Question: What's The Secret to Creating Fantastic Steampunk Tattoo Designs?

If you're a tattoo enthusiast and like to display your own sense of originality and artistic expression then you should be prepared to be amazed by an extraordinary new bodyart...Steampunk Tattoo Designs! Although most people have never heard of them, steampunk culture is sophisticated and respectful and has already influenced everything from product design to fine art and fashion, and now it's rapidly making it's way onto peoples skin!

So, I hear you ask...What the hell is steampunk? We'll depending on who you ask or what you read, steampunk can be best described as the aesthetics of the Victorian and Edwardian periods coupled with science fiction anachronisms - A loving, deconstructionist retrospective of early industrial technologies.

If you can imagine a world seen through the eyes of the classic authors; Jules Verne (20,000 Leagues Under the Sea), H. G. Wells (The Time Machine) and William Gibson & Bruce Sterling (The Difference Engine) you will encounter a land of steam fueled vehicles of steel in extraordinary configurations, mechanical computers and surreal, electro-mechanical contraptions. You will discover that some or all of these elements combine to create Steampunk Tattoo Designs.

Those who have fallen in love with this fantastical world of imaginary images of strange contraptions, gears, rivets and clocks are now using their creative juices to create some of the most unusual and unique Steampunk Tattoo Designs seen today.

The Six Basic Elements of Steampunk Tattoo Designs 

1) Victorian and Edwardian Design Elements in Steampunk Tattoos: Alternatively known as Neo-Victorian, you will not be able to design a steampunk tattoo design without reflecting on the Victorian and Edwardian periods. Neo-Victorian is an aesthetic movement which amalgamates Victorian and Edwardian aesthetic sensibilities with modern principles and technologies

2) Wheels, Levers, Keys, Cogs and Gears: The inner workings of the traditional timepiece and the key are undoubtedly the most recognizable of the steampunk icons, these represent not only the steampunk love of deconstructing tangible, textural technology but focus on time which is a major theme of steampunk art and literature. Incorporating these design elements into a steampunk tattoo design provides the perfect platform from which to create your own 'unique' steampunk statement.
 
3) Steam Fueled Vehicles, Mechanical Computers & Electro-Mechanical Contraptions: The steampunk enthusiast loves everything to do with early-industrialised technology and it's 'over-the-top' mechanisms and structures. It does not matter if your steampunk tattoo design is based on antediluvian machinery or a combination of science fiction and elements of fantasy. Some of the most popular forms include dirigibles, steam trains, diving bells/submarines, flying cars, robots, time machines or any other fantastical contraption.

4) Iron, Copper and Brass: In keeping with the Victorian mad scientist theme incorporating such items as large metallic textural objects and smaller things like wheels, pistons and tubes are fundamental to the steampunk design philosophy. That said, steampunk styling does not have to be primarily from the Victorian era, some like to combine the modern era, using today's designs and materials, with early industrial technologies. Steampunks recognized metallic elements of iron, copper and brass are common features, both for period-accurate pieces and modern day steampunk interpretations.
 
5) Steampunk Textural Elements: Steampunk tattoo designs do not always have to comprise solely of metallic or mechanical contraptions as there is another side to steampunk tattoo designs using textural elements, These elements include items such as corsets, fascinators/tophats, lace, belts, ribbon and feathers.
 
True steampunk aficionados believe that steampunk design should always combine some degree of textural elements mixed with early-industrialised technology or fantastical inventions. For more steampunk ideas check out some of the Best Online Tattoo Sites.

6) Selecting Colors for Steampunk Tattoos: Color can make or break the look of a tattoo and there are a number of people who have developed the mistaken impression that steampunk tattoo designs cannot have color (that it must be some kind of monochrome, like grayscale or brown). Do not listen to this nonsense.
 
Most people researching traditional steampunk fashion are drawn to the largely monochromatic status of photography during the Victorian era and ignore the vast amount of paintings and colored drawings that were produced around the same time. The truth is Victorians and Edwardian's were color-loving people and there is no reason why your steampunk tattoo design should not represent their vibrant nature.
 
Editors Note; There are some that wish to project part-man, part-machine in their steampunk tattoo design via the appearance of torn skin mistakenly revealing the clockwork components within. Although these designs incorporate mechanical components they are not true 'steampunk' but fall into the Biomechanical Tattoo category.
 
There is one thing that steampunk and biomechanical tattoos have in common and that is in the complexity of their designs, so it goes without saying that none but the most talented of tattoo artists can truly replicate the spirit and passion of the Steampunk culture.
 
It is incredibly important to the end result that your tattoo artist has the skills and experience to replicte your design, Remember tattoo mistakes are permanent!

Are you still having difficulty finding inspiration to design fantastic Steampunk Tattoo Designs?

If the answer to the above question is YES, then I strongly recommend you visit one of the best online tattoo sites Print My Tattoo where you will get immediate access to download Steampunk Tattoo Design ideas and literally thousands of other top quality tattoo designs including awesome FREE Bonuses.