Which artist created the original Appetite for Destruction cover painting?

The artist who created the original Appetite for Destruction cover painting was Robert Williams.

Williams' painting showed a robotic rapist being confronted by a metal avenger, a deliberately disturbing image that matched the album's provocative title and Guns N' Roses' aggressive early image. Several music retailers objected to the artwork, making it difficult for the original cover to be displayed or stocked widely.

Geffen Records therefore replaced the exterior image with the more familiar Celtic cross and skulls design. The skulls represent the five members of the classic lineup: Izzy Stradlin, Steven Adler, Axl Rose, Duff McKagan, and Slash. Williams' painting was moved inside the package rather than discarded entirely.

The replacement artwork is sometimes mistakenly attributed to the same artist, but it was a separate design. Billy White Jr. created the cross-and-skulls tattoo design on which the substituted cover was based, while Michael Hodgson handled art direction and design.