While I must admit these look pretty cool I think most of these "steampunk" artists have missed the point of steampunk and its many sub/side cultures.
In steampunk functionality is above all, can't just slap on a bunch of gears and baubles and call it steampunk. It needs a thought out (bio)mechanical function on which to base it, then you can start adding stuff that looks like it does something.
Then there's the whole issue with postapocalysmism (I just made that word up but you get the drift) where you take what you can find but more importantly have a use for. Although granted sometimes that use is to make you look menacing.
Either way functionality beats look. Something that "looks steampunk" but has no use is not steampunk.
Except of course it's jewelry and therefore has no function other than to be worn, which all these can be, ergo they serve their purpose, and are functional. That or steampunk jewelry is an oxymoron.
Though jewelry has no other purpose than to be worn, steampunk jewelry should APPEAR to have a function. This is the great fun of it; it should arouse the curiosity of the observer, so that he or she says "I wonder what that does?" instead of simply "That looks cool."
Exactly what Moxxi said, and it does hold true for some of them (the eyeball ones for instance even though they're slightly off course for standard steampunk).
You could extend it to also cover the magic/crystals/steampunk combo which would make this jewelry a bit more acceptable but it's still a stretch for some of them.
While I must admit these look pretty cool I think most of these "steampunk" artists have missed the point of steampunk and its many sub/side cultures.
In steampunk functionality is above all, can't just slap on a bunch of gears and baubles and call it steampunk. It needs a thought out (bio)mechanical function on which to base it, then you can start adding stuff that looks like it does something.
Then there's the whole issue with postapocalysmism (I just made that word up but you get the drift) where you take what you can find but more importantly have a use for. Although granted sometimes that use is to make you look menacing.
Either way functionality beats look. Something that "looks steampunk" but has no use is not steampunk.
Except of course it's jewelry and therefore has no function other than to be worn, which all these can be, ergo they serve their purpose, and are functional. That or steampunk jewelry is an oxymoron.
Though jewelry has no other purpose than to be worn, steampunk jewelry should APPEAR to have a function. This is the great fun of it; it should arouse the curiosity of the observer, so that he or she says "I wonder what that does?" instead of simply "That looks cool."
Exactly what Moxxi said, and it does hold true for some of them (the eyeball ones for instance even though they're slightly off course for standard steampunk).
You could extend it to also cover the magic/crystals/steampunk combo which would make this jewelry a bit more acceptable but it's still a stretch for some of them.
In steampunk functionality is above all, can't just slap on a bunch of gears and baubles and call it steampunk. It needs a thought out (bio)mechanical function on which to base it, then you can start adding stuff that looks like it does something.
Then there's the whole issue with postapocalysmism (I just made that word up but you get the drift) where you take what you can find but more importantly have a use for. Although granted sometimes that use is to make you look menacing.
Either way functionality beats look. Something that "looks steampunk" but has no use is not steampunk.
Fnark is right on.
Fnord!
You could extend it to also cover the magic/crystals/steampunk combo which would make this jewelry a bit more acceptable but it's still a stretch for some of them.