Ray Hutchins started his working life living and working on the family farm; but, circumstances at the time compelled him to join the Army. He served in the Far East in the Korean War and Malaya.

On leaving military service he started work at Vickers-Armstrongs Aircraft factory working as a draughtsman on the Vickers Viscount aeroplane. He moved to Bristol Cars in 1957 and then to Bristol Aircraft as a Technical Illustrator. He later moved on to several Studios illustrating mostly cars and military subjects, finally taking over as Studio Manager at a major London studio.