I have just read that my greatest inspiration in conceptual illustration and space/sci-fi art, Ralph McQuarrie, died in March this year. He designed the aesthetic of Star Wars, and his background as a technical illustrator for the aerospace industry gave his work that 'used, real-world' look that enthralled tens of millions of children, and inspired them to take up drawing.
R.I.P. Ralph.
R.I.P. Ralph.