I grew up on a small farm in Ohio. Among the barns and buildings was a workshop which contained a table saw, a band saw, various tools and a large pile of odds and ends — wood and machine parts. I used to love that place. I would spend hours tinkering, making things out of the pieces and parts.

Later, in Design History classes, I was intrigued by the cyclical nature of design. In many cases, new styles developed as a reaction to the current ones. For example, the hand-crafted nature of the Arts and Crafts movement was a reaction to the sleek, minimalist nature of mass-produced items of Industrialization. I was also fascinated by the idea that these design movements were a visual expression of what was usually a greater philosophy.

I think it’s this background that has me so enamored with the subculture of “Steampunk.” There has been an undercurrent of it over the past 20 years. More recently it has shown up in illustration, books, movies, fashion and fantastic recreations of modern conveniences. It is a counter to the streamlined, unadorned product design you see in cars or Apple computers.

There is usually a dark, anti-establishment undertone to anything Steampunk and often has a post-apocalyptic theme. There is a strong Victorian influence and it is very textural with intricate filigree and exposed mechanization. It’s as if it was made in someone’s basement (or workshop) from spare parts.

You can see examples of it in several movies; Hellboy, 9 and Sherlock Holmes all incorporated elements of Steampunk. It will take the perspective of time to see if it becomes an actual movement, but now that you know what you’re looking for, I’m sure you’ll recognize it often.