#decopunk

Round 1, Match 66 — Decopunk vs. Med-Tech Visions

Decopunk, also known as Ottensian Dieselpunk, is a subset of the -punk sci-fi genres (specifically Dieselpunk), centered around the Art Deco and Streamline Moderne art styles of the 1910s to 1940s. It has a sleeker and shiny aesthetic compared to Dieselpunk, which has a tendency to be more gritty and dark aesthetic to it. Often times, Decopunk will use slightly more modern technology compared to the times it's supposed to evoke like VHS tapes. Decopunk shares a lot in common with Dieselpunk aesthetics, but with more of a focus on the Art Deco style that was popular around the time. A perfect visual example of the Decopunk aesthetic would be the original BioShock video game.

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Med-Tech Visions is the aesthetic associated with a certain style of digital scientific stock images. It is seen most commonly on the websites of both internet and print news sources whenever medical news is presented (but other area of sciences like math, computing and astrophysics may also have it). It can also be seen illustrating science magazines and the cover or editorials of biomedical journals. It usually presents a very slick, digital pseudo-CGI image of organs or cells. It is common to have one element highlighted in a different color. The design style makes heavy use of a slick 3D style. With a color palette usually based in the blue or cyan end of the spectrum with contrastively highlighted elements, if any, are typically in warmer colors like red, orange or yellow. Inverted versions of this palette may also be encountered. Pinks, purples, and magentas, although not entirely absent, are rare, usually being featured within gradients. Green is highly unusual within the scheme unless the imagery is referring to plant biology. Particularly common visual hallmarks include DNA helices, brains and neurons, various other organs, bones and muscles, electrograph lines, viruses, and individual cells of all sorts. Materials on topic like computing, mathematics, chemistry or astrophysics may be significantly more abstracted. These images are also a lot more likely to use pink shades. Although these sometimes verge close to vector graphics laser grids, they are usually still figurative enough to remain outside what would be considered Abstract Tech or Metalheart.

Through the punk lens, you can see a lot of potential for change in both a perfect world, or one that is falling apart. These subgenres of science fiction offer some of my favorite world building dynamics such as technological advancements, new world order, and extraterrestrial influence.

Please enjoy the brief descriptions as I break down these subgenres. Credit to all artists (I could not find many names, but none are mine).

Easy peasy BioSlave art post. Nothing really insane lore wise. This is a conversion of one of my cyberpunk villains to the setting.

AURORA NOIR - "SOON ALL THAT WILL BE YESTERDAY..."