At 12, Aina Onabolu began teaching himself Western art techniques by studying illustrations in European magazines. By 1922, he had formalised his training at the Académie Julian in Paris and St John’s Wood College in London, earning credentials in fine art and education. Upon returning to Nigeria, he taught at institutions including King’s College and CMS Grammar School in Lagos.

He championed perspective, anatomy, and watercolour techniques, challenging colonial assumptions about the limits of African artistic capacity. His portraiture, including works such as Mrs Spencer Savage and Mr Randle, reflects this vision.