Dinkel was born in Huddersfield and studied at the local school of art and at the Royal College of Art. In addition to his commercial design, he worked in oil, watercolour and tempera (the Tate collection holds an example of his work). He was Head of the School of Design at Edinburgh College of Art from 1947-1961.

Glossary

  • Design

    The arrangement of elements or details in an artefact or a work of art.

  • Oil

    A medium in which ground pigments are mixed to produce a paste or liquid that can be applied to a surface by a brush or other tool; the most common oil used by artists is linseed, this can be thinned with turpentine spirit to produce a thinner and more fluid paint. The oil dries with a hard film, and the brightness of the colour is protected. Oil paints are usually opaque and traditionally used on canvas.

  • Watercolour

    A paint composed of water-soluble pigment, which has been ground in gum, usually gum Arabic. When made opaque with white, watercolour is generally called gouache. Colours are usually applied and spread with brushes and water, but other tools can also be used. Most watercolour painting is done on paper, but other absorbent grounds can also be employed. The term also denotes a work of art executed in this medium.