Mark Lancaster was born Christopher Ronald Mark Lancaster, but early in life he decided that "Mark" was his favorite of the three names. He was educated at Holme Valley Grammar School, 1949–52, and Bootham School, York, from 1952 to 55, after which he worked in a family textile business and studied textile technology for six years. He painted in his own time, before going to King's College, Newcastle in 1961 to study Fine Art.

From 1961 to 1965 Mark Lancaster studied under Richard Hamilton at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne, where he also taught from 1965–66, and then at the Bath Academy of Art, Corsham, Wiltshire, 1966–68, while living in London. He first visited New York City in 1964, where he worked briefly as an assi...