Today I tried my hand at my first "Steampunk" themed layout for the Dark Side Challenge at Scrapbook.com. I've been fascinated by Steampunk since I first heard about it over a year ago. What is Steampunk, you ask? Well, different people have slightly different views but most agree that it is something along the lines of an alternate reality Victorian-style era, full of fanciful contraptions often powered by steam or clock-like cogs. Dirigibles, not airplanes, are the preferred mode of travel in the Steampunk world. Are you confused yet? Think Jules Verne's fictional inventions, or the machinery and goggles in Tim Burton's Nine, or even Disney's own Treasure Planet - all Steampunk.
So then, what makes a layout Steampunk? The best way to describe my idea of a Steampunk layout is if shabby chic were to marry grunge and they were to have a child who took hallucinogenic drugs. You have distressing; you have victorian era embellishments, buttons and trim; and you have things you just don't see in this reality. Examples in my layout are the butterfly that is part safety pin and the picture of a princess with jewels in place of her eyes. And, of course, the clocks and gears - they are pretty standard Steampunk. But really, let your imagination and creativity run wild. If it looks a little weird, chances are it's perfect!
Now that you (hopefully) have a better idea as to what Steampunk is, I encourage you to give it a try on a layout. We can all look at flower tutorials another day - today get crazy and indulge yourself by adding a little fantasy to your layout. The only limit is your imagination.
