1950's reference help

Selaznog

Hey guys, I'm making this scene:


And before I start modeling I'm trying to separate the materials. The concept artist gave me permission to make it, but he doesnt have any other sketches so I kind of need to get a bit creative here.

The setting is a 1950's submarine. So I'm guessing a lot of metal paneling and rivets.


I'm not a huge history buff so I'm having a tough time getting reference from the right places. Could anyone steer me in the right direction? Any movies, photo galleries, documentaries you think could help let me know.

I'm still unsure of the colour scheme too.


Thanks!

Steve Schulze

Well Bioshock would be your most obvious port of call. Art deco style was popular well before the 50s, but there's still plenty you'll be able to pick up from it in terms of general retro undersea environment art.

From there, just doing a search for retro-futurism will give you the 50s sci-fi flavouring.

DeadlyFreeze

Not sure what supposed to be 1950's about this, it's slightly more 1930's art deco but more generic overall.

Like jackablade said, bioshock would be your goto reference.

McGreed

Fuck off, Spam-Ariel, may you die horrible in a fire.

Ontopic, I have to agree with DF, the staircase looks more artdeco. Also, its kinda out of place with the rest of the room, imo, at least with the left, top part of it. You might consider adjusting your scene to incorporate more of the same style as the staircase, or rework the stairs to match more with the 50' time period.

Mark Dygert

I agree, that is a bit more 1930's art-deco meets 1830's steam punk. I don't see a whole lot that says 1950's. In the 50's they where heavy on "the future" "the jet age" sleek designs that would later inspire the "rocket/space age" in the 60's. The US was largely untouched by WW2 and didn't have to focus on reconstruction they just stole German scientists and went running off into the future.


In the 50s they where turning their back on the old overly ornate decorated buildings of the past (1890's-1920's) where the buildings look more like Disney/French inspired castles than functional buildings. Thanks to the great depression these types of buildings became less ornate and more like brick boxes... Squeezed in there was the Art Deco style which was a fan-fucking-tastic bridge from the old style above to the new modern style below.

The Jetsons was kind of the typical vision of the future in the late 50's early 60's, sleek, modern, minimalistic. The 50' where known for their sharp odd angles that later had wild sex with odd curves and gave birth to the 60's.

In the 50-60's the focus was on "push button convince" (at least inside), push a button a panel pops open and suddenly complex things are revealed that do marvelous things with less space and would free humanity up to have more time for leisure (actually we just took on more work... yea us, go smart humans!) It was a pretty drastic step from the heavy clunky past. The focus was on light thin and slightly odd sweeping angles.

Early to mid 1950's


Frank Lloyd Wright
Boxy Ranch Style Houses
Square, thin designs, large glass windows

Late 50's and 60's space age




I'm not saying you're doing it wrong, just that you've managed to mix up your terms pretty good and that is probably hindering your searches. I think what you have could work but it falls in line more with the 1890-1920's than it does the 1950's, especially what was going on in the scientific and military communities in the 1950's.

Steve Schulze

Maybe taking a look at Doctor Grordbort's art might be useful here. It's distinctly 50s pulp sci-fi, but it has some of the decorative elements of art deco.

Selaznog

Wow, all this information helps a lot. Thanks guys! I'm going to search the shit out of 1920-30's futurism and check out some steampunk.

Snader

This movie is exactly what you need.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/20,000_Leagues_Under_the_Sea_(1954_film)

It's a 1950's movie adaptation of Jules Vernes famous submarine book. I mean, how much closer can you get? Wouldn't be surprised if the concept was actually inspired by the movie.