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Windthin — Steampunk Fashion: Use of Color Theory and Metals
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Published: 2012-12-17 00:28:16 +0000 UTC; Views: 19791; Favourites: 721; Downloads: 925
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Description
I've been studying color theory and how I can make use of it in the designing of clothing, jewelry, and various accessories with a Steampunk bent (and in general). These are my observations.This article is free for download and re-distribution, though if re-published I prefer that I am contacted and referenced. Thank you, and I hope I've helped others in their art!
UPDATE: By the by, I found this as a beautiful reference. The site displays antique arms and armor, with this page being for swords. It displays the vast array of colors you can see in metals due to different curing methods. There are some really great examples of bluing here, for instance, as well as some browned pieces: www.ambroseantiques.com/swords…
UPDATE: Since so many have enjoyed the graphic I created for this tutorial, I offer it in links below its own, in PNG and JPEG format.
UPDATE: Since my techniques have changed over the years, I've added a new update to this as of 2016. I also cleaned up a few typos.
UPDATE: Firefox does not seem able to read the PDF, but I was able to play with it so it at least notes there IS a PDF there available for download. Annoying, and I really hope for a solution. I have also posted a version of this as a journal for now:
Steampunk Fashion: Use of Color Theory and MetalsSteampunk Fashion: Use of Color Theory and Metals
This is a journal version of my popular Steampunk Color Theory article, since issues with Firefox and some other browsers have made it difficult to see the original, which is still linked above and available in PDF format.
The Steampunk Color Wheel
For those unfamiliar with the term, Steampunk is a both an actual successor of sorts and a spiritual predecessor to Cyberpunk, but where the latter draws from visions of a dystopian and highly technological future, Steampunk draws from the past, or rather a re-imagined past. This past originally centered around the Victorian era of England, but has expanded to potentially include the Edwardian era as well as fashions from abroad, particularly the United States, as well as alternate worlds that follow the Steampun
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Comments: 56
No Problems, I'm using it to do a top hat that's petrol blue (sort of dark peacock) and metallic russet (dark coppery bronze)
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Thank you very much for your thoughts here. This is the first piece of mine that's been critiqued, and I am very proud of the research I did for this little article. I learned a lot myself in the writing of it, and am hoping it helps others as much as I intend to use it myself in future projects.
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Possibly a slightly more muted version of Citron then?
i.e creme anglaise (custard)?
The yellowish-cream was used on quite a lot of early train liveries and goes well with brown, dark blue, and "claret" or crimson. Even up to the 1950's the nickname "blood and custard" was given to the livery of the rolling stock of LMS; a good example of the complementary making your brand stand out...
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Well, Citron is there largely as an example; you can naturally slot other colors into the wheel as is fitting, and it's easy to do searches both online and in books for various Victorian-era color palettes. Citron was taken from a book on Victorian design, though, so it is pretty authentic, if rarely seen; I don't think you see much yellow-green used in general.
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Fair enough 
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I do agree with the custard colour, that occurs a lot, me thinks.
As for citron, it certainly fits in your colour wheel nicely as the step between green and yellow, but there's something about the green tinge I don't like, looks a bit sick and something tells me the ladies of the time wouldn't want to make themselves look slightly jaundiced 
Still a marvellous research article though.
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Thank you!
Personally, I have to keep reminding myself that it's not Citrine, given my love of gems and minerals.
I am a bit colorblind on both the blue-purple and red-green sides, so being able to codify my colors helps. Having a wife I can ask "what color is this" also helps!
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I'm not really into steampunk, but I found the art history aspect quite fascinating. I like that it was well-grounded in real life events, trends, and processes. It gives you more to think about beyond 'To make something steampunkish, add some cogs and stuff to Victorianesque outfits!'
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Thank you. I figure that the art history part is something that you can take into many projects, really. I first got onto the Victorian color wheel through a book (referenced in my article) about Victorian-era decorating I was reading for something I was writing. And I definitely believe there is more to Steampunk than slapping a few gears and clockwork bits onto something. I try to make my own aesthetic.
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Thanks. I made the design myself. It's based directly off of the old color wheels, albeit with a bit more flare.
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Thanks for the article. I'm prepping to write a steam punk story and are at the research stage. This helps a lot. Thanks again.
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Glad it can help! I wish you the best with your project!
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Hi!
We have chosen your work for our Featured Folder for January!
This piece has been featured here: [link]
On behalf of:
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Thank you, both for the heads up and this honor!
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Thank you! this is very useful for future reference
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Thanks! I did this as much for myself as to share, and hope you can make use of it!
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Most welcome! Glad you like it!
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I LOVE THIS.
Seriously, the thing with the metals is very comprehensive, and I'm happy you pointed out that Victorian fashion wasn't really all boring neutral colors.
Meanwhile on the subject of hats, I myself am accustomed to wearing a tricorne to indicate myself as a sailor... Or, you know, airship sailor
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Oh yes. We have this image of Victorian fashion as having been so dull and colorless, but this wasn't at all the case, and in fact the Victorian period saw a a time when color became MORE available to everybody. Reading up on design and the sorts of colors they painted home interiors, toward the beginning of the Victorian era they were pretty limited, but as time went on and so many innovations came about this really changed. As early as the 1870s they were really getting all sorts of new possibilities, and things weren't exactly black and white before that, merely more limited.
You know, a tricorn is one I do not have yet, but would love to get for my collection. I do have a number of unusual hats, including a beret that can only be described as nautical. Fun thing: the tricorn was once the hat of choice for civilized men, and when it fell out of vogue in 1800 it's the top hat that took its place, so there are fun possibilities there for characterization; do you have a character who is behind the times, or perhaps has been away somewhere a very long time, or is wearing his father's or grandfather's old hat? So on!
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Very true. 
I wonder if the idea comes from Queen Victoria's own mourning. After all she only wore black for most of her life, and certainly people picked up on it. I think it's a major reason why we think black is elegant today.
But floral patterns became really popular around then too, and those colorful by definition.
Oh a beret sounds very interesting!
I suppose my character does do quite a lot of travel and she does come from a family of fishermen, but mainly I just think a tricorne is so practical. It's basically the hands-free, hat version of an umbrella, and it's so easy to personalize.
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And very unique. I have over 70 hats myself in all sorts of shapes and sizes, and have modified many (and am in the processes of doing so for many more of them), so I understand entirely!
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Banana banana banana terra cotta
Banana terra cotta
Terra cotta pie
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Thank you for creating this. It's really helpful!
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Most welcome! Glad you enjoy it!
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Be fascinated to see what you make! Please let me know when you have it out!
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This has been a really interesting read! Thanks for sharing your research & color conclusions with us.
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I hope to see what you create either way, and am glad I can help! I did this as much for myself as for others, as it's really helped me to see my own work in a new light.
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Oh my goodness. What an interesting read. Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts and research!
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It was a real learning experience for me, believe me. While it was difficult to find much directly on the subject at the library and online, what I did find allowed me to pull it all together for folks here. I hope it helps!
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Well, thank you SO much for sharing what you have learned with others. You rock!
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My daughter supplies steampunk jewellery, I like this, very informative!
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Believe it or not, it was for me as well. I went through a lot of books and sites and learned a lot in the writing of this, not just about color theory but about all of the innovations and methods of the period. Thank you, and I hope it proves useful!
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Me and a friend of mine are planning a Steampunk literature collab, so this might come in handy.
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Go for it! Sounds like the two of you will have a lot of fun there!
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Yea, it's a fun genre to write.
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It's going to take me awhile to read this, but it looks interesting.
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It's not as long as it looks. ::chuckles:: But I hope you find it helpful!
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Perhaps not, but it is a little late now, and I should probably get to bed soon. But I'm sure it will come in handy once I have a look at it with a fresh, well-rested head. I've got a few projects coming up where knowing a thing or two about Steampunk might be a good thing.
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Slow down, spin around, Steampunk FASHION! Don't get up or your face'll get BASHED IN!....
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