The INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION and STEAMPUNK are influences on Tom's artwork. Lets take a closer look at:
1.) What the industrial revolution is and how it has impacted humans for roughly the last 300 years.
2.) Steampunk style and genre.
"The INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION, which took place from the 18th to 19th centuries, was a period during which predominantly agrarian, rural societies in Europe and America became industrial and urban. Prior to the Industrial Revolution, which began in Britain in the late 1700s, manufacturing was often done in people’s homes, using hand tools or basic machines. Industrialization marked a shift to powered, special-purpose machinery, factories and mass production. The iron and textile industries, along with the development of the steam engine, played central roles in the Industrial Revolution, which also saw improved systems of transportation, communication and banking. While industrialization brought about an increased volume and variety of manufactured goods and an improved standard of living for some, it also resulted in often grim employment and living conditions for the poor and working classes." (#9)
"A number of factors contributed to Britain’s role as the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution. For one, it had great deposits of coal and iron ore, which proved essential for industrialization. Additionally, Britain was a politically stable society, as well as the world’s leading colonial power, which meant its colonies could serve as a source for raw materials, as well as a marketplace for manufactured goods. As demand for British goods increased, merchants needed more cost-effective methods of production, which led to the rise of mechanization and the factory system." (#9)
The influence and effects of the industrial revolution has been very impactful on the human race. The living conditions and modernization that developed afterwards have had a enormously positive effect on the human race. We are recently finding that the negative environmental impacts on our planet has to be addressed due to the effects of global warming to reduce our carbon footprint on the planet, however, overall it has provided an impact on a large scale comparable to that of events like the domestication of plants, development of religions, and the increasing usage of the internet or technological age. It has affected a very high percentage of the world's population. It's easy to see that someone from the birthplace of the industrial revolution would have such a high level of pride and motivation for collaborative creations between this and anything else. In this case it was Tom's passion for insects as well that created the fusion.
STEAMPUNK is the third dimension of this creative fusion. Steampunk is hard to define because it has certain elements that are similar but also has been slightly modified by users in their art or literary work. I believe this person has a strong concept of the overall definition, however keep in mind it's always changing and being redefined by the people who love and exercise the style and genre.
"Steampunk has always been first and foremost a literary genre, or least a subgenre of science fiction and fantasy that includes social or technological aspects of the 19th century (the steam) usually with some deconstruction of, reimagining of, or rebellion against parts of it (the punk). Unfortunately, it is a poorly defined subgenre, with plenty of disagreement about what is and is not included. For example, steampunk stories may:
1.) What the industrial revolution is and how it has impacted humans for roughly the last 300 years.
2.) Steampunk style and genre.
"The INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION, which took place from the 18th to 19th centuries, was a period during which predominantly agrarian, rural societies in Europe and America became industrial and urban. Prior to the Industrial Revolution, which began in Britain in the late 1700s, manufacturing was often done in people’s homes, using hand tools or basic machines. Industrialization marked a shift to powered, special-purpose machinery, factories and mass production. The iron and textile industries, along with the development of the steam engine, played central roles in the Industrial Revolution, which also saw improved systems of transportation, communication and banking. While industrialization brought about an increased volume and variety of manufactured goods and an improved standard of living for some, it also resulted in often grim employment and living conditions for the poor and working classes." (#9)
"A number of factors contributed to Britain’s role as the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution. For one, it had great deposits of coal and iron ore, which proved essential for industrialization. Additionally, Britain was a politically stable society, as well as the world’s leading colonial power, which meant its colonies could serve as a source for raw materials, as well as a marketplace for manufactured goods. As demand for British goods increased, merchants needed more cost-effective methods of production, which led to the rise of mechanization and the factory system." (#9)
The influence and effects of the industrial revolution has been very impactful on the human race. The living conditions and modernization that developed afterwards have had a enormously positive effect on the human race. We are recently finding that the negative environmental impacts on our planet has to be addressed due to the effects of global warming to reduce our carbon footprint on the planet, however, overall it has provided an impact on a large scale comparable to that of events like the domestication of plants, development of religions, and the increasing usage of the internet or technological age. It has affected a very high percentage of the world's population. It's easy to see that someone from the birthplace of the industrial revolution would have such a high level of pride and motivation for collaborative creations between this and anything else. In this case it was Tom's passion for insects as well that created the fusion.
STEAMPUNK is the third dimension of this creative fusion. Steampunk is hard to define because it has certain elements that are similar but also has been slightly modified by users in their art or literary work. I believe this person has a strong concept of the overall definition, however keep in mind it's always changing and being redefined by the people who love and exercise the style and genre.
"Steampunk has always been first and foremost a literary genre, or least a subgenre of science fiction and fantasy that includes social or technological aspects of the 19th century (the steam) usually with some deconstruction of, reimagining of, or rebellion against parts of it (the punk). Unfortunately, it is a poorly defined subgenre, with plenty of disagreement about what is and is not included. For example, steampunk stories may:
- Take place in the Victorian era but include advanced machines based on 19th century technology (e.g. The Difference Engine by William Gibson and Bruce Sterling);
- Include the supernatural as well (e.g. The Parasol Protectorate by Gail Carriger);
- Include the supernatural and forego the technology (e.g. The Anubis Gates by Tim Powers, one of the works that inspired the term ‘steampunk’);
- Include the advanced machines, but take place later than the Victorian period, thereby assuming that the predomination by electricity and petroleum never happens (e.g. The Peshawar Lancers by S. M. Stirling); or
- Take place in an another world altogether, but featuring Victorian-like technology (e.g. Mainspring by Jay Lake).''
I believe Tom has a lighter more cheerful style of steampunk vs a darker more evil version and also one that highlight's on the simple mechanics typical presented through its style. Tom has also created other forms of steampunk inspired creations such as pictures and non-insect related sculptures. These are available to look at through his media forms (blog/facebook) which are linked in the references page. It's easy to see Tom's unique twist on steampunk in his own creations and artwork!