PROSE - The SteamPunk Artist of Wisconsin

It's Monday. I'm cold. I'm bored and looking for something light to do when my son's homeschooling doesn't demand my attention. So.

I'm going to start drawing SteamPunk-style! Picking up my old habit of drawing; but with a new spin on it. I'm interested in the lines and mechanics that the topic reveals in the artwork; rather lack of...in artwork I am coming across nowadays that is SteamPunk. You could get some totally awesome designs from just studying the drawing of mechanics alone and combine that with spectacular characters of various degree. But does anyone go that extra mile? Not really. I've seen one element really pop out in a picture, but lack in the other elements of SteamPunk. I would like to try and go that extra mile. This blog is dedicated to the SteamPunk artists of Wisconsin :) (Unite!)

What is SteamPunk, you ask?

"Steampunk is a sub-genre of science fiction, alternate history, and speculative fiction that came into prominence during the 1980s and early 1990s. Specifically, steampunk involves an era or world where steam power is still widely used—usually the 19th century and often Victorian era Britain—that incorporates prominent elements of either science fiction or fantasy. Works of steampunk often feature anachronistic technology or futuristic innovations as Victorians may have envisioned them; in other words, based on a Victorian perspective on fashion, culture, architectural style, art, etc. This technology may include such fictional machines as those found in the works of H. G. Wells and Jules Verne or real technologies like the computer but developed earlier in an alternate history." - Wikipedia.org

It is a chance for the artist to delve into something new and change a style of painting or drawing to include the detailed and the daring.


Find out more about SteamPunk here:
I highly suggest you look over all pages for a very thorough response to this question!

Wikipedia - Steampunk
Tor: SteamPunk 101
What is SteamPunk? A Subculture Infiltrating Films, Music, Fashion and More
The WriteRunner: What is SteamPunk?
The Clockwork Century
The Gatehouse: SteamPunk

How to Start Drawing SteamPunk-Style

Disclaimer: This DIY Drawing SteamPunk-Style is suggestive only; it is the opinion of the blogger and not really based on anything else like advertisement or favouritism :P It is basically how I'm going to be drawing.

The four elements of drawing SteamPunk style are (in no particular order):

- Mechanical. Learning how steam-powered mechanisms work and how they look like is important in designing flying, land-roving, nautical or the useful tools used on one's person.

- Characters. The artist should learn what styles of characters are generally used in SteamPunk. They are primarily the Aristocrat, the Gadgeteer, the Scientist, the Explorer, the Officer, the Citizen, the Air Pirate, or the Ragamuffin. What would a Victorian aristocrat look like? What would they wear? What tiny details of his garb or personal belongings reflect on his lifestyle? What is the difference between an air pirate and an explorer? Ect. It is learning how to draw the hairstyles, the shoes they wore, how to draw textures and include colours that pertain to the Victorian era that also make your characters really stand out as SteamPunk toons.

- Scenery. The Wisconsin artist learns all about cool things of Wisconsin that can go into backgrounds or be incorporated into a character's pose or actions. Maybe behind a gadgeteer toon's figure is a steam-powered car rolling down the world's first speedway, the Milwaukee Mile, in West Allis. This can be applied to where ever you live; I suggest local scenery because where you live is where you can get the best opportunities to create realistic scenery.

- History. Learn your history, noobs. This is where what ISN'T SteamPunk and what IS SteamPunk can really be defined for you in what your designs convey and negate the majority of negative feedback you might get in your artwork given by your fellow SteamPunk fanatics.

Mechanical Drawing

Mechanical drawing is very important to the SteamPunk artist. Any idiot can draw a circle shape (even badly-drawn) but can any idiot draw a bolt and have it look like a bolt? If you can't get mechanical drawing down, I suggest you stop trying to draw SteamPunk style and just stick to illustrating children's books. Not that that's bad, either, we do need someone to continue drawing hungry caterpillars for our wee ones :)

Mechanical Drawing
How to Draw SteamPunk Machines
Wikipedia - Steam Engines
Crabfu SteamWork Toys
Airship and Blimp Resources
Wikipedia - Airships
Wikipedia - Zeppelins
Wikipedia - Sumbarines
Wikipedia - Steam Car

Characters

This name generator is pretty cool when needing names for drawn characters, characters in a text-based game, writing stories or coming up with a new title for yourself in cosplay:

Victorian & SteamPunk Name Generator
Victoria's Past
An Overview of Victorian Costume

History

By the 1830's, factories began to use steam power instead of water power. Many machines that were driven by steam were powerful and cheap to run. Also, factories that used steam power could be built anywhere, not just along the banks of fast-moving rivers like they had been before. As a result of this, American industry expanded rapidly. At the same time, new machines made it possible to produce more goods at a lower price. These more affordable prices attracted eager buyers. Families no longer had to make clothing and other things in their homes. Instead, they could but factory-made goods.

Jules Verne's SteamPunk Wisconsin

Wikipedia - Victorian Era
Victoriana
Wikipedia - Timeine of Steam Power


More links will be added as I continue my artwork and research :)

This is Sophronia Rosse Paxton, airship merchant's daughter, out.