Alan Patchett

Alan Patchett (1920 – 2019) was born in Hartshead Moore, West Yorkshire. He won a scholarship to Batley Art school, West Yorkshire, at 13 years old and spent 6 happy years there.

He won a senior student county award to study at the Royal College of Art (RCA) in 1940 and was one of the students evacuated with the college to Ambleside. He was called up almost immediately and served in the RAF. He later went back to complete his Diploma at the RCA and graduated in July 1949.

In 1951, Patchett was one of a group who worked on designs and presentation for the Festival of Britain, Southbank, London, including design and construction of the Silk Board and Cotton Board stands.

Patchett taught industrial and product design 3 days a week at the Central School of Art and Design 1950 – 1987 and worked long hours in his studio the rest of the week, doing presentation illustrations for industrial and product designers and making models for architects and the film and television industry.

Patchett was also well known for being highly skilled in making detailed drawings using the air brush, a tool invented in late 19th century and developed in the mid-20th century as the tool of choice for presentation and publicity work. Patchett gained a reputation for his work and generated logos, packaging designs and illustrations for a range of toy manufacturers, medical journals and drug companies, the coal board, rail transport and the post office.