The New Film

Charles Paine

Charles Paine was a versatile and prolific designer. His training started with an apprenticeship in stained glass. He also attended evening classes at Manchester School of Art, before moving to London to further his study. His time at the Royal College of Art, however, was interrupted by military service.

After graduating in 1919, Paine left London to work for the Applied Art Department of Edinburgh College of Art. He then went on to work in Glasgow, designing stained glass for Guthrie and Wells. During the 1920s he designed textiles and posters for a wide range of clients, including London Transport.

He also worked in America, as head of the Applied Arts Department of the Community Arts Association in Santa Barbara. In the 1930s he lived and worked in Welwyn Garden City, before moving to Jersey.

In his highly stylised and organic motifs, Paine captured a marked sense of movement.

Public Collections

London Transport Museum

Victoria and Albert Museum