https://goodman-games.com/blog/2023/05/18/rest-in-peace-russ-nicholson/
His distinctive pieces in the Fiend Folio are the ones I remember best. I believe he did some stuff for FASA as well? I can't find anything with a quick google search.
*edit* no, I'm getting his stuff confused with Laubensiten. Still...
https://russnicholson.blogspot.com/
https://russnicholson.blogspot.com/2014/12/to-end-it-all.html
(https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FzNRJVXU5Lo/VKQyoDVTqBI/AAAAAAAAD48/BjXvs50J8P0/s1600/-%2BRevenant%2B2.jpg)
(https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NtTyYIRpUMQ/VKQzG84lJDI/AAAAAAAAD50/WBcnDEEnSrs/s1600/102937.jpg)
He was the best, IMO.
His art in the FF books was a huge influence. The Citadel of Chaos was my gateway into RPGs. This darker/British/satirical shade of fantasy still influences my games and writings. But also D&D (Fiend Folio, etc.), Warhammer, and OSR games.
He managed to combine fantasy, detail, grittiness, weirdness, and action into his work. This guy was a legend, the the epitome of "old school dark fantasy".
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilMJb-xd4tFJAA33A9PEhdK2r5iGytnQfM5iZWLr3liGqIHHPY-8GqeoCh9YsQ1HfE0pXDuP_FiJ-0W85jvC-W2E-ZXOvLGExvq7RD4Rbwm2HiZ4_VFFKCLjqR13r8LKsssplRV-SW8zX4g934QH75DFdgbADmo28O9jNjQFBl-w1Req8_DAMA4M8MBw/s900/DgyOriGX4AAwvo2.jpg)
Fighting Fantasy was my introduction to everything rpg and and fantasy, so Russ Nicholsons art in books like Warlock of Firetop Mountain and the already mentioned Citadel of Chaos were really formative for my approach to roleplaying - nobody did gnarly goblins and orcs like Russ.
And it is cool to see, how many systems og setting he covered. From FF to Warhammer to AD&D... and several cool full-page works in Lamentations of the Flame Princess.
He also, from my short interactions with him on Twitter, seemed like a really nice guy.
what a god damned legend.