Getting into Steampunk Making with LUMIBRICKS

Did you know that June 14 is International Steampunk Day? Just as there’s “Talk Like a Pirate Day” (September 18), “World Goth Day” (May 22) or “Star Wars Day” (May the 4th), enthusiasts of the retro futuristic movement get their own chance to celebrate.

(If you want to learn more about the origins of International Steampunk Day, check out The Steampunk Explorer.)

Now what is Steampunk?

Most might be familiar with the general visual style of Victorian features mixed with fantastical adaptions of the steam-powered engines of the industrial revolution. Sepia colours, ruffles and lace plus cogs and gears everywhere. (“Have you watched Wild Wild West?”)

But Steampunk is much more than that! With its roots in literature (author K. W. Jeter coined the term “Steampunk” in dependence on “Cyberpunk” in 1987), the storytelling in alternative pasts provides the foundation on which fashion, art and music play with the notion of the big “What-if?”.

WHAT IF history took another turn?
WHAT IF electricity was never invented and everything was still steam-powered?
WHAT IF time travel was possible?

How would the world look?

It’s a thought experiment that gives much more creative freedom than historical reenactment while still taking inspiration from 19th century.

Yes, steampunks have a weak spot for everything vintage, Victorian or generally old-timey, but we still like modern amenities. We just put them into something that looks like it would fit right into a Jules Verne novel. (What if my phone would operate with steam? How would that look?)

It’s a kind of nostalgia for a past that never was; a romantic idealisation of what could have been; cherry picking the things we like from history and making them into something fantastical yet recognizable.

And making is another cornerstone of the scene: Inspired by mad scientists and ingenious inventors, creating is about learning and understanding how things work and experiencing the joy of doing it yourself. Whether it’s sewing, drawing, writing, building or something completely different, it’s the perfect way to get into steampunk!

Celebrate International Steampunk Day by Making!

The train station* not only has a platform for steam trains but the aforementioned elevator rises to a 2nd platform for a suspension railway. Living in the vicinity of the Wuppertal suspension railway, the world’s oldest electric elevated railway, of course I like that!

You can tell that a lot of thought went into the design and that there are stories hidden behind these models, waiting to be explored. And this International Steampunk Day LUMIBRICKS expands their Steampunk universe by providing some more background information about the setting of their models:

The five factions:

Personally, I’m torn between the Aeronauts (obviously because of the name *cough* Aeronautica *cough*) and the Abbys League because I sense the possibility of octopus there…

Steampunk by LUMIBRICKS

In any case I’m already a fan of the whole setting! I feel like LUMIBRICKS* really understood the essence of steampunk and their models go far beyond just “looking nice” (which they do, too of course). It’s great to see a company exploring the possibilities of steampunk while also providing creative opportunities!

Here are some more examples of the Steampunk line:

Make sure to check out the whole Steampunk World series to discover all the beautifully crafted Steampunk models from fantastical vehicles like Airships and Hot Rods to majestic buildings like the Watch Tower or the Trading Center. There’s also a sale going on in honour of International Steampunk Day, so now is the perfect time to start building!

Happy Steampunk Making!

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