Steampunk 101

Flying High With Your Crew

May 17, 2012

Airships are one of the first things people think of when it comes to Steampunk. Searching through websites and resources you come across a multitude of airship crews, pirates, and various lighter than air based forms of transportation. Both a standard and a cliché of the genre, more are formed every week as people decide to do their spin on the idea. It may seem like an overwrought concept that has seen it’s time alongside Mad Scientists and Explorers. I’ve even advocated the use of new ideas for Steampunk personas in the past. Is there a time and place...

What’s in a Name or Title? Steampunk Persona Ideas

April 12, 2012

By M Gabriel Colbaugh

What’s in a Name or Title? Steampunk Persona Ideas

Personas are a common part of Steampunk. Many who partake in our beloved sub-culture do more than just dress up or create art; they also take on an alternate personality to immerse themselves in the future that could’ve been. When searching the Internet for ideas you tend to a see a lot of similar themes that are repeated over and over again. Explorer, airship crewman of some sort, person of science; each of these is a tried and true trope of Steampunk. Is there anything wrong with wanting to be one of these professions in your Steampunk life? Certainly...

Bits and Bobs of Steampunk

January 18, 2012

By M Gabriel Colbaugh

People love the look of Steampunk. The styles, aesthetics and certain looks that turn what could be an ordinary outfit, or a Victorian recreationalist outfit, into something slightly off the beaten path and into the realm of Steam. One of the biggest fears I hear from a lot of people just starting out isn’t that they don’t have an outfit so much as they don’t feel it’s Steampunk enough. This, of course, raises the question…what does it take to make an outfit Steampunk? It’s something I’ve debated with my wife on multiple occasions about how many added bits do...

DIY Tips For Budget-Conscious Steampunks

January 12, 2012

By Daylina Miller

I’ve seen quite a few “Steampunk on a budget” lists, but in a personal effort to combat the misconception that Steampunk is only for those with extra cash laying around, here are my suggestions for a DIY steamy wardrobe. I’m a 23-year-old recent college graduate on a budget. I paid my way through school while driving a 15-year-old car (that recently fell apart, so now I’m making car payments). I also paid for my own orthodontic braces and continue to pay many other living expenses. If I can be an active member of the Steampunk community and dress Steampunk...

Anatomy of an Event

December 30, 2011

By M Gabriel Colbaugh

You’ve settled in with your new Steampunk group and had a lot of fun. You’ve made new friends, created a costume you’re happy with and even gotten a few accessories together. Now you’ve decided to plan an event for your group members to attend, in the process possibly giving the usual organizers a break. The question is where do you start? Planning an event is about making a handful of decisions and largely sticking to them. While working through the details, make sure to take time to ask yourself several questions that will help to make everything easier. These include...

What Steampunk Means

December 12, 2011

By M Gabriel Colbaugh

At a recent convention, I spoke at a panel about Steampunk and an audience member asked what was a good way to define the movement. My answer was that it depends, and that if you asked thirty different Steampunks you’d get thirty different answers. While almost everyone knows the Wikipedia definition of Steampunk and has at least a passing understanding of KW Jeter’s involvement in coining the term, it doesn’t mean that Steampunk has only one definition. Ultimately, Steampunk means different things to different people. Saying this can drive some Steampunks up the wall because the human condition makes us want hard definitions...

Win Friends and Influence Steampunks

December 2, 2011

By M Gabriel Colbaugh

At a recent get together for my local group we had several new people show up. They’d been watching our meetup.com page for an event to go to and finally get involved. They hadn’t attended anything before because they were nervous about not knowing anyone. In the end they decided to simply show up and are now active members in the group. First contact is one of the most important steps out there when it comes to getting involved with Steampunk, let alone in getting to know people in general. It can also be one of the most daunting....

Building a Steampunk Persona

November 17, 2011

By M Gabriel Colbaugh

A lot of Steampunks have taken on what’s known as a persona. A persona is a character or front that’s presented to others at events or online in the case of blogs, websites and social media. Many see that others have these personas and would like to create one of their own. The problem is most aren’t quite sure where to begin. Here are some questions to get you started based on the 5 W’s of journalism. 1) What do I want to do? A very good place to start is to ask yourself what you want to do...

Getting Involved in Steampunk

November 13, 2011

By M Gabriel Colbaugh

You’ve discovered Steampunk. You’ve marveled at the incredible aesthetics offered by the movement and are dying to get involved with it. You’ve pored over the internet looking at beautiful outfits, fantastic props and mind blowing artwork. You’ve created an idea in your head of what you want your own outfit to look like, worked up an idea for a possible persona and even found an awesome pair of goggles on etsy.com that’s in your price range. After all this you stop for a moment and ask yourself: How do I get involved? Being a social activity, Steampunk is best done with others. ...