How the 2001: A Space Odyssey Stamps were made

I've been writing up the story of how we created the 2001 stamps for the Isle of Man Post Office and we have put together a little website with all the background at www.2001stamps.com, but here is a train read for you...

For any stamp issue to obtain Royal Approval, the stamps must be objects of beauty, and if they are celebrating an important anniversary there must be a very clear relationship between the subject of the stamps and the Isle of Man or the UK. With this issue, we had this in abundance.

Austin Mutti-mewse (author and film star obituary writer) had a good relationship with Warner Bros. and initially suggested the idea of the stamps to me when he heard that the anniversary was soon to arrive. We had recently created the Stephen Hawking Stamps and a set for RAF 100. Austin works closely on many projects with me so we approached Warner Bros. with the idea, which was well received.

Warner Bros. deal regularly with the Stanley Kubrick Foundation and the family of the late Director, looking after his legacy. Working with the family, they selected images to use in research – these included wonderful behind the scenes shots of props, filming and the sets. After a period of research, I put together an idea of how the stamps could be structured with hidden details to give the fans something special to find. Harry Fowler, one of the design team at Glazier Design, created mockup designs and I presented them to WB and IOM PO with the background research.

Following a favourable approval, the issue went fully into the design phase, which is a complex process of designing the stamps at ten times original size, then reducing the design to actual size and testing every element. We like to hide surprises in the stamps for philatelists and fans to find – our RAF 100 Stamps and those for Freemasonry 300, had intricate details in the foreground, background and some that were invisible to the naked eye.

Finally we were ready to submit for Royal Approval and we are happy (and relieved) to say that Her Majesty approved...

Open the Palace doors HAL!

www.2001stamps.com

2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY and all related characters and elements © &TM Turner Entertainment Co. (s18)

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