I've been researching the art of 2001: A Space Odyssey for many years; sometimes purely out of curiosity and appreciation, and sometimes to help make a project accurate. I've often looked deeply into the available reference materials, and searched for months to uncover new data, trying to find a clear image of that one specific detail that had been elusive for so long. The available data is often insufficient or non-existent; my searches are fruitless all too often. But today, a major breakthrough! I found clear photos of something that I NEVER thought I would see; something that will benefit all of us who are waiting for the Heywood Floyd head sculpt.
From 1968 up until yesterday, literally, there was no way for me to know exactly what the Clavius spacesuit headsets look like up close. The only available sources to work from are shown in the low-resolution mosaic photo below that I put together, and the detail just isn't there. I thought I was going to have to be vague in producing the 1/6th version, and use much more guesswork than I would like. But now, with this new discovery, I know I can make the headsets accurately. Researchers LIVE for moments like this.
