Book Description
Welcome to the world of Steampunk: a unique fantasy version of nineteenth century Victorian England imbued with today’s technology, resulting in devices and contraptions that seem to have sprung from the mind of a mad twenty-first century scientist. The “steam” refers to steam power – as in fire-breathing machines of antique locomotion. The “punk” is an important reference to an outsider attitude.
In The Art of Steampunk, 2nd Edition, you’ll discover the captivating and dynamic world of this emerging genre through the creative vision of today’s leading Steampunk artists. This new edition expands on the art featured in the world’s first museum exhibit of Steampunk, held at The Museum of the History of Science at Oxford University in England with a look at all new, never seen before artists.
No longer satisfied with the plastic design of today’s mass-produced products, these artists are crafting a romantic new standard for modern goods by applying the characteristics of Steampunk. Their artwork consists of everything from jewelry and watches to light fixtures and clocks, every piece demonstrating hours of painstaking work and unlimited devotion. You will find that many of the artists are as unique and colorful as their masterpieces, often adopting alter egos of Victorian mad scientists and world explorers, allowing themselves to become fully immersed int he imaginative and exciting world of Steampunk.
About the Author
Art Donovan was born and raised in New York City. With more than 30 years of experience in the art industry, he creates pieces for Donovan Design, a company created with his wife, Leslie, that specializes in handcrafted lighting fixtures and illuminated sculptural objects. Their client list includes Tiffany & Co., Benetti Luxury Yachts, the Four Seasons, Disney Cruise Lines, and countless private restaurants, casinos, and residences around the world. Donovan’s Steampunk journey began several years ago when he encountered it online. It touched upon some favorite interests – history, science, and science fiction – and was unlike anything he had seen before. SInce curating the world’s first museum Steampunk exhibit, Donovan continues to make highly demanded Steampunk light fixtures while constantly working to bring the genre to the attention of others.
SOURCE: PUBLISHER
MY THOUGHTS
ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT
What a treasure trove of artifacts are contained in this latest edition of The Art of Steampunk. I have several books on Steampunk art and a large collection of fiction based on the art. This book brings to life some of my favorite things about the movement. It is neatly divided into artists and also contains a section on the Art of Steampunk that was presented in England. I found some new artists like Jessica Joslin and Eric Freitas that have some amazing sculptures. It also contains the art of Richard Nagy, creator or the steampunk computer.
The pictures are of very high quality and nicely laid out with a page about each artist and then a few more with lovely snaps of their work. I found so many things I would love to own and display. I just love the whole style of this art work. This would make a wonderful gift for lovers of the odd and unique. I thought this was a bit more educational than the first edition with more information about the whole movement. I wish that some of my favorite steampunk authors would have been mentioned to round things out. You can check out Jules Verne, Cassandra Clare, or Gail Carriger who are all amazing authors.
Disclosure I received this book from the publisher at no charge and in no way influenced my review. If you are considering purchasing this book or anything else from Amazon, please use my link above since I earn a very small percentage of the sale which helps pay for shipping my giveaways!
I will have to check this out. I’m fairly new to Steampunk but am dying to write something about it. Thanks for the review!!
Pam! I also have the Steampunk Bible which is another wonderful book! I was dying over some of the art and sculpture in this book. The guy who does the computers lives near me and quite a few show their work in LA.
Thank you so much for your generous and kind review 🙂 My best wishes to you and yours, Art Donovan