30 November 2008 | THE GHOSTBUSTER | Comment

“SurealSushi Films Presents: The Ghostbuster!” Mr Jeff Simpson of Surreal Sushi gives us this attractive film poster, a lovely piece of retro reimaged!

Besides Mr Simpson himself in the role of “Zombie Jesus,” The Ghostbuster features Morgan Freeman as “Bill Murray” and American comedian Stephen Colbert—both, hopefully, to be rescued by the protagonist from terrible phantoms and poltergeists. Visit Mr Simpson’s Profile to see more of his artwork!

29 November 2008 | FLY TO NEW YORK | Comment

With the Empire State Building on proud display this art deco poster advertizes airline travel to the city of New York. One might mistake it for a genuine 1930s advertisement, however, it is a perfectly contemporary artwork, created by a Mr El Audo from Mexico who maintains a collection of his work on display in a Profile.

Unfortunately his portfolio includes no further deco work. Not yet at least—perhaps we might compel the artist to make more?

28 November 2008 | VACATION IN SPACE | Comment

The Paleo-Future blog reported recently on a lovely 1980s future prediction about “Vacation at a Space Hotel.”

The 1982 The Kids’ Whole Future Catalog featured a letter from one “Jenny,” writing her friend back on Earth about the amazing space hotel she is visiting in the year 2002. You see Jenny here enjoying the strangeness of a pool in orbit. “The pool doesn’t look anything like the ones on Earth,” she writes. “It’s like an enormous barrel with water lining the inside.” Read here full letter at the Blog.

27 November 2008 | STEAMPUNK HALLOWEEN | Comment

Halloween was already a little while ago, however we wish to share nonetheless this wonderful creation.

The mask is made from cardboard and colored with enamel paints to look like ancient and dirty brass. The eyes are immuminated by two yellow LEDs which project glowing circles. “The effect is quite disconcerting when he stares at you and slowly tilts his head from side to side as if he’s considering exactly what to do to you,” writes the maker, Professor James Fzz, at his Blog.

26 November 2008 | NOT ROCKET SCIENCE | Comment

This is one of the newest designs available at the Webomater—which is undoubtedly the grandest resource for retro-futuristic products—a counterpoint to a “This is Rocket Science” T-shirt design. According to the maker, both shirts taken together are, “a handy way to make it absolutely clear to anyone which things are, and which are not.”

You can also get this robot printed on a coffee mug or a greeting card. Find out how, in this Post!

25 November 2008 | STEAMPUNK STORMTROOPER | Comment

Steampunk and Star Wars always make for a good mix. We already have a decent collection of steampunk’d Star Wars imagery in our WAR ROOM. Now The Computer Graphics Society presents a challenge that inspired many talented artists to submit their vision of a steampunk Star Wars universe. See all entries in this Thread.

Thanks to a Mr “bespredell” for bringing this to our attention over at the Russian Behold the Power of Steam! community.

24 November 2008 | DAMNATION | Comment

For fans of the Weird West, there is a fascinating video game coming up, called Damnation.

“Evolving the shooter genre with its unique and exhilarating combination of fluid action and combat, Damnation will feature huge, open environments, frenetic combat [...] and high-octane vehicle-based stunts,” according to the Official Website. “Players will apparently be able to [...] navigate the world of Damnation by performing daredevil feats on the edge of human ability.”

23 November 2008 | ANDREW CHASE’S ROBOTS | Comment

“The lives of robots have always been a topic explored by authors and artists alike. Isaac Asimov wrote some of the best novels in the history of robots, DreamWorks created the computer animated movie Robots in 2005 and Pixar is currently making Wall-E.

“But it is not just the big guys who create amazing art.” Independent artist Andrew Chase is making a fifty-page picture book with astounding robotic imagery! See more at this Page. Thanks to a Mr Andy Barss for suggesting this!

22 November 2008 | EL ETERNAUTA | Comment

El Eternauta is a science fiction comics series created by Argentine writer Héctor Germán Oesterheld initially with artwork by Francisco Solano López. It tells the story of alien invaders killing nearly everyone on Earth with a deadly snowfall. A small group survives in Buenos Aires. They soon discover the true nature of the strange phenomenon and join an improvised resistance army to fight the invaders back.

There is an Official Website for the comic, in Spanish.

21 November 2008 | THE ART OF ART ROSS | Comment

Arthur Ross (1913-1981) was an American artist specialized in automobile design. He worked with General Motors as creative designer through the 1930s, ’40s and ’50s; after the war he was reassigned to Oldsmobile as chief designer. During these years, Oldmobile’s sales and marketing successes climbed to unparalleled heights.

The website The Art of Art Ross offers further biographical information along with several galleries of Ross’s wonderful artwork!

20 November 2008 | RED ALERT 3 | Comment

The moment all gamers have been waiting for finally arrived! Actually it did a few weeks ago, but we missed it and beg your pardon for the delay.

The latest intallment in Electronic Arts’ Command & Conquer series is here. After seven long years the light-hearted, over-the-top, wacky world of Red Alert has returned, and a new Official Website has arrived, so we say “Welcome back, Commander,” best settle in for lots of craziness and hours of gameplay!

19 November 2008 | THE VICTORIAN AUTOMATON | Comment

The artists gathered at Conceptart.org recently chose “Agetha, The Victorian Automaton” as theme for their weekly “Environment of the Week” contest. As a result, we can gaze at a lovely series of steampunk girl robots, all on display in this Thread.

Our favorite is this depiction, created by an artist from England who goes by the handle of “DecayingLolita.” Through his or her Profile you may find more of this talented artist’s work.

18 November 2008 | FLAMES ON THE HORIZON | Comment

This artwork is the first in a series entitled “The Way Beyond Tomorrow,” depicting a lone airstrip hundreds of miles away from civilization as the apocalypse ensues.
As the apocalypse nears
It was they [the machines] who unleashed
The harbingers of destruction
The flames of the horizon

To see all artworks in the series, visit the Profile or Website of the artist, Mr Eka Abdul Jabar.

17 November 2008 | TEMPORIS | Comment

A lovely pocketwatch here, photographed by a Miss Gaby from Mexico who goes by the handle of “MythraElessar” and maintains a selection of her photography work on display in a Profile.

The rest of her work may not interest the steampunk enthusiasts much, yet it includes pictures of colonial architecture in decay and of a world seemingly forgotten by time—altogether, a fine collection of photographs; definitely no waste of your time!

16 November 2008 | QUEEN OF THE CROWS | Comment

Her name is Eve is she is “Queen of the Crows,” with one of that species drawing blood from her shoulder against the backdrop of an industrial dystopia.

This depiction is as dark and unsettling as the rest of Miss Anja Millen’s art, on display in both a Profile as well as on her own Website—though the latter features mostly samples of her photography work. Her art is not exactly steampunk, however her style may rather suit the tastes of dieselpunk enthusiasts and is definitely work checking out!

15 November 2008 | THE OPTIMUS | Comment

“The Optimus” is the name of this lovely lamp, named so after the Swedish-made brass stove that forms the base of it. Its creator is a Mr Clive Batkin who maintains a Blog with much of his work on display.

Mr Batkin explains that, “construction centered around lots of copper pipe,” with “some of the beautiful newly designed UK one penny coins” used as end caps. The result makes for an elegance pure and shining that represents the work of an undeniable new voice in steampunk style.

14 November 2008 | OVERCAST | Comment

This evokative artwork was apparently inspired by the film Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow, so it is probably safe to label it as “dieselpunk” for that reason alone!

Depicted are what seems to be the top of a tower with an aeroplane hovering menacingly in the background. Unfortunately, the artist, one Christa from England, provides no further information, though perhaps the mystery makes for part of the artwork’s appeal? Visit Miss Christa’s Profile for more of her work.

13 November 2008 | COMRADE HERO | Comment

What if the Soviet Union had a superhero of its own? He would be called “Comrade Hero” and look like this! That is, according to the artist, who goes by the name of “Domnx” and maintains a Profile as well as a Website with lots of fine artworks on display—including several more propaganda posters in Soviet style!

This image has been added to our collection of superheroes and -heroines on display in the “Pulp” section of the DIESELPUNK Galleries.

12 November 2008 | MERCEDES-BENZ AD | Comment

Time for a good faux art nouveau poster! Reminiscing the elegance of a style sadly past, this artwork advertizes Mercedes-Benz’ early-1950s line of six-cylinder luxury cars known as the “W187.”

The arist of this depiction is a lady from the United States who maintains a further selection of her work on display in a Profile. Not much more may be of interest to the steampunk enthusiasts, unfortunately, though it makes for a fine collection nonetheless!

11 November 2008 | HEARTS OF STEEL | Comment

“Hearts of Steel” is the title of the first installment in the The Transformers: Evolutions miniseries.

Set in the United States during the Industrial Revolution, “Hearts of Steel” begins with the Autobot “Bumblebee” awakening sometime in the nineteenth century to discover that man has come to rule the world with steam-powered technologies. The story sees Mark Twain, Jules Verne, an Aubobot-turned-airship, and much more steampunk goodness!

10 November 2008 | DECO STATUE | Comment

Whatever happened to the times when buildings were erected in graceful deco and decorated with the simple streaks and austerity of the style? Fortunately, we have dieselpunk to remind ourselves of such—and great photographers who document the remnants of that era past!

This picture, of the facade of the Niagara Mohawk building in Syracuse, New York, was made by one Jerry from the United States who maintains a portfolio of his work on display in a Profile.

9 November 2008 | UNKNOWN LANDS | Comment

Part of what makes steampunk so interesting is the exploration of lands still strange in the ninteenth century and the discovery of realms long lost and filled with mystery and mayhem. Especially when suchs unknowns are ventured into by airship!

This charming depiction by a Mr Nils Härgestam from Sweden shows a dirigible hovering over a frightening landscape of pillaring rocks and thunder. Visit his Profile to see more of his artwork!

8 November 2008 | ASIAN FLAIR | Comment

A little while ago, the artists gathered at Conceptart.org chose “Asian urban flair” as theme for their weekly, “Environment of the Week” contest. You can see all the fine artworks that were submitted in this Thread.

Our favorite is this depiction by one “Vyse” from Germany, showing a cyberpunk-esque Asian city built upon the shores and waters of some great lake, glistening and shimmering in the darkness. You can find more work of this artist through his Profile.

6 November 2008 | INVENTOR | Comment

Quite some time ago, in early May this year to be precise, we featured an extraordinary depiction by a Mr James Ng of a Chinese airship. Since, he has added several more artworks to his series of “Steam engines and the Imperial Dynasty,” all on display in this Thread.

His latest work depicts an aged Chinese inventor, evidently wheelchair-bound and aided therefore by the gracious automaton on display here. Be sure to visit Mr Ng’s Website for his full portfolio!

5 November 2008 | AIR TRANSPORT FACTS | Comment

Back in 1934, the Aeronautical Chamber of Commerce of America published a little pamphlet, called Air Transport Facts, full of facts and photographs about air travel in the America of the early-1930s. Among other things, it proudly proclaimed that, American “air lines do more flying and offer a greater public service than those of all other nations combined.” Yes, sir, those were the times!

You can read the entire pamphlet online now, at the Adventure Lounge.

4 November 2008 | LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD | Comment

Little Red Riding Hood, a fairy tale popularized by the Brothers Grimm, tells the story of a little girl off to deliver food to her ill grandmother only to encounter a treacherous wolf in the forest. This fine artwork depicts the story steampunk-ed—with the wolf, of course, a mechanical one—by a Miss Helena from Brazil who maintains a selection of her artwork on display in a Profile.

Thanks to Mr “bespredell” for posting this artwork over at the Russian community, Behold the Power of Steam!

3 November 2008 | THE REAL WEAPON | Comment

This lovely picture perhaps better suits the sensibilities of those who like their steampunk with a healthy dose of fantasy and not the “darker” side of the genre on which we typically focus. However, this portrait of what is apparently an Elv, augmented with clockwork parts, has a certain charm to it that we wished not to deny you.

A German artist created this depiction as a courtesy to a friend of hers, and she maintains a fine collection of further artwork available in a Profile.

1 November 2008 | GATEHOUSE GAZETTE #3 | Comment

Steampunk is all about “Playing Roles & Dressing-Up” with the third and holiday issue of the Gatehouse Gazette.

Read about the most stylish history maker, Beau Brummell, from Mr James Roberts or discover the glory of the Venetian Carnival in an article by Mr Joost van Ekris. Learn the story of the first steampunk musician from the man behind Vernian Process, Mr Joshua Pfeiffer, and let Mr “Piecraft” teach you about the history of dieselpunk. Plus two articles about role-playing by Miss Hilde Heyvaert!