Steam Punk Culture – Describing Steampunk Culture For The Normal Person
There’s a culture called Steampunk that is dedicated to a revamp of the Victorian age. Typically filled with massive steam powered mechanics and extravagant dirigibles, this classic age is mixed up with fantasy. The Steampunk genre includes not only clothing, but music, art, and literature.
Steampunk can be found even in the fashion industry, and it’s becoming a major hit. There’s lots of classic steampunk designs that integrate cogs and gears into the clothing lines of various designers. More specifically, the cosplay scene has been taking in the steampunk trend and helping it grow! There are many groups of steampunk cosplayers out there who design clothing that include modified victorian antiques. They sometimes portray themselves as victorian socialites, but more often as adventurers, pirates, or explorers. These cosplay outfits include steampunk goggles, decorated coats, and top hats, sometimes even ray guns! Steampunk is highly supported by the do-it-yourself community since most steampunk accessories are hand made. The rayguns are very popular because they are made from simple Nerf or Airsoft guns. There are a few steampunks out there who have the skill to make things out of wood and metal, without modifying things that already exist. Check out Steampunk Store for more information on this.
Sometimes there’s a lot of steampunk influence found in music. There is no definitive steampunk genre, only pre-existing genres with steampunk influence, which include electronic, rock, and hip hop, among others. In steampunk rock you can heard dark and heavy beats reminiscint of industrial music, along with a gretty guitar. Sometimes even a hint of folk. Abney Park, self proclaimed steampunk band, were once an industrial band. Not only is their music influenced by steampunk, but their stage personas, clothing, and even instruments are steampunk modified. There’s also a few hip hop artists out there like Dr. Steel. Steampunk hip hop incorporates lyrics that depict the life of a mad scientist, or a post apocalyptic world, but always have a deep up beat bass. The beats are often heavy hitting.
Steampunk has been picked up by the art culture surprisingly fast. You can easily find paintings of dirigibles and other flying machines traversing grey skies above vast, desolate landscapes. Such art can be found online, at your local art shows, and in galleries. While the purpose and perspective of such paintings is unlike anything else, the art styles can be very similar to other styles you have seen. While being dark and dreary, the artwork often depicts a violent sea, a dungeon-like-lab, or a deadend world, sometimes Frankenstein-esque. It is easy to point out anything steampunk inspired because the style is particularly unique compared to others.
There has been a breakthrough in literature within the steampunk culture. H.G. Wells is said to have birthed this trend, along with Jules Verne. The base of the modern steampunk community is based on their inventions, worlds, and knowledge that they depict in their works. First there’s the brass time machine in “The Time Machine”, and then the massive submarine in “Twenty Thousand Leagues Under The Sea,” which were both considered futuristic. Presently, we would refer to them as retro, regardless of the fact that time machines don’t actually exist. However, both machines seem out of place in such time periods. These ideas have been the driving force for many steampunk fans, and the basis of steampunk.