Turning (Gears) Japanesey -- Oriental Steampunk

Imperial Airship - artwork by James Ng

     Previously in this humble blog, I have discussed wild west American Steampunk and Dieselpunk.  So now we move on to another interesting mix -- Oriental steampunk.  (I use the word with respect; Orient means "east", and was the term used in the 19th century, so it makes perfect sense to refer to it in that manner when referring to a steampunk genre.)  The Asian part of our planet has a history rich with tradition and beautiful art and architecture.  It is those aspects which can be blended with steampunk in order to create something completely different.

 

     Some of the most wonderful examples of Oriental steampunk art are by James Ng, who creates computer-generated images which ignite the imagination.  His characters and subjects transcend the disconnect between technology and humanity that pervades today's societies; they seem to be at peace and one with their unique devices and robotic companions. 

art by James Ng

art by James Ng

     The use of classic Oriental symbols and motifs combines the warmth of tradition with the edgy feel of 'what if.'  You may purchase prints of James Ng's work from his shop here.

     Luxurious and expensive fabrics made and formerly commonly used in the East also provide an opportunity to meld steampunk and eastern style. ( This site seems to have a good variety of silk brocade fabric, though I have never ordered from them.)  In the LiveJournal community "steamfashion" one may find at least one post about Oriental fashion. (The whole steamfashion LJ section seems a magnificent source for clothiers and anyone seeking to spruce up their wardrobe in a steampunk manner. It covers "what is", "how to" and more.)  On other parts of the aethernet, I found talk of creating Victorian dresses out of pure silk brocade and wonderings about how else to integrate the fabrics into a Victorian aesthetic.  As ever, one may just choose to combine the two and see how it turns out!  Perhaps some leather spat boots with miniature paper lamp tassels atop the instep might be nice. (*ponders*)

    If you wish to learn more about the history of Asia during the Victorian period, here is an M.I.T. exhibition and essay entitled "Throwing Off Asia" in which "the remarkably swift "Westernization" of Japan in the late-19th and early-20th centuries was most vividly captured in popular woodblock prints. Images from the Jean S. and Frederic A. Sharf Collection at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston illustrate the great political, social, cultural, and industrial transformations that took place." 

     I hope these sources will provide you some insights and inspiration from the Orient.  All in all, compared to other types of steampunk, this combination seems almost untouched by steampunk artists.  Perhaps we shall see more of it as steampunk continues to evolve and include so many cultures and forms of art.

 ~DreamSteam

 

Ivan Meade in “Question Period”

 

Today I was feature on “Question Period” – I feel very honoured to be interviewed by Efrén Quiroz – One of the best Art Critics and supports of the Art Scene in Victoria BC. 

 

Efren’s blog Exhibit-V provides an extensive monthly calendar of openings, ongoing art exhibitions and the most reliable list of art galleries in Victoria B.C. Canada. Video clips of exhibitions and the people attending the events, as well as interviews with artists.

 

I invite you to read the interview here:

http://exhibit-v.blogspot.com/

 

 

 

You can also see here the video that  Efrén Quiroz director of Exhibit- V made on my opening night at PS Gallery back in the summer.

 

This way you can have a pick of my art pieces – Enjoy!

 

 

 

.

Ivan Meade in “Question Period”

 

Today I was feature on “Question Period” – I feel very honoured to be interviewed by Efrén Quiroz – One of the best Art Critics and supports of the Art Scene in Victoria BC. 

 

Efren’s blog Exhibit-V provides an extensive monthly calendar of openings, ongoing art exhibitions and the most reliable list of art galleries in Victoria B.C. Canada. Video clips of exhibitions and the people attending the events, as well as interviews with artists.

 

I invite you to read the interview here:

http://exhibit-v.blogspot.com/

 

 

 

You can also see here the video that  Efrén Quiroz director of Exhibit- V made on my opening night at PS Gallery back in the summer.

 

This way you can have a pick of my art pieces – Enjoy!

 

 

 

.

Clip Art Books For Your Creative Adventures

Dover's collection of clip art books has seen some improvements over the years. They now almost exclusively include a CD of all of the images so they are ready for use. Some of my older Dover books do not include CDs, making their use a bit tedious. Dover also began doing full color books for certain publications.

These are some of my favorites for black and white line drawings, hotlinked to Dover's site.











Dover also carries a line of books with full color and vector images that can be resized. The Pictura series are extremely detailed and useful for even large scale projects.

Pictura includes books of design and art from most of the world's cultures and detailed books of buterflies, flowers, insects and various art styles.

Clip Art Books For Your Creative Adventures

Dover's collection of clip art books has seen some improvements over the years. They now almost exclusively include a CD of all of the images so they are ready for use. Some of my older Dover books do not include CDs, making their use a bit tedious. Dover also began doing full color books for certain publications.

These are some of my favorites for black and white line drawings, hotlinked to Dover's site.











Dover also carries a line of books with full color and vector images that can be resized. The Pictura series are extremely detailed and useful for even large scale projects.

Pictura includes books of design and art from most of the world's cultures and detailed books of buterflies, flowers, insects and various art styles.

Donovan Designs Art Lighting

Art Donovan's current collection of art lighting is extremely diverse and creative, spanning everything from mod to Tiffany. He also boasts an impressive clientele list.

I am quite in awe of both the skill and composition in Art's work.


This hanging fixture really caught my eye. It is an interesting mix of old gothic and something more modern. It would look great over a kitchen island or large table.









The hanging fixture feels almost mid century and slightly gothic. I love the burl wood styled sides that seem to glow themselves.















This very simple pendant lamp by Leslie Tarbell Donovan is rather neat. The pattern inside the lampshade outlined in metallic sets off a basic shade shape.

This idea opens up all sorts of possibilities.

Check out more at Donovan Design

Donovan Designs Art Lighting

Art Donovan's current collection of art lighting is extremely diverse and creative, spanning everything from mod to Tiffany. He also boasts an impressive clientele list.

I am quite in awe of both the skill and composition in Art's work.


This hanging fixture really caught my eye. It is an interesting mix of old gothic and something more modern. It would look great over a kitchen island or large table.









The hanging fixture feels almost mid century and slightly gothic. I love the burl wood styled sides that seem to glow themselves.















This very simple pendant lamp by Leslie Tarbell Donovan is rather neat. The pattern inside the lampshade outlined in metallic sets off a basic shade shape.

This idea opens up all sorts of possibilities.

Check out more at Donovan Design