Tony Pinchuck's favourite subject at primary school was Bible Studies. Not on account of any deep religious feelings - he simply loved the Old Testament's edgy stories. As a child, he was also fascinated by Persian miniatures, pre-Columbian sculpture and folk art from around the world.

Raised in Joburg in the 1960s, Pinchuck moved to London in his early 20s where he lived for nearly 20 years. During that time he trained at London University's Bartlett School of Architecture, going on to earn a living there as a writer, cartoonist and children's book illustrator. He returned to South Africa in the late 1990s, where he worked as a graphic designer.

In 2014, Pinchuck created a collection of about 50 greeting cards using reinvented Victorian wildlife illustrations. This led, in 2017, to illustrations employing the same technique for the children's book The All Africa Wildlife Express by Cape Town novelist Ros Haden. He has also collaborated with meditation teacher Sue Cooper on a range of Buddhist card decks and stationery.

During the same period, he explored digital painting, sculpting with found objects, and designing animal-themed fabrics to upcycle furniture. Most recently, he has begun working with oil and acrylic on canvas and has rediscovered the magic of his childhood world in his paintings of totemic animals.