Tattoo steampunk - the history and aesthetics of the appearance, sketches of tattoos in the style of steampunk for men and girls, where to apply, inspiring photos of works

To do a steampunk tattoo, you do not have to be a follower of the style. Visually, he is sympathetic to many. Romanticization of mechanisms looks spectacular in tattoos.

Let's get acquainted with the aesthetics of the trend to try on steampunk.

History

As a definition, the word "steampunk" came from literature: it was coined by Englishman Kevin Jeter for his book "Night of the Morlocks" in 1979, simply by putting together "steam" - steam and "punk" - rebel.

The word turned out to be enduring and quickly grew to refer to an alternative world where humanity did not develop electrification and oil production, but rather perfected steam engines and machinery.

Many of the worlds beloved since childhood in the books of Jules Verne, Herbert Wells, Mark Twain (19th century) and Harry Harrison (20th century) also fell under the definition of steampunk retrospectively. They feature fantastically bizarre machines: atomic locomotives, submarines, bathyscaphes, coal-powered flying ships with folding wings.

The steampunk trend is supported in comics, music, video games, and movies. Remember Bekmambetov's 2009 animated film "The Ninth" or the recent "Chronicles of Predator Cities," 2018?

Aesthetics

In the late 1990s, steampunk became a creative movement and a way of life. It criticizes soulless technology and cheap disposable plastic things. Followers of the genre use steampunk aesthetics in everyday clothing, decor, and household items.

In 2013, based on the analysis of hundreds of thousands of blogs, online media and social networks, IBM predicted steampunk to be the main trend in retail. Either way, the trend is still relevant now that you're thinking about a steampunk tattoo.

Attributes

Elements of clothing are borrowed from the English fashionistas of the Victorian era (19th century).

Women: long Mary Poppins style dresses, corsets, hats with veils, puffed skirts with crinolines.

Men: deliberately gentlemanly suits, tails with long falsets, gaiters over boots.

Working-class clothing: overalls covered in soot, leather masks, helmets, gas masks.

Accessories: googly glasses (thick round frames), pocket watches on a chain, canes, gloves, hats - cylinders and bowlers, smoking pipes.

Objects of modernity, on the contrary, are styled as "antiquity," as if they were not electronic, but mechanical.

How to stylize a tattoo in steampunk

The plot of the drawing is not limited to the limits of a given style. Add to the plot tattoo signs characteristic of the steampunk and get a spectacular result:

Mechanisms, working on the principle of a steam engine: steam engines, steam trains, airships, horse-drawn carriages, winged flying machines
Abundance of small parts: toothed gears, screws and rivets, levers, a dense weave of pipes of different diameters, dials.
Materials depicted:Metal, leather, natural fabrics, rarely wood. No plastic!
Authentic prostheticsThe characters' limbs are often replaced with parts of steam engines
Attributes of appearance: clothing and accessories from the nineteenth century (see above).
Victorian-era technology: Telephone, telegraph, typewriters, the earliest incandescent light bulbs, old watchmakers' optics.
The first robots:Metal, chubby, and uncluttered, as described by the first science-fiction writers.

Steampunk sketches

Sketches can be monochrome or color. Rarely b/w, as it is a cool combination. Steampunk is warm lamplight, so warm metallic shades of copper, bronze, brass predominate.
The style is characterized by crisp lines, naturalness in proportions, soft gradients in shadows and bright highlights.
The drawings look rough and brutal, but there is an aesthetic to them.
Initially, the sketches resemble ancient blueprints, acquiring varying degrees of realism as they are elaborated.
Working on the sketch, boldly mix styles: the more original combination of elements, the more attention your new tattoo will receive from others.

Large-Scale Tattoos

Steampunk tattoos of a large area on the whole arm or back are usually made based on biomechanics: as if there are mechanical parts, dials, pipes, gears under the skin. Often it is an imitation of the absence of skin or deliberately rough cuts and tears.

If an experienced master in a tattoo parlor will work out the anatomy, the realism of "Victorian cyborg" is off the scale: from the side it seems that a person really has a vintage prosthesis instead of a body part. Even in the photo, without movement, it looks stunning.

Small-format tattoos

You don't have to score entire sleeves to make steampunk tattoos look spectacular. You can get a small, interesting tattoo. The main thing is to come up with an original idea and choose a competent master. Execution in the style of steampunk will make any everyday object unusual.

The work of the master

Steampunk is a spectacular style: it is a fantasy so convincing that it can be called realism. The master must be able to convey atmosphere and understand biomechanics.

A particular difficulty is the authentic execution of the textures of materials: the oily sheen of polished metal, rust or deliberate greasiness. Only a good craftsman can cope with such a difficult task.

Correct gradients, proportions and naturalness require a highly skilled tattoo artist. Beginners can screw up the work, so do not experiment on yourself, look for an experienced specialist.