Apologies for being gone for almost a month. It has taken that long for me to restore my internet connect to its proper state so that I can start posting reviews once more.
I'll start posting again this weekend. Again, sorry for the long absence.
Friday, November 20, 2009
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Technical Issues Amuck
Technical difficulties are still abound. I apologize, as internet to post the Observer blogs must be done from a public place such as a library.
Currently I have nobody to feature at the moment, but there's an audiobook that I'll be going through called the "Airman" that is very steampunk-ish. I'll post a review of that when I finish it.
Signing off for now,
Currently I have nobody to feature at the moment, but there's an audiobook that I'll be going through called the "Airman" that is very steampunk-ish. I'll post a review of that when I finish it.
Signing off for now,
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Steampunk Observer - October 3rd, 2009
Top of the evening! This time I bring good tidings!
Tonight, I have two guests to feature. Both are deviantART users, and each have their own little unique way they express their Steampunk enthusiasm.
First off, is Robin Smith. I ran across one of his works a few days ago on deviantART; he created Steampunk USB drives, cufflinks, and necklaces out of wood, gears, and other materials. I asked him to tell me a little about himself, and this is what he had to say:
"I'm a self taught artist who loves recycling (95% of my materials are recycled) & bringing new life to items that would otherwise be discarded or destroyed. I've always had an immense love for mechanisms of all sorts, from traditional automata, to antique hand made clock movements. There is just something so beautiful about watching a chain of actions create movement or reaction. I find most modern technology quite ugly and that it lacks the mystery and wonder that traditional mechanical devices possessed.
Although the parts currently aren't 'animated', I've been working on a fully working key over the last few months and I'm very close to completing my first one, but this will increase the cost considerably (unfortunately).
I'm on my 7th key now and I personally feel that they are getting better with every piece. My next device, is probably going to be a full PC, which I'm looking forward to greatly!"
This guy is very good at what he does. One of the USB drives were featured on deviantART as a daily deviation. Some of his items namely the necklaces are for sale. He can be found at http://back2root.deviantart.com/ . So swing by and take a look.
Next, is Katherine A. Cox. A young woman that has just entered college not so long ago, she has found the means to publish her own book called "Sixpence Crooked", a fiction Steampunk genre work. Her book can be found on Amazon.com, and Katherine can be found on deviantART at http://greentea13.deviantart.com/ . She is a remarkable artist, and does very rustic and traditional work that has a certain quality to them.
What amused and amazed me was that once her book was published, Katherine, her younger sister, and a friend got together and did cosplays of the main characters! These are very well made costumes, and show good skill and craftmanship. They also have gotten to meet the Outlanders, and debuted their book at DragonCon and Anime Weekend Atlanta. I throw my hat off at this young lady (if I had a top hat to throw off, that is) at her ingenuity, hard work, and determination. I have not gotten a chance to read her book yet, but I will soon, and post a review about it when I do.
That's all for tonight. Enjoy this Saturday night!
Tonight, I have two guests to feature. Both are deviantART users, and each have their own little unique way they express their Steampunk enthusiasm.
First off, is Robin Smith. I ran across one of his works a few days ago on deviantART; he created Steampunk USB drives, cufflinks, and necklaces out of wood, gears, and other materials. I asked him to tell me a little about himself, and this is what he had to say:
"I'm a self taught artist who loves recycling (95% of my materials are recycled) & bringing new life to items that would otherwise be discarded or destroyed. I've always had an immense love for mechanisms of all sorts, from traditional automata, to antique hand made clock movements. There is just something so beautiful about watching a chain of actions create movement or reaction. I find most modern technology quite ugly and that it lacks the mystery and wonder that traditional mechanical devices possessed.
Although the parts currently aren't 'animated', I've been working on a fully working key over the last few months and I'm very close to completing my first one, but this will increase the cost considerably (unfortunately).
I'm on my 7th key now and I personally feel that they are getting better with every piece. My next device, is probably going to be a full PC, which I'm looking forward to greatly!"
This guy is very good at what he does. One of the USB drives were featured on deviantART as a daily deviation. Some of his items namely the necklaces are for sale. He can be found at http://back2root.deviantart.com/ . So swing by and take a look.
Next, is Katherine A. Cox. A young woman that has just entered college not so long ago, she has found the means to publish her own book called "Sixpence Crooked", a fiction Steampunk genre work. Her book can be found on Amazon.com, and Katherine can be found on deviantART at http://greentea13.deviantart.com/ . She is a remarkable artist, and does very rustic and traditional work that has a certain quality to them.
What amused and amazed me was that once her book was published, Katherine, her younger sister, and a friend got together and did cosplays of the main characters! These are very well made costumes, and show good skill and craftmanship. They also have gotten to meet the Outlanders, and debuted their book at DragonCon and Anime Weekend Atlanta. I throw my hat off at this young lady (if I had a top hat to throw off, that is) at her ingenuity, hard work, and determination. I have not gotten a chance to read her book yet, but I will soon, and post a review about it when I do.
That's all for tonight. Enjoy this Saturday night!
Friday, October 2, 2009
The Steampunk Workshop
Still experiencing technical difficulties...
Jake Von Slatt runs an extremely good site that's similar to my what I plan to do with my blog. He has many construction projects that he "steampunks", from a conversion van down to computer keyboard mods out of metal. He also features many other people's works and anything he discovers, and is a good person to keep tabs on to get an overview of what's happening in the steampunk community.
Have a great Friday night!
Jake Von Slatt runs an extremely good site that's similar to my what I plan to do with my blog. He has many construction projects that he "steampunks", from a conversion van down to computer keyboard mods out of metal. He also features many other people's works and anything he discovers, and is a good person to keep tabs on to get an overview of what's happening in the steampunk community.
Have a great Friday night!
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Technical Difficulties
I'm sorry my nightly post is behind on schedule, my computer has given me unexpected technical dificulties. They should be resolved for tomorrow's blog; sorry for keeping things in the dark.
Monday, September 28, 2009
Clockwork Cabaret
Just a quick note, the Clockwork Cabaret are run by the Davenport sisters, who run a radio show out of Carrboro, North Carolina every Monday night on WCOM 103.5. They play a wide variety of Steampunk-ish music for over an hour or so, and callers can call in to the show at 919-929-9601. I've gotten to meet this dynamic duo in the flesh at Animazement during their Steampunk panel Sunday morning, and they are awesome. Most of that panel can be found on Youtube.
That's all for tonight!
That's all for tonight!
Sunday, September 27, 2009
The Steampunk Observer - The First Official Post
What to first post in the Steampunk Observer; the first post always seems the most daunting. That feeling never quite leaves my head. Maybe the beginning is a good place to start...
I've loved Steampunk for a very long time, since around I started to enter college around 2005. Unfortunately for me, I didn't know that it was called Steampunk, nor that there was a fanbase for it. But the fascination of Victorian-esque character engaging in gallavanting adventures that crossed into the border of science-fiction enthralled me. For three years, I went through college thinking I was probably the only one in this entire world that had come up with new ideas for these types of stories.
In the summer before my senior year at college, I went to my first convention at Animazement in Durham, North Carolina. I met a couple people that I became good friends with, and I walked away realizing a lot of things, one of them was that at least one person would be interested in the things I liked.
About a month after that, it was then I was browsing deviantART one day when I discovered a work of art that almost seemed to match what went on with my soon-to-be discovered Steampunkishness. After clicking on the art and reading the description, it was then I was introduced to the term "Steampunk." I punched it into Google and lo and behold...
It'll be a little more than one year since that fateful day. I've learned a lot of things, and have tried a lot of things. I have ongoing Steampunk projects that I'd love to share with the Steampunk community, and have tried many ideas that have seemed to go down the drain, namely a cooperative RP story with my Animazement friends.
But as I try to take the step from a novice Steampunker and wrack my brain to what I can do in the community, I had recently come up with the idea to provide a centralized base of Steampunk news and notices, much like an information hub. I'm adopting the name as the "Steampunk Observer" for this task, observing, commenting, and sharing whatever Steampunk related information I can with other enthusiasts. And with this, I, the Steampunk Observer, set forward to do this task.
I've loved Steampunk for a very long time, since around I started to enter college around 2005. Unfortunately for me, I didn't know that it was called Steampunk, nor that there was a fanbase for it. But the fascination of Victorian-esque character engaging in gallavanting adventures that crossed into the border of science-fiction enthralled me. For three years, I went through college thinking I was probably the only one in this entire world that had come up with new ideas for these types of stories.
In the summer before my senior year at college, I went to my first convention at Animazement in Durham, North Carolina. I met a couple people that I became good friends with, and I walked away realizing a lot of things, one of them was that at least one person would be interested in the things I liked.
About a month after that, it was then I was browsing deviantART one day when I discovered a work of art that almost seemed to match what went on with my soon-to-be discovered Steampunkishness. After clicking on the art and reading the description, it was then I was introduced to the term "Steampunk." I punched it into Google and lo and behold...
It'll be a little more than one year since that fateful day. I've learned a lot of things, and have tried a lot of things. I have ongoing Steampunk projects that I'd love to share with the Steampunk community, and have tried many ideas that have seemed to go down the drain, namely a cooperative RP story with my Animazement friends.
But as I try to take the step from a novice Steampunker and wrack my brain to what I can do in the community, I had recently come up with the idea to provide a centralized base of Steampunk news and notices, much like an information hub. I'm adopting the name as the "Steampunk Observer" for this task, observing, commenting, and sharing whatever Steampunk related information I can with other enthusiasts. And with this, I, the Steampunk Observer, set forward to do this task.
The Steampunk Observer - Introduction
Welcome to the Steampunk Observer. This site keeps tabs on all things Steampunk, sharing it with the online Steampunk community. Feel free to contact me at thesteampunkobserver@gmail.com
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