Italian artist Leonello Calvetti used a variety of maps, primarily from NASA, to create his design. With 3D computer technology he was able to modify depth, vary color, and create subtle light and shadow details on terrain surfaces to achieve a high level of photorealism while also attaining something new. "I always have been fascinated by space and what astronauts could see from out there," Calvetti says. "As an artist, an illustrator, I wanted to make my own representation of the Earth.”
Art director William J. Gicker selected this depiction of Earth by Calvetti. Greg Breeding designed the stamp.
