He studied at the Bradford College of Art (1953–57) and the Royal College of Art, London (1959–62), where he received a gold medal in the graduate competition. He visited the United States in 1961 and returned in 1964–67 to teach at the universities of Iowa, Colorado, and California, and thereafter commuted between England and the United States until settling permanently in Los Angeles in 1978. That city's intense, glaring light and sleek “California modern” aesthetic had a pronounced influence on his work.

Much of Hockney's subject matter is autobiographical, including portraits and self-portraits and quiet, incidental scenes of his friends and his quarters (e.g., “Portrait of an Artist,” 1971). The casual elegance and tranquil luminosity of these pieces also predominate in his still lifes. Hockney's exploration of photography in the 1980s resulted in Pearblossom Hwy., 11–18th April 1986 and other ambitious photocollages. He published several series of graphic works in book form, including illustrations for Six Fairy Tales of the Brothers Grimm (1970) and The Blue Guitar (1977). Hockney also achieved international prominence as a stage-set designer for the opera and ballet. His books include Hockney by Hockney (1976), Travels With Pen, Pencil, and Ink (1978), Paper Pools (1980), David Hockney Photographs (1982), China Diary (1983), and Hockney Paints the Stage (1983).