Frank Herbert's Dune as Proto-Steampunk Science Fiction

Dune intruiged me as a young reader, I remember seeing the David Lynch film as a 14 yr old on television one day when I was sick.  Needless to say it was the 3 hr directors cut that was just released on DVD a few years back.  Subsequently it was a two part show, so I faked a case of mystery diarrhea and stayed home.  I was mesmerized, had never seen anything like it.  Later I found the book in my late teens.  It was like meth for my imagination, I was in awe of how someone could create such a complex social and political system as well as tell a pivotal story about that universe and still make me believe in the characters.  I had primed myself with the works of Heinlein, Card and Others.  I still treasure Dune and can call it my favorite novel still to this day.  I re-read it occasionally and this time I was struck by some elements that I can only describe as Steampunk like or Proto-Steampunk.

Dune was written in a time when Steampunk was not known by any name,published in serial in Analog Magazine in the 1960's it was written, as a story, to foretell the results of the idea of using a mind altering substance to increase human awareness and evolution, a popular idea at the time.  The spice Melange, was an analogy to the oil crisis and the ever increasing demand for limited oil supply. The story has recently been a warning of the fanaticism that has built in Radical Islam as a reaction American cultural and economic influence as well as the military industrial complex.  I see the Fremen in the story as the mirror of the more Fanatical Militant Muslim nations.  (Please understand I have no anger or malice to my mainstream Muslim friends and neighbors no offense is intended).  It being what it is, a warning about the power of faith as Paul Atredies became a messiah figure and later was trapped by his own mysticism, watch out bin ladin.

These things in themselves are clever and make the story very prophetic for our time.  The most outstanding steampunk idea in Dune is the Butlerian Jihad, a war against thinking machines.  A rebellion from enslavement that became a religious commandment "Thou shalt not make anything in the image of the Human mind."  This leaves very few rudimentary computers safe from this future ludite philosophy.  In steampunk our protagonists use no modern computers but use Babbage's Analytical Engine as a way to process data.  In Dune a interesting concept is brought in to replace the computer, the human mind.  Herbert has Guild Navigators, Mentats and Bene Gesserit Witches.  All have powers above Human Normal.  Navigators use the spice drug to mathematically predict the future.  Mentats are trained as human computers and the Bene Gesserit can look down their maternal line for information and use their bodies with perfect control even down to their biochemistry.  The evolution of the human mind once freed from the enslavement of the computer made this all possible.  This evolution of the human mind as a way to do new things in steampunk must be explored more.  I think there is a huge place for the quirky mad scientist in the Victorian inspired fantasy.  We have clockwork robots now why not more human computers from Oxford!

This is the first post in a succession of posts related to this topic.  Please feel free to comment.    

Sterling Silver Ring Giveaway

I would like to open this up to all who will add and follow this blog. I am sending a custom made sterling silver ring to one lucky person who becomes a follower of this blog. I will announce the winner on Thanksgiving and then contact the person to get an idea of something they really would like. The value of the item will be around 20 dollars and I will ship the ring to the person for free. Please follow and check out my etsy store to see my work.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/CottonmillDesign

Insect Lab

I just found this guys art, steampunk and insects this is really cool and unique stuff. very well done and if I was a rich man I would buy one of his items, check him out.

http://www.insectlabstudio.com/?

Marketing to the Steampunk Community

Keywords a few tips.

I have recently been trying to find a better way to use keywords to drive the right people into my etsy store. This has been a challenge but I think these few tips might help you like they helped me.

Use Googles Wonder Wheel feature

When you type in a search query to google you can search related keywords referencing how Google sees your product in relationship to how people use Google to find items. This will allow you to find alternate and orthogonal keywords to the ones you usually use. This is important on Etsy because you have to type in your own keywords to get seen.

Wonder Wheel can be found on the left hand sidebar under "more search tools"

More Specific Keywords

This is an interesting concept and deals with driving the right business into your shop. We all want to generate sales so we think lets use general keywords like jewelry, sterling ect. to describe our shop. The problem with this is that there are so many people competing for those ten Google spots that it is nearly impossible to corner that keyword, therefore you end up on page 50 where no one bothers to look. If we change this tactic and go with keywords such as steampunk leather wrap, Steampunk Gear ring we now will get the right person into our shop someone looking to buy an item of the exact type we have to sell. This is still an experiment for me and I will let you know how this works. Even if only one human types in that exact keyword per day you still have a better chance than being listed on page fifty. Google is so powerful in its ability to drive people to your site that even if you keyword optimization is in a very fine niche you will get the right kinds of views for your items.

Steam Hunt, Finding Clocks, Gears and Brass in the 21st Century

Seems to be difficult to find good brass parts for the Steampunk craft item. Here are a few tips I have to maximize your search for these elusive items.

1. Independent jewelry stores - often these people are very helpful and willing to go through junk drawers with you. These have by far been the best source of watch mechanisms and parts. I often take small inexpensive items I make to especially helpful jewelers. Be bold. I always say, "This may sound crazy but I am a local artist and I do Steampunk jewelry, do you have any of item X." I always ask what they want for the item, if they want too much just move on another jeweler will often give you the same items for free. I learned this lesson the hard way. Learn your watches and the value of the items on ebay so you know when to pounce on a good deal. Sometimes these guys will have pocket watches, these can be extremely rare and valuable finds and may be worth paying more for due to the fact that they have many gears and finely engraved plates that make nice unique pieces.

2. Clock Repair Shops - This is an interesting group of people, usually obsessed with clocks and the value of them, very hard to get mechanisms from clocks away from them, but when you find a shop willing to deal it can really pay off. I have one shop that is a steady supply of broken clock mechanisms for the cost of the brass. Clock mechanisms are worth at least Ten Dollars a piece in brass so be sure to offer them at least what the brass is worth. My best gears and cogs have come from these clocks and I am able to sell the brass parts I cannot use for the cost of the clocks, a win-win situation.

3. Pawn Shops - I have had some success with these guys, I have taken some nice broken mechanisms out of pawn shops. Usually they will want money for the items but up to 2 dollars a piece for a broken mechanical watch mechanism is fair. Remember, be bold and ask.

4. ebay - Here is a treasure trove of items, I get some of my best watch parts for $1.25 dollars a piece but I have to buy them in lots of up to 30 to get this price. If you are not making earrings or cuff links and don't need matching pairs you will find many awesome lots. I just picked up about 10 Waltham watch mechanisms from the 1920's for around 15 bucks which is great for these finely jeweled mechanisms.

Please reply if you have a great suggestion or would like feedback on an idea of yours.

A Mad Scientists Guide to Basic Patina to Antique Brass, Copper and Bronze Steampunk Items.

The use of brass, copper and bronze found objects is essential in the creation of Steampunk fashion and gear. A bright brass gear or clock piece is sometimes called for but often a dulled and antique feel is more consistent with the look that a person is trying to get their hands on. Here I will go through step by step a few basic processes for patinas I commonly use in my Steampunk items.

The most common and possibly easiest patina to get your hands on the materials for is a dark antique patina. This antique feel comes from a substance called liver of sulfur. Liver of Sulfur is a mixture of Potassium Thiosulfate and Potassium Trisulfide. This is a toxic material and should be handled with gloves, goggles (no pun intended) and in a well ventilated area. This substance can produce a toxic gas if exposed to acids so use as directed. I use a formulation that can be had from the Rio Grande Jewelry Supply company. They are at www.riogrande.com. Most any online jewelry supply will have Liver of Sulfur. This patina works well on Brass, Copper, Silver, and Bronze.

#1 Preparing your brass, copper or bronze item.

When using patina it is essential that all oils be removed from from the brass object to be worked on. This includes the oils from ones hands. Often all that is needed is a good wash and scrub from a dish detergent. After this, dry the object with a paper towel, handle with gloves thereafter. One can increase the action of the patina by scratching the metal with sandpaper, steel wool or wire brush.

#2 Preparing Patina for use.

In preparing the liver of sulfur patina it is essential that one use hot water in the process. In my experience the patina will go on very slowly if the water used is cold. I usually take and set my items in a 5 gallon bucket in the workshop. I then boil water consistent with the amount required by the patina formulation's instructions. I then place the correct amount of patina in the 5 gallon bucket and add the boiling water to the gears and patina. Do this in open ventilation as you will likely get a sulfur smell. Stir this mixture and allow to react. You can periodically check your brass and pull out as needed. The brass will darken to its mature color as it dries.

#3 Post Patina

Take the items and place them in a bucket, rinse and discard the liquid Three times as this will get most the liver of sulfur off. Now the items need to be scrubbed with liquid detergent once again. At this point if the item is not dark enough you can repeat step 2 by using the existing still warm solution of patina in your garage.

#4 Disposal of Patina

If sealed and kept from the air you can reheat and use the patina again although its potency is reduced and this translates to longer curing times. Contact your city to find out how to properly dispose of your used patina as each country and state is different. Pouring it down the sink will create a potential toxic gas problem if the wrong things mix in the sewer or sink trap.

In conclusion, although this technique is not novel and is well know in the altered art and craft movement it is the easiest and safest patina for the home DIY Steampunk engineer to use. This patina should give you many options as you explore using distressing and wax relief techniques to get a one of a kind Steampunk piece.

Inception and First Class

Well here it goes, my new blog. Life is good and posting will begin in ernest. Check out my etsy store. http://www.etsy.com/shop/CottonmillDesign for some cool steampunk ephemera.