators is a steampunk hobby from which you can also make money.
Steam art. Dolls made from spare parts for a locomotive, painting with machine oil on vintage rust - all this is becoming fashionable and is now considered quite male variety creative madness.
Where to live
An apartment in the steampunk style can even be located in a Khrushchev-era building overlooking a slaughterhouse. Although ideal - loft in former factory. The main thing is materials and details. Steampunk is like high-tech that has lain in the pond for half a century. Lots of brick, wood and metal, but everything should be dark and cracked.
Colors - dark brown and bronze. The doors can be covered with sheet iron with rivets, a fan can be hung from the ceiling, the walls and ceiling can be covered with stained wood, and the pipes in the bathroom can be made of copper. Decorate everything with parts of steam boilers, gears, flasks and framed drawings, serve by candlelight.
Where to go
In London. In 2008, the Transatlantic Telescope was built there - an electronic telescope designed in the spirit of steampunk. One of his two-meter lenses is located in the London City Hall, the other in New York. Through an optical system and a cable on the ocean floor, the British and Americans can wave to each other.
To Romania. There, in the city of Cluj-Napoca, the world's first dynamic steampunk bar opened with moving mechanical flowers and birds, a huge clock mechanism and one small robot. Analysts believe that local vampires and werewolves will no longer be able to maintain their market share.
Anywhere. After the first major steampunk festival - STEAMfest 2010 - in Georgia, its analogues appear every year in different parts Sveta. One even took place in Peterhof. Dates and turnouts usually appear on steampunkworldsfair.com, steampunkfestival.co.uk and the Steampunk Tendencies Facebook group.
What to brag about
If the spirit of steampunk has gripped you and refuses to let go, you need to get yourself a few artifacts that will complete the image and become the envy of your fellow followers of the new way of life.
Goggle glasses. In the past, these glasses, with a protective cover around the frame, were worn by motorcyclists and machinists to protect their eyes from surprises in the form of gravel and coal particles. Now antique goggles are a cult item in steampunk.
Mechanical computer. Even an antique adding machine on the table is already a declaration in the spirit of steampunk. But if you wish, you can find replicas of devices based on Leibniz’s calculator or Pascal’s summing machine. There is even one working Babbage difference engine - the first computer in history, and a mechanical one at that. But it is stored in British Museum and stands like the author's copy of the Shroud of Turin.
Sculptures by Hasan Novrozi. His steel Pegasus with spring springs and a ram with gears inside are already worth a lot of money, and if the popularity of steampunk grows, then the sculptures will be a good investment. The sculptor is on Facebook - Hasan Novrozi.
Keyboard, smartphone case or coffee machine in steampunk style. In Belarus, there lives a former mechanic, and now an artist, Dmitry Tikhonenko, who can decorate even a fly swatter in the steampunk style, if really necessary. In the world of steampunk he is now a star.
Some steampunk fans are ready to not only decorate their homes with drawings of steam engines, but also make something strange using these drawings.
Steam motorcycle "Black Pearl".
It was built in the Netherlands two years ago by engineer Rene van Tooley. The bike reaches a phenomenal speed of 8 km/h.
Steam car Inspiration.
Built by the company, or rather, a club of interests, The British Steam Car. In tests in the Mojave Desert, it accelerated to 241 km/h.
PHOTO GETTY IMAGES
(or steampunk) - a modern style based on a special direction of science fiction. It covers not only the style of clothing, but also the sphere of painting, interior design, etc. You could even say that steampunk has become a separate subculture, which is passionate about to a greater extent boys and girls who are not teenagers, but are older.
Although the steampunk clothing style is considered modern, the second half of the 19th century is considered the cradle of steampunk. In any case, the cityscapes of Victorian England - main image, used in illustrations of this style.
As a direction in art in general, focuses on the mechanical nature of nature, while being mechanical in a retro style. Airships, iron robots, as the first science fiction writers imagined them, gears and transmission shafts, heavy telephones and balloons - in a word, the mechanisms that almost entirely make up space represent a world characteristic of steampunk, a dystopian world. It is interesting that antiquity and modernity collide in it; the current world finds itself embedded within the framework of the past. Figuratively speaking, Leonardo da Vinci's drawings live side by side with the subway and space exploration.
It would seem that man has no place in this kingdom of machines. But no, people are here too. However, against the backdrop of shocking inanimateness, they themselves seem to be mechanisms. In steampunk, a person is seen as a creature endowed with many vices. One can even say that entirely consisting of them: the sins of greed, pride, envy, anger, lust, almost entirely occupy human nature.
The term "steampunk" appeared in the 80s. However, the works that became its ancestors were published somewhat earlier, in the 60s and 70s. However, if you dig even deeper and consider the genre not from the point of view of modernity, but in the plane of a mechanistic description of the world in general, then the steampunk artistic style itself has existed for a very long time. Science fiction of the 19th century can rightfully be considered its ancestor. Mary Shelley, H.G. Wells and, of course, Jules Verne are traditionally considered by steampunk fans to be the “founding fathers” of this movement.
The steampunk world contains several characteristic features, thanks to which it is quite easy to identify or create.
Firstly, base element of this culture – technology in its most varied manifestations. Most often - steam engines and those technical advances, which move due to steam. This aspect is the most important because... helps determine the characteristics of clothing and a given style.
Secondly, steampunk can serve as a kind of synonym for urbanity. There is no nature in it, but it is filled with typical city landscapes: brick, pipes (including rusty ones), cobblestone streets, air filled with soot from factory chimneys.
Thirdly, the world of steampunk presupposes some madness of its inhabitants, their genius, obsession with business. Such widespread images of crazy professors, obsessed with their experiments and inventions, came to us precisely from steampunk. Many literary characters, which at first glance have nothing to do with this style, are still considered its classic representatives: detective Sherlock Holmes and his antagonist Professor Moriarty, Victor Frankenstein, Jack the Ripper, Dorian Gray.
Steampunk is reflected even in computer games ah, which can serve as a 100% sign of popularity.
Steampunk clothing
When it comes to steampunk clothing, it's especially good there is a mixture of antiquity and modernity. Victorian era in this image it organically combines with the modern fruits of civilization. However, the requirements of this style cannot be called too strict.
Ultra-modern devices, for example, Cell phones, laptops and peripheral devices, tablets may well be among the accessories related to style. However, to do this, they need to be stylized in such a way that they most closely resemble some incredible antique mechanism. Some fans of this style can transform almost any gadget that comes into their hands into steampunk.
Painting
Steampunk painting is also very popular today. Here it can be closely intertwined with surrealism, expressed through the childish charm of primitivism, or absorb elements of futurism. In general, the main motif that permeates paintings in the steampunk style is the same mechanization of the surrounding world in the style of the 19th century. Airships, gears, rusty pipes, clouds of steam, unprecedented inventions - almost everything is mechanized - from insects to Cheshire cat. Among the artists who are fond of this style are: Bill Carman, Brian Kesinger, Ian Mcque, Vadim Voitekhovich and others.
Music
The steampunk direction in music today is quite vague and represents a combination of art rock, country, darkwave and industrial. Steampunk bands usually include The Clockwork Dolls, Abney Park, Ghostfire, Escape The Clouds, Coppelius.
Movie
In the film industry, steampunk can most often be found in genres such as science fiction and fantasy. Among the films in this style, “Wild Wild West”, “Van Helsing”, “Sherlock Holmes” (2009) stand out.
widely used in animation("Howl's Moving Castle", "Steamboy", "Atlantis: lost World"and in others) and in computer games(“Underworld”, “Bioshock”, “Damnation”, etc.).
Literature
The forerunners of steampunk in literature are considered books by Jules Verne"Five weeks in hot-air balloon", "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea", "Around the World in 80 Days", "The Mysterious Island of Captain Nemo", "Journey to the Center of the Earth", H.G. Wells"War of the Worlds", "Time Machine".
Among modern authors writing in the steampunk style, one can highlight Cassandra Clare (“Mechanical Angel”), Gordon Dahlquist (“ Glass books dream eaters”, “Black Book of Death”), Sergei Lukyanenko (“Draft”, “Cleaner”), George Mann (“Ritual of Osiris”), Alexey Pekhov (“Under the Sign of the Manticore”, “Mockingbird”), Kenneth Oppel (“ Sky Wanderer").
How to create a steampunk look?
- Choose basic items of clothing in gray, brown and black tones, acceptable wide stripes. For women, a combination of a top with a rigid corset and a bustle (a skirt full at the back) is recommended. A dress can be made in the same style, complemented by puffy sleeves.
- Men can wear button-ups with ties and, in some cases, with shorts. This option may also be suitable for women, because steampunk does not imply gender differences.
- Add a little steampunk to your shoes too. High boots with laces will fit into both women's and men's male image. Choose narrow boots with a small heel that won't look as bulky as military boots.
- The most necessary accessory will be steampunk. You will need aviator style glasses, or so-called goggles, with large details.
- Gears and cogs – distinctive features steampunk style, so these details must certainly be present in your image. If you have difficulty finding such accessories, you can try the following method: break an old watch, take out the mechanisms from it, then fasten the individual parts together and make a pendant out of it. Paint the resulting accessory with bronze paint.
- Complete the steampunk look with a hat or hair accessories. From headdresses, men can choose or. Attach a few screws to the outside, which will add originality. Women can glue gears and cogs to their hair clips.
Large round glasses with copper frames, a copper bracelet on his hand, a telephone in a copper case, which is an amazing design of buttons and levers - says a lot about the passion for steampunk in the guise of Dmitry Tikhonenko. True, the master himself fashion direction I found out after I created many of my works from copper.
From July 28 to 30, the annual steampunk weekend was held in the English city of Whitby, which is held by representatives of the subculture and cosplayers. Steampunk is a direction of science fiction that focuses on an imaginary alternative vector of human development, Starting point which was the invention of the steam engine. Festival participants come in costumes stylized in the era of Victorian England and early capitalism.
A talented sculptor from Krasnoyarsk, Igor Verniy, creates birds, butterflies and other representatives of the animal world, using parts from old household appliances, bicycles, cars, watch parts and everything that can be safely thrown into scrap metal.
There are a huge number of the most unusual musical instruments in the world, made in both classical and completely unexpected styles.
In this collection of photographs you will see some very unusual musical instruments in steampunk style!
We immediately throw away a damaged bicycle, a broken watch and anything that cannot be repaired. The artist and sculptor Igor Verny creates real works of art from these objects. He makes fantastic steampunk animals from ordinary metal: old car parts, dishes and even household appliances.
“Deep down I am an artist and I see the beauty of this world in bright colors, but I’m also a mechanic,” says Igor. “And it’s these two qualities that help me create.”
We admire the artist’s work and have chosen his best sculptures from scrap metal for you.
Mechanical Fantasies by Justin Gershenson-Gates is a whole series of works by a famous jeweler who decided to deviate a little from his main line of work and do something else.
For his works, Justin used clock parts (hands, gears, ordinary incandescent lamps and much more). Each work, be it a pendant, an insect or an arthropod, takes the master several hours. Given that Justin Gershenson-Gates is used to finishing everything, he never leaves a job unfinished and completes everything in one sitting. In his work he uses only soldering and no glue. “Mechanical Mind” is a truly unique and inimitable series from a famous jeweler.
Japanese sculptor Michihiro Matsuoka creates interesting miniature sculptures. By combining images of animals and technology into one whole, he turns them into aircrafts and floating objects.
Pierre Matter was born in 1964. A mathematician by profession, he searched for a long time for his true calling, wandering along the paths of art. He tried his hand at painting and painted oil paints, poster paints and watercolors. But he found himself in sculpture. French master Pierre Matter works in the spirit of steampunk, creating his sculptures that are hybrids of machines, humans and animals.
I can’t even believe that from an ordinary CD player you can create such a miracle as the master did for a competition on the website steampunker.ru
Imagine for a moment a world where technology has reached a surprisingly new level, the world is mired in exhaust fumes and factory emissions, and add to this picture a touch of decadence and people dressed in costumes of past centuries. Yes, yes, all this is called steam-punk. This subculture is increasingly penetrating music, design, graphics, etc.
The term “steampunk” itself appeared thanks to K. Jeter in the late 1980s. True, now many works created earlier are also classified as steampunk.
The world of steampunk is huge, fabulous and diverse. Its main element is, of course, technology - steam locomotives, airships, passwords, decorated with levers, dials and other devices. You don’t have to remember the beauty of nature, it simply doesn’t exist. There are only bricks, soot and smoking pipes around. Urbanization, so to speak!
Modern fans of steampunk use its elements in clothing and decor. In clothing, these are mainly pocket watches, goggle glasses, and umbrellas. Some of the steampunk fashion features details from the Gothic Lolita, Gothic Aristocrat, and Victorian styles. Many draw a parallel between steampunk and neo-Victorianism, in which the aesthetics of Victorianism are closely intertwined with modern technologies. For a deeper understanding of the atmosphere, you can familiarize yourself with the films “Postallation”, “Wild Wild West”, “Keepers of Time”.
It’s not easy to delve into the philosophy of this very young subculture… there are too many opinions. But most of Representatives of the style talk about the punk part as a connection with optimistic views of human potential in the future.
I propose to consider the main classification of steampunk:
Alternate history steampunk is the most common of all other directions. As a rule, the surroundings are stylized as Victorian England of the 19th and early 20th centuries with an admixture of fantastic technologies. This time was called the “Age of Steam.” Here there is a subcategory of Western steampunk - the Wild West, shrouded in steam.
-Fantasy steampunk. One word “fantasy” evokes involuntary associations, first of all, with elves, gnomes and other fairy-tale races. Non-existent worlds where magic coexists with science and steam technology.
-Dieselpunk managed to harmonize fantastic elements, pin-up style with technologies of the early - mid-20th century.
-Sailpunk lifts us off the ground, taking us into the air. There’s so much you won’t find here – airships, flying ships, and even entire cities and countries floating in the air!
-Spacesailpunk. From the name it’s easy to guess that this is the same sailpunk, with only one exception: all actions are transferred to outer space.
-Teslapunk. In Teslapunk, the boundaries are expanded, we have the opportunity to see not only steam technology, but also let electricity into our lives! Otherwise, it's classic steampunk.
As for music, how complete Musical direction, I would say steampunk doesn't exist yet. Most artists who consider themselves to be in this style play dark cabaret, art rock, and industrial. The brightest and interesting representatives can be considered: The Clockwork Dolls, The Cog is Dead, Dr. Steel, Abney Park and Voltaire. Their images and texts are designed in the style of neo-Victorianism, sometimes even using instruments and melodic techniques of works from the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
And what is the graphic art of steampunk worth! It is worth mentioning at least the outstanding artists - Bill Carman, Hans Rudi Giger, Manuel Rodriguez Sanchez, Marco Rolandi.
One cannot ignore the literary side of steampunk that has accumulated over the past half century! I think the following works deserve attention: “The Difference Machine” by W. Gibson and B. Sterling, the “Leviathan” trilogy by Scott Westerfeld, “The End of a Beautiful Era” by Mikhail Kharitonov, “Mockingbird” by Alexei Pekhov, “No Time for Dragons” Sergei Lukyanenko and Nika Perumov and many others.
The popularity of steampunk has also given rise to many amazing computer games, including the legendary Arcanum and Syberia.
Despite its relative novelty, steampunk has already won many hearts! And who knows... is it a steam future that awaits us?
Angelia Erben
