Category: The Steampunk

Literature, art, music, events pertaining to the speculative fiction genre often referred to as “Steampunk” or “Clockpunk”

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Getting there

Stained – though not as much as my hands are.

There are some neoprene gloves under the clutter somewhere, I was in too much of a hurry to find them.

I am guessing there was a dresser casualty in the history of the house – there is at least one dresser with these exact drawer pulls, but these pulls were scattered between various boxes in the basement. The antique drawer pull as a handle made for a nice touch.

I realized at this point that my hinges weren’t actually brass, nor was the latch I had picked out. So, I went poking around and found this site, which I may or may not use. I still have some price shopping to do, and things bought locally don’t have shipping delays.

I have some decorative brass corners, which may or may not go onto the box – I think I may want something more decorative or more basic than what I have – and not the halfway ornate designs I have handy. I think I like CP-19 from this page

I also need to figure out how to make my stained finish glossy without the use of polyurethane. I am guessing there is some sort of wax I can rub and buff it with; I’ll ask Craig or dial my dad when I get to that point.

This, turned out to be more work than expected, though I am sure I could make another one in half the time.I did some major overkill on the doweling, which is the main thing I would have done differently in retrospect.

A lot of times, the problem with my projects is that I have no idea what I have in mind when I start them, they just sort of take shape as I go – and I figure things out through trial and error rather than looking them up previously.

I think I want to make it so it can be carried on leather straps, as an equipment "bag". It is big enough for an SLR camera with attached lense, but not extra lenses – I suppose I will also have to craft some equipment to carry in it :/

If you would like to see step by step progress, you can view the old pics in older posts, or go to my flickr account. It may interest some of you DYIers out there, might not.

… Just keep in mind that I am an untrained professional, and quite reckless. So I urge everyone to never do anything I do, or in the way I do it.

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H.M.S. … Commission

Offer Valid through February 20th, as it is only being made to get me home and airfare is rising by the minute.

3 2 commissions are being offered, each for a 24×24 painting in acrylic or in oil of an airship to complete my dirigibles series. Price: $150

The painting will be yours. Shipping within the US is $25, shipping outside the US is $75 ($65 shipping plus $10 for additional crating)

You can make specifications, within reason, such as “lots of cannons”, or the general color scheme of the painting, type of scene (above a forest, over an icy field, in the desert, etc..).

… And Sorry, before you ask, I cannot do Abney Park’s Airship for you.

I keep the rights to art prints, reproduction in art books, and other commercial use. If you need it for some music-related commercial use, such as a CD cover, that will be no problem as I am more in the business of quality archival prints.

Paintings will be done in the order received.

Turnaround time is not quick, as I am very picky about what I let go. Acrylics ship faster (no drying time) – minimum time per painting will be two weeks – and I will keep you updated.

[edit] These commissions have been placed as items within the store.

Sorry I forgot to mention that before.

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The Greatest Corkscrew Ever Made

From One of a Hundred – Sculptural Furniture via The Steampunk Home:

There is no information on when and if a pocket-sized version of this will be available, but or those not concerned with portability, I give you:

Also found at the Steampunk Home Blog:

Art Donovan’s absolutely incredible steampunk designs:

Steampunk Clock in Distressed Brass:

Clock by Art Donovan

Siddhartha Pod Lamp:

Detail of Siddhartha Pod Lamp by Art Donovan

(More images and details at The Steampunk Home and at Donovan Design)

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A Beautiful and Intriguing Time Sink

I remember many many years back playing “Samarost” online and loving it. It was one of many, many amazing things that I found through Organic Flash.com – a wonderful place for finding new things, were they not so tragically determined to continue to use php bb.

The second game, aptly named “Samorost 2” – was equally interesting, though I never bought the amazingly cheap full version. Something I might remedy today.

Found online today through the magic of Twitter, “Machinarium” is a new full scale adventure game also designed by Amanita Design.

Having recognized the design right off, I went looking for the previous two so I could share them here. There are however many more games and interesting things at the creator’s site, AmanitaDesign.com.

The preview for the game is in the video below:


Machinarium Preview from Amanita Design on Vimeo.

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The Tale of How

“Nine months of part time work gave birth to The Blackheart Gang’s acclaimed short film called, The Tale of How. The Tale of How is the second part of a trilogy of works called the Dodo Trilogy. It is to later be flanked by The Tale of Then and The Tale of When. The Dodo Trilogy, in turn, fits into a much greater work called, The Household”…

More on this amazing film series here


The Tale of How from Shy the Sun on Vimeo.

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Regarding Templecon

Things have been a bit rough this past month, as I am sure they have been for most everyone.

I hate updating when I am in a negative mood, but I do need to say we won’t be at Templecon this year.

The event organizer has been nothing short of wonderful, and she has worked hard on making this what should be an incredible event. We would love to have gone, but things have been increasingly rough for us, as I am sure they have been for everyone.

It would be terribly irresponsible, if not completely self-destructive, for us to try to make this trip right now. There are car issues which we could not resolve in time, and the area hotels were all too expensive for our budget.

For those who are going. We are sad that we have to miss this chance to see you. It would have been so nice to meet you in person, and put some names to some faces, icons, and those interesting letters made from torn magazine covers.

This has been a terrible year for making plans. Though I would love to get out and be more social, I think the best path to take from here is to make no more plans until the white death is off the ground, and until things start to look more promising for all of us. Having been trapped here so long, with limited resources, I’ve taken to eating hapless humans – again; I have been told that the increase in nervous and slightly hostile energy makes me a bit difficult to be around right now.

For the next months, we will likely be focusing only on regional and local events.

Look for us to be on the road again in March or April – I think S.P.A.C.E might end up being our first haul of the year, but we are pulling for an appearance in NYC at a gallery T.B.A.

Again, sorry for our absense. We do hope to see you very soon.

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My Manic

Video by the extremely talented and somewhat dark Laura Marling.

Her videos, her music speak to me in ways that are dangerous, beckoning me to be that beautifully, tragically human entity I was once addicted to being… a voice in the back of my head telling me how wonderful it might be to be depressed, to feel strongly about something or nothing… to exist.

Anger and frustration, silliness and humor, half-hearted at best, are time-efficient jaunts through temporary, fleeting states of being and self-awareness – defenses against the depression of my environment, all of those who seek to bring me down with them… towards time spent, time lost, on whimsical sentience or into the calling comfort of futility.

Remaining driven, powered, maintained through a necessary aversion to distractions of living – this moment of contemplation, all I have, all I am, perhaps all I will ever have been, as the clock ticks on in increments of dollars, deadlines, and fleeting opportunity – marked by an aging shell and the changing world.

Do I push myself so, to someday have time for being alive, or as a measure against it?

I am as repelled by this video, as I am drawn to its beauty.

… back to work.