October 2008

31 October 2008 | STEAMPUNK BATMAN | Comment

Here is another impressive depiction of a “Steampunk Batman,” devised by a Mr Paul Reck from Iceland.

This Batman has no eyes, Mr Reck explains, “due to the sophisticated sonar system he has developed based on the principle of bats sonar. A clockwork mechanism turns the receiver inside the ear cavity and a series of wires feeds him information in both sound and image. A clockwork mechanism on his back feeds into his armour giving him a strength enhancement.”

30 October 2008 | STEAMPUNK YODA | Comment

We already maintain a collection of “Steampunk Star Wars” imagery on display in our WAR ROOM and are always appreciative of further artwork in this category. We were delighted then, when Miss Hilde Heyvaert of House of Secrets Incorporated, distinguished member of our SMOKING LOUNGE forum, brought the work of Mr Björn Hurri to our attention.

Be sure to see the art of Mr Hurri on display at the collective art blog, Gorilla Artfare.

29 October 2008 | VINTAGRAPH | Comment

Vintagraph is “a blog, museum and store dedicated to restoring and bringing to life vintage posters.” Most of their posters are restored from high-resolution Library of Congress scans. Because the originals are typically damaged or faded, Vintagraph restores them extensively to bring out their beauty again.

The poster on display here was originally created in 1936 to promote the city of Philadelphia and shows a trail of railroad freight cars at the city’s port.

28 October 2008 | VINTAGE DISNEYLAND TICKETS | Comment

The blog, Vintage Disneyland Tickets offers, as the name obviously indicates, a wonderful collection of old Disney memorabilia.

This depiction of a futuristic Disneyland hotel comes from a little 1969 booklet, A Complete Edition About Walt Disney World, subtitled, “The Vacation Kingdom of the World.” The brochure provides an extensive and fascinating look at how the Disney company thought its themepark would come to look like.

27 October 2008 | HOUSE OF SECRETS INC. | Comment

Miss Hilde Heyvaert is one of the most prolific contributors to both our SMOKING LOUNGE community as well as the Gatehouse Gazette, yet, for no good reason at all, we never quite featured her excellent fashion and costume design here! We hope to make up for that today.

Hilde maintains an independent designer identity, called House of Secrets Incorporated, with lots of outstanding creations on display there. Be sure to also check out her Photostream at flickr where she often posts new outifts!

26 October 2008 | SKYMINE | Comment

Mr Björn Hurri is an illustrator living in the United Kingdom whose Website provides both a portfolio as well as a sketchbook, both filled with the most fantasic and sometimes bizarre drawings.

This depiction, entitled, “Skymine” by the artist, is our favorite, for it features zeppelins against the backdrop of mist and an enormous machine floating amid the clouds, evoking a sensation of perpetual gloom; of a certain hopelessness in a world of mysterious technology.

25 October 2008 | ATHENA VOLTAIRE | Comment

“Exotic locales; evil villains; occult horror; rapid-fire danger; explosive action.” Athena Voltaire has it all, and more! Witten by a Mr Paul Daly, Athena Voltaire is an exciting homage to mid-century pulp fiction. Combined with the art of a Mr Steve Bryant and colors by a Mr Chad Fidler, it makes for a quality graphic novel of which two adventures are available for on-line reading at a Website.

Thanks to Mr “Steiner” of the SMOKING LOUNGE for bringing this to our attention!

24 October 2008 | BIOSHOCK CONCEPT ART | Comment

“Rapture is on the rise!” Its elegant deco towers spire toward the surface with unprecedented audacity while the people within them perish as their very own bodies are torn apart in violent ecstasy. That is the sad history of Rapture, the underwater utopia turned horror story.

For BioShock, many concept arts of Rapture were produced, including this fine depiction, now on display in our DIESELPUNK Galleries. For more, we recommend Cult of Rapture, where “Opportunity Awaits!”

23 October 2008 | SKY PIRATES OVER HOLLAND | Comment

SMOKING LOUNGE member, Miss “HildeKitten” just posted about this charming little comic about a Sky Pirate attack upon our home country and we felt compelled to share it with all of steampunk fandom immediately!

The comic was created by a Mr Jeremy Kraumer and Mr Eric Vaughn of Truck Bearing Kibble and shows how Dutch ingenuity saves the Low Countries from ravage and plunder. Note that not all of the comments are particularly gentlemanly however!

23 October 2008 | HIGH TREASON | Comment

Today, in London, premiers the restored version of the 1929 film, High Treason. “Written by maverick MP Noel Pemberton Billing, the film is an intriguing glimpse into what seemed possible in the inter-war years,” says this Website which also provides several screenshots of the film, including the picture on display here of the London skyline in the future—the future being the 1950s at the time.

Thanks to SMOKING LOUNGE member, “Dr Damon Molinarius” for making us aware of this!

22 October 2008 | FRANK R. PAUL | Comment

“At a time when most Americans didn’t even have a telephone, he was painting space stations, robots and aliens from other planets. In an era when Lindbergh made headlines by flying across the Atlantic, [he] envisioned starships plowing across the galaxy.” It is Frank R. Paul we’re talking about, famed artist of many pulp and science fiction magazine covers.

Mr Frank Wu now has a large collection of such covers on display at his Website.

21 October 2008 | THE ART OF JOHN MATTOS | Comment

You might be familiar already with the work of John Mattos, for he provided the excellent poster artwork for the 1991 film adaption of The Rocketeer.

The rest of his work, of which a selection is available at Mr Mattos’ Website, is just as perfectly deco as his Rocketeer art. Two of his other posters, therefore, have been added to the “Posters” section of our DIESELPUNK Galleries, including the proud American eagle displayed here atop discarded computer hardware.

20 October 2008 | LORENZO PETRANTONI | Comment

This one came through us via the Blue Tea blog.

The author there wrote about illustrator Lorenzo Petrantoni that this artist, “applies his strong graphic talents to remix turn-of-the-century style into something both quaint and fresh. His new-old collages pop with a vibrancy that could only come from our era—and not just because of the occasional Nike logo and suchlike anachronisms.” We could not have put it more eloquently ourselves! Be sure to visit Mr Petrantoni’s Website!

19 October 2008 | NAUTICA | Comment

“Nautica” is presumably the name of the mysterious lady depicted here against the backdrop of a dirigible inspired by the airship from the 2005 animated short film, The Mysterious Geographic Explorations of Japser Morello. In spite of her steampunk-esque surroundings, the lady herself seems like she came right out of some noir jazz club!

This fine depiction was created by a German artist, who goes by the handle of “Sulphar-Fire,” and maintains a collection of further artwork on display in a Profile.

18 October 2008 | BOHN FUTURE | Comment

In the 1940s, the Bohn Aluminium and Brass Company ran a series of advertisements portraying all the promises of post-war technology; a future in which, “by strange coincidence, aluminium, brass and other light alloys would play a key role.” Thus writes Mr David Szondy, who now maintains a Collection of these retro-futuristic depictions on display at his Website.

This particular depiction shows what, according to the people at Bohn, an airport would look like in the future.

17 October 2008 | JAPANESE ROBOT | Comment

This one was posted the other day by “Victorian Adventure Enthusiast” over at the community, The Clockworkers Guild’s Journal.

About the origin of this photograph, we know very little. Apparently, it depicts a Mr Mitsui Yasutaro with his own “steel humanoid” circa 1932, even though the robot seems like belongs in some 1950s science-fiction drama. If you have more information—or speculation—be sure to “Comment” to this entry!

16 October 2008 | DECODENT | Comment

Mr “Steiner” is not only a good friend and patron of The Gatehouse, but an extraordinary author and artist also. For a dieselpunk-esque comic under development, he produced this most elegant depiction, evoking the deco aesthetic of the Roaring Twenties in the best tradition of the genre.

For more, be sure to check out Steiner’s Profile (where some of the work on display may not be perfectly work-safe, mind you!), or visit our SMOKING LOUNGE where he regularly shares both his art as well as his writings!

15 October 2008 | ANDREW | Comment

“Andrew” is the name of this plane which must be the finest example of what a flying boat should look like!

With four fumes, the machine may be somewhat more heavily equipped than necessary, but for us dieselpunk enthusiasts, there is no such thing as “too much machinery.” Environmentalists, on the other hand, might not find this clipper so attractive, for it seems to pollute excessively! The artist is one Michal from Poland, who maintains a Website with more of his work on display.

15 October 2008 | DESIGNS BY VICTORIA | Comment

This lovely burgundy wool hat, embellished with a cord of matte gold and metallic burgundy threads, supposedly belonged to the wife of an airship merchant. “She had extensive contacts [...] and over time became rather well-off, and indulged herself in several extravagances.” This his was apparently her most favored treasure!

Actually, it was made by SMOKING LOUNGE member, Miss “Mahariel” who maintains both a Website as well as a Shop where her wonderful creations can be purchased!

14 October 2008 | BAJEMA’S WEB | Comment

The first “Elegance award” of this year has been awarded to the website of a Miss Bethalynne Bajema: Bajema’s Web.

Miss Bajema’s is an exquisite website of which the pages cling together in delicate perfection and seem all designed with individual consideration. A woman’s touch is undeniable in the details that make for a subconsciously agreeable visiting experience. Besides the impressive webdesign, Miss Bajema provides a collection of spectacular artwork of undeniable steampunk appeal.

13 October 2008 | ZNANIE SILA | Comment

The latest addition to the “Architecture” section of our DIESELPUNK Galleries are a selection of covers of the Russian magazine, Znanie Sila, which has been in print since in 1926.

The magazine’s Website provides an archive of old covers, of which the one on display here is from 1948. The covers from the 1930s through the 1950s are of particular interest, for they often depict what Soviet-Russia liked to be—industrial and powerful and a beacon of patriotic pride!

12 October 2008 | TRISTESSA LUNA | Comment

French steampunk typically tends to be somewhat more whimsical and fantastic than the Anglo-Saxon variant, characterized by strange peoples and machines drawn more from fantasy than history, but the result is always just as attractive and sometimes even more bold.

This particular depiction, elegantly entitled, “Tristessa Luna,” was created by French artist, “Ladydine Création” who maintains both a Profile as well as a Website of her own with lots of equally fascinating artwork on display!

11 October 2008 | TIME MACHINE | Comment

Imagine a long-forgotten vault, hidden deep underneath a laboratory, where stalled away from Man and Time stands covered in must and memories the greatest accomplishment of Nikola Tesla, his final gift to humankind: a time machine. Perhaps with that in mind, a Mr Lorenz Ruwwe from Germany set to work and he produced this depiction of the machine being discovered again.

Visit either Mr Ruwwe’s Profile or his own Website to see more of his work!

10 October 2008 | FLYING PRUSSIAN | Comment

This one was recommended to me by Mr “Steiner,” moderator at our forums, the SMOKING LOUNGE; a depiction of a World War I era “Flying Prussian” by Mr Tomek Belzowski from Poland.

The drawing was produced in answer to a task to devise, “a hunter capable of fulfilling his duties as fast as possible.” The artist came up with this dieselpunk-inspired concept, of a German soldier with wings! Be sure to visit Mr Belzowski’s Profile for more of his work.

9 October 2008 | LONELY CITY LOVE AFFAIR | Comment

Something a little cyberpunk today by a Mr Chester Ocampo from Singapore who provided the following lyrics along with this depiction by “The Police.”

Roxanne, you don’t have to put on the red light
Those days are over
You don’t have to sell your body to the night
Roxanne, you don’t have to wear that dress tonight
Walk the streets for money
You don’t care if it’s wrong or if it’s right

8 October 2008 | TRANSARCTICA | Comment

Transarctica was a 1993 computer game produced by the French. While its story—set in a post-apocalyptic ice-covered world in which a “Viking Union” controls the sole network of transportion, consisting of massive armored trains—was not particularly notable, the cover art, provided by a Mr Rodney Matthews, was quite exceptional!

Mr Matthews maintains a Website about his professional history and artwork. We thank the Steampunk Pics blog for this excellent find!

7 October 2008 | SHERLOCK HOLMES | Comment

The latest “Character of the Week” competition over at Conceptart.org has one our favorites characters as subject: Arthur Conan Doyle’s finest creation, the Great Detective himself—Sherlock Holmes.

Numerous impressive artworks have already been submitted and they can all be appreciated in this Thread. The portrait on display here was drawn by Miss Aly Fell, of whom we have a few excellent paintings already here at The Gatehouse. Visit her Website for more of her art!

6 October 2008 | RED ALERT 3 | Comment

We have reported on the upcoming installment in Electronic Arts’ Command & Conquer series before, and since, much more material has been made available, including numerous concept arts and unit data, along with information and photographs about and of the game’s cast.

This depiction was recently added to the Official Website for Red Alert 3; an “Imperial Warrior” of Japan, which is known as the “Empire of the Rising Sun” in the alternate history of the game.

5 October 2008 | EXPLORER | Comment

There were times when Englishmen roamed the globe in pursuit of the Unknown, gathering knowledge of civilizations long gone in the remote jungles of India and the torrid deserts of the Dark Continent, all in the name of Science and Glory.

Such a man is this “Explorer,” drawn by a Mr Alejandro Diaz from Colombia, apparently in charge of an expedition into the unexplored realms of Africa. Be sure to visit Mr Diaz’s Blog for a great collection of artwork.

4 October 2008 | ABANDONED STATION | Comment

Imagine living with a few fellow adventurers or sky pirates in your very own floating retreat among the clouds, far away from the fuss of the world below, and friends occasionally steering by in their dirigibles for a visit.

A Mr Max from the Ukrain presents exactly such a whimsical place, and he has many more, equally fantastic artworks on display in his Profile, including strange yet streamlined flying machines from a future past that might make any airship obsolete!

3 October 2008 | ONYX OCTUPI | Comment

You might not immediately realize what is going on in this picture, so fortunately the artist provides us with a quick explanation: “steampunk girl wearing a walrus hat, riding on a giant onyx mechanical octopus.” Now that makes sense, doesn’t it?

It may not be an everyday sight, but it is a sight to see, for sure! The artist in question is a lady from the United States who goes by the handle of “Calliopie” and maintains a fine collection of her artwork on display in a Profile.

2 October 2008 | AVIATION MEMORABILIA | Comment

Oh, the times when travel was still new and gracious! When zeppelins and flying clippers graced the clouds and people looked up at planes flying overhead with awe and dreams of adventure. Dreams only enforced by the powerful imagery of period advertisements and, apparently, the covers of airline schedules.

A gallery of such schedules is available at the Website of the “Gordon Reublin collection of historical aviation photos and items from the Golden Age of Aviation.”

1 October 2008 | RAPTURE ON THE RISE | Comment

2K Games’ BioShock gives us what is perhaps the most ambitious and elegant vision of a dieselpunk dystopia—an underwater dystopia that is, the product of Andrew Ryan’s dream, where “no gods; no kings; only man” is supreme.

Now available in the Galleries of our DIESELPUNK section is a selection of depictions of “Rapture,” Ryan’s impossible utopia under the seas. Some images were originally on display in the STEAMPUNK Galleries; others, including this artwork by one “RoguePL,” are new to The Gatehouse.