Alignment by KatesFriend
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No AI - This artwork was created entirely by hand or with traditional digital tools.
Description
PLEASE ZOOM IN FOR THE BEST VIEWING
The USS Discovery One: Disaster has struck. All but one member of the crew are dead, killed by the ship's dysfunctioning super computer - HAL 9000. Alone, Commander David Bowman navigates the XD1 past the Jovian moons of Callisto, Ganymede and Europa enroute to rendezvous with the volatile inner moon named Io. Now fully briefed of his mission's true purpose, Commander Bowman is to be more than just an intrepid explorer but an ambassador for his entire species.
Though not yet visible to the naked eye, Discovery's onboard telescopes have pin pointed a black rectangular object in the lead stable Lagrange point between Jupiter and Io. It is over 3km across with identical proportions to a smaller cousin found buried on the Moon. Deliberately buried four million years ago, a type of sign post or calling card for a superior intelligence not born of Earth. An intelligence that is now leading Bowman and his mission to Io and the enigma that awaits him. Soon there will be answers. And to Commander Bowman's astonishment, those answers will be far greater than the questions.
With the recent passing of science fiction author Arthur C. Clarke, I decided to put together this tribute to him, the late great director Stanley Kubrick and the film 2001: A Space Odyssey. A movie created through Clarke's collaboration with Kubrick in the quest to produce, "the proverbial good science fiction film". I'd say they achieved their goals for 2001 is perhaps the greatest movie ever made.
I first saw 2001 on TV when I was about eleven years old. Though much was over my head at the time, this scene of Discovery's approach to Jupiter made a big impression on me. The alignment of the four Galileian moons was Kubrick's idea and would never happen in nature. But Clarke's input carefully crafted how Jupiter's atmosphere might appear up close and it turned out to be a magnificent work of speculative fiction. The first probe encounter with Jupiter was to happen five years after the movie's release. But the movie's depiction bore a near exact resemblance to photos transmitted from Pioneer 10 during its close encounter with Jupiter in December 1973.
As always my tremendous thanks to those artists who provided free materials and props used in this rendering:
Sean Kennedy at http://www.seansgallery.com/ for the fantastic model of the Discovery One space craft. Excellent work!
Wolfie at http://www.wolfiesden.com/ for the Moon/Planet prop.
NASA for the planetary maps of Jupiter and its Galileian moons.
Thank you all for coming and taking a look. I would especially like to thank Pete (known here as watifeye) again. Today, Pete became the first artist to dedicate a rendering to me, Aiko Lost Again and I am very flattered by his kind gesture. I shall have to think up something special for him in the near future.

Comments (39)
Excellent! The lighting is superb, as are the textures! 5+
Really great! Kubrick should have been so lucky.
I love this scene, I have a deep fascination for space and all that may be out there. Great job!
i use too love doing space scene in bryce a little more that a year ago, really a brilliant job, makes me wanna get back into it. super job "Kate's friend" and mine. steve
Excellent dedication and a great looking image.
Wow awesome. :)
Perfeito, brilhante realização, aplausos (5)
Awesome scene! I'd been expecting the red-eye closeup of the thumbnail, but this is far better.
My God...it's full of stars...;) great work
Wow!! ~Magnificent~ I am truly Lost in Space :-} FABULOUS!! Thanks for sharing
Sweet image! Thanks for the credit on the Discovery mesh.
This turned out wonderfully! Great job, Clayton!
Same for me Clayton, you really brought back such wonderful memories from my childhood also. I think we were close to the same age at that time when 2001 A Space Odyssey came out and like you was blown away and captivated by it. Of course for me Stanley Kubrick is one of my all time favorites and I was fascinated by another of his movies A Clockwork Orange that some view as one of the few ( Perfect Movies ) Great job on this dedi Clayton!
Very good render. Great work.
Fantastic planets and deep space look to this. Excellent work!
Super Cool...!!
Great image and story. Needs to be viewed full size and wow!
This is a wonderful tribute to Kubrick and Clarke. I loved these two movies, way ahead of its time. I used to watch them as a little kid and didn't quite get it but I was glued to the screen. That was my introduction to sci-fi. Anyways, excellent work on this, very well done
INCRIVEL CENA ESPACIAL,FABULOSOS PLANTETAS.SUPER CRIAÇÃO.++++++++5
very nice render!!!
Awesome work and wonderful tribute to the movie
Just an awesome universe you've created.
Wonderful space scene!!!!
Clayton this is an excellent space scene, the detail when zoomed in is superb. I too remember the very first time I saw 2001, it was awe inspiring and the music added to the dramatic journey it took us on. Certainly was one of the best movies of it's day, if not the best. Love the story too, cheers for the mention also, you are more than welcome. Excellent work. Very well done!
Great story line great image well done indeed! PS stil no ebots I think I will never see them again lol:: catching up though (((on comments that is""
Just watched that one again; remastered with great saturation--wonderful stuff. Nice tribute, man.
Hello my dear friend,Sorry to sign so late, I was sick.I have no words for it, truly an amazing job, fantastic. Precious and brilliant artwork, Impressive!! Congratulations!! All you artwork is Very Beautiful!! It is a real luxury to visit your gallery. A million stars from me.**************Thanks you very much for you comments,they are a honor for my. Have a wonderful day,Hug and kiss in Your heart. Luminous Blessings.Ludy
Awesome sense of hugeness lol! Brilliant work!
wonderful image! very well done!
incredible imagery !!!!