Ted Nasmith is a Canadian illustrator renowned for his evocative depictions of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth. First published in the 1987 Tolkien Calendar, his work went to feature on the cover of official editions of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, culminating in his landmark illustrated editions of The Silmarillion and Unfinished Tales. Known for a luminous, classical style that captures both the grandeur and intimacy of Tolkien’s world, Nasmith stands as one of the key artists—alongside Alan Lee and John Howe—who shaped the modern visual legacy of Middle-earth.

His influence extends beyond Tolkien to George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire, with commissions for The World of Ice and Fire (2014), the 2011 calendar, and the illustrated A Game of Thrones (2015). With a career blending architectural precision and mythic atmosphere, Nasmith has become a defining voice in fantasy art, bringing depth and resonance to some of the genre’s most enduring worlds.