posted 04-11-2008 10:42 AM               

During the 1960s and 1970s Stevens was a graphic designer for the Space Division of Rockwell International in California. The box that Noah bought contained the artistic legacy of Al Stevens. His belongings included various original artworks that were designs for the emblems of half a dozen Apollo mission. More importantly, the papers that were included proved beyond any doubt that Stevens was the man who made the final designs for the mission patches for Apollo 1, Apollo 7, Apollo 9 and Apollo 10. The maker of these emblems had not previously been identified.

Details about Stevens and his work will be published in an article I wrote for the June issue of "Spaceflight." There will be many illustrations such as the one below. This is an early design for the Apollo 7 emblem, featuring the phoenix rising out of the ashes of the Apollo 1 fire.

posted 05-20-2008 07:54 AM               

The man behind the Moon mission patches

Sometimes you have to be lucky as a space flight historian. A friend, Noah Bradley, purchased on eBay recently a collection of sketches, paintings and documents that had belonged to one 'Allen A. Stevens'. That name will probably not immediately mean much to space enthusiasts, but his artwork is widely recognized.

Born on June 16, 1915 in Colorado Springs, Colorado, Al Stevens worked during the 1960s and 70s as a graphic designer for the Space Division of Rockwell International in California. He retired in 1978 and, after suffering from several strokes over a period of 13 years, he died on May 21, 1994 in Orange, California.

The box that Noah bought contained Stevens' artistic legacy. His belongings included various original designs for the emblems from half a dozen Apollo missions...

posted 05-22-2008 09:19 AM               

On one of the phoenix designs he wrote: "The phoenix is what we really wanted." On another: "Interesting - would have worked".

posted 05-30-2008 10:49 AM               

Wayne Begnaud wrote me that he participated in the design of the ASTP crew patch. In August 2007 he attended SpaceFest in Mesa, Arizona, and spoke to several former Apollo moonwalkers and Skylab astronauts, as well as emblem artist Robert McCall.

Jack Lousma told him that the patch design for STS-3 was made by McCall. However, when launch day approached he had to fly out to McCall's studio in Arizona in his T-38 to pick-up the patch design before McCall had time to complete it. Lousma then took the incomplete artwork to his former Skylab commander Alan Bean, who completed patch details in the payload bay of the shuttle. Wayne later spoke to Bean, who confirmed his contribution to the STS-3 patch.

posted 09-01-2008 06:58 PM               

Honoring Apollo artist Allen E. Stevens and in commemoration
of the 40th anniversary of the Apollo Program

Many people admired the beautiful artwork of the mission emblems during the Apollo Program. Until recently the general public was unaware of the identity of the artist who designed four of the early mission emblems. The crews of Apollo 1, Apollo 7, Apollo 9 and Apollo 10 wore the work of artist Allen S. Stevens.

But before the final designs were arrived at, Mr. Stevens painted many draft designs. Working with each crew Stevens evolved the draft designs into the final patch that the astronauts wore during their missions. While not selected as the official mission emblem Stevens also created designs for Apollo 8, Apollo 11, Apollo 12 and Apollo 17.

Tim Gagnon, portrait and graphic artist of Titusville, FL who has worked with two flight crews to design their patches, has organized this commemorative set of Apollo Mission Emblem drafts in tribute to the man whose work inspired many. This will be a set of seven 4" fully embroidered patches.