Todd was born in
Helston in
Cornwall. His father, Ralph Todd (1856–1932) was a successful artist who taught at the
Central School of Arts & Crafts in London. The younger Todd received art tuition from
Stanhope Forbes in
Newlyn before attending the Central School as a student. Todd served in the British Army during the First World War as a driver with the
Army Service Corps. After the War, Todd had a picture exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1918. He enrolled at the
Slade School of Fine Art and was there throughout 1920 and 1921. When he left the Slade, Todd travelled throughout France, Holland and Italy. Returning to Britain, Todd established himself as a successful artist becoming known for his portraits and his pastel and etching works. Todd's 1939 painting
The Picture Book was acquired for the
Tate collection in 1940. During the Second World War, Todd received a number of short-term commissions from the
War Artists' Advisory Committee to depict individuals serving on the British Home Front. Throughout his career, Todd held a number of teaching posts, most notably as a tutor at the
Royal Academy Schools between 1946 and 1949, but also as the master of the life class at the
Regent Street Polytechnic in 1939 and as head of drawing and painting at the Leicester School of Art between 1936 and 1939. Todd's last teaching post was at
City and Guilds of London Art School in Kensington from 1950 to 1956. ==Memberships==