Ted Nasmith is a renowned Canadian artist, illustrator, and architectural renderer. He has gained widespread acclaim for his evocative illustrations of J. R. R. Tolkien's literary classics, including The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion. Nasmith's works have received praise from Tolkien himself, who commented on Nasmith's early illustrations, providing a significant boost to his career as an artist.

From his early years, Nasmith exhibited a passion for drawing, which led him to enroll in a commercial art program during his high school years. It was during this time that he discovered The Lord of the Rings through his sister's recommendation, which subsequently became the focal point of his artistic endeavors. Nasmith's artistic style has been influenced by romantic authors from the 19th and 20th centuries, cinematic films, and pictorial archives found in public libraries.