I’ve always loved
the various gears and clocks etc. that mesh together to make incredible art,
jewelry, furniture, costumes and even film. I’m a fan of “Howl’s Moving Castle”
and “Hugo,” and read “The Golden Compass” in close to one sitting. Until
recently, I hadn’t realized this all came under the title of “Steampunk.” So my
“Fun a Day” has been exploring the world of Steampunk
and trying various aspects of it.
If you aren’t
familiar with the term “steampunk,” think Jules Verne meets Mad Max in the
Victorian age. Originally,
the term was used to refer to a genre of fiction – a sub-genre of science
fiction actually, where steam power and springy gadgets were tossed into
Victorian-era or Westernized Wild-West type settings. The term
doesn’t just apply to fiction writing anymore, and now refers to a wildly
popular artistic movement. Though there are hundreds of interpretations
of the movement..... Beyond the Gears: the Steampunk Movement
As I mentioned in last week’s Fun A Day post, I’m
doing something daily around Steampunk art, which is the aspect that interests
me the most. At the moment that’s taking the shape of a Mardi Gras costume. So
far I’ve made a purple top hat and a mask. The latter came about as an
accident.
I created a stencil of Steampunk images, and happened
to be looking at masks made from lace. Realizing that the stencil I made had a
lot of the qualities of lace, I turned it into a mask. You can google “free
steampunk stencils” and come out with a variety that you can then print and cut
out. I happen to love to cut paper, so this is perfect for me.
For the Steampunk
Top Hat, I made it after watching several on-line videos. I found the on-line
duct tape one very helpful. That said, you can make the hat out of any type of
material-cardboard, heavy paper , duct tape, old yoga mat, felt etc. The
basic directions are as follows:
• Start out with a 25 inch by 8 inch piece of
material. I used duct tape, but use what you have on hand.
• Measure your head and mark that length on your
material. Truth be told I just folded it around my head and taped it. Depending
on the material you use, you can glue the sides together or use tape. Make sure
the finished product is cylindrical.
• Using another sheet of your
preferred material measuring 15 inch by 15 inch, start in the middle and make a
circle the size of your cylinder. This will be the top of the hat.
• From the edge of this circle, measure two
inches out all the way around for the brim.
• If using duct tape, there’s no problem with
cutting through the brim to cut out the top of the hat. However, if you are
using other material, use an exacto knife to cut both pieces out.
• If you use duct tape, follow the instructions
in the above video to assemble. If you are using other fabric, glue or sew together.
As far decorations for my top hat, I’m still working
on it but I’ve cut out a lot of gears, clocks etc. and have a variety of Mardi
gras beads and ribbon. Am looking for some feathers at the moment.
Not interested in today’s activity? Check out the Take a Break Pinterest
for lots of Take a Break ideas.
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