Whether you want to delineate dynamic derring-do on paper or consider the construction of a cunning costume, this is the book for you! With its fantastic array of steampunk finery, this how-to tome will have you firing up your drawing instruments or the metal press and sewing machine when it fires your imagination.

Welcome to the world of Steampunk: a unique fantasy version of nineteenth century Victorian England imbued with today's technology. Discover the captivating and dynamic world of this emerging genre through the creative vision of today's leading artists. "The Art of Steampunk is a visual treat that you can peruse time and time again, as well as proudly display on your coffee table for your guests to enjoy." -- NEW YORK JOURNAL OF BOOKS "The book wastes very little time getting to the good stuff..." -- WIRED MAGAZINE

This comprehensive guide to Steampunk creations of all kinds offers inspiration and practical tips for bringing your own retro-futuristic visions to life. Whether you’re a newbie to the world of Steampunk, or a long-time enthusiast of airships, goggles, and mad scientists, The Steampunk User’s Manual is essential reading. The popular subgenre of science fiction has grown into a cultural movement; one that invites fans to let their imaginations go wild. In this volume, Jeff VanderMeer—the renowned expert in all things Steampunk—presents a practical and inspirational guidance for finding your own path into this realm. Including sections on art, fashion, architecture, crafts, music, performance, and storytelling, The Steampunk User's Manual provides a conceptual how-to guide on everything from the utterly doable to the completely over-the-top.

Steampunk Film: A Critical Introduction is a concise and accessible overview of steampunk's indelible impact within film, and acts as a case study for examining the ways with which genres hybridize and coalesce into new forms. Since the beginning of the 21st century, a series of high-profile and big-budget films have adopted steampunk identities to re-imagine periods of industrial development into fantastical histories where future meets past. By calling this growing mass-cultural fetishism for anachronistic machines into question, this book examines how a retro-futuristic romanticism for technology powered by cogs, pistons and steam-engines has taken center stage in blockbuster cinema. As the first monograph to consider cinema's unique relationship with steampunk, it places this burgeoning genre in the context of ongoing debates within film theory: each of which reflecting the movement's remarkable interest in reengineering historical technologies. Rather than acting as a niche subculture, Robbie McAllister argues that steampunk's proliferation in mainstream filmmaking reflects a desire to reassess contemporary relationships with technology and navigate the intense changes that the medium itself is experiencing in the 21st century.

Thirty-one full-page images depict men and women in Victorian regalia adorned with goggles and gears against moody background mashups of butterflies, flowers, and stars with locomotives, hot-air balloons, Victrolas, and other machinery.

Learn how to create one-of-kind pieces that marry romance, technology, and attitude—including a Time Travelers Necklace, Gearrings, and more. This how-to jewelry-making book features the work of an array of invited jewelry designers influenced by the growing Steampunk trend. In Steampunk circles, jewelry-makers are often master metalsmiths who combine found objects with fine metals to create elaborate pieces. In Steampunk Style Jewelry, the projects focus on “no fire” techniques—like simple stringing, wirework, hammering, stamping, gluing, stitching, and off-loom beadwork—so that even a beginner can create pieces in the style. Each project provides a complete materials and tools list, step-by-step instructions, and clear illustrations. This book offers a broad overview of a growing design trend that is part of the literary, industrial design, fashion, and popular culture scene. Readers will learn about the art movement through the many photographic sidebars that explore the many aspects of the trend.

Unleash Your Inner Mechanical Mastermind Welcome to the wondrous world of Thomas Willeford, aka Lord Archibald "Feathers" Featherstone, in which he shares his closely guarded secrets of Steampunkery. Filled with do-it-yourself projects, Steampunk Gear, Gadgets, and Gizmos: A Maker's Guide to Creating Modern Artifacts shows you how to build exquisite, ingenious contraptions on a budget. Learn from Lord Featherstone as he distills his wealth of hard-learned skills, describes how to use the readily available tools of the modern mad scientist, and expounds on the art and philosophy of scavenging unique components and raw materials. The perfect companion for the hobbyist and advanced machinist alike, this inventive volume will guide you through the creation of your very own infernal devices. Get steamed with these provocative projects: Aetheric ray deflector solid brass goggles Calibrated indicator gauges Ferromagnetic self-scribing automated encyclopedia (or, the Steampunk book drive) High voltage electro-static cannon (or, the lamp gun) Tesla-pod chrono-static insulating field generator (or, the mobile device enclosure) Altitude mask with integrated respiratory augmentation Armoured pith helmet Mark I superior replacement arm with integrated Gatling gun attachment Visit the companion website, www.mhprofessional.com/steampunk, for videos, images, and more bonus content! Make Great Stuff! TAB, an imprint of McGraw-Hill Professional, is a leading publisher of DIY technology books for makers, hackers, and electronics hobbyists.