The diploma

David Hockney studied at the Royal College of Art from 1959 to 1962, one of a group of artists including R.B. Kitaj, Allen Jones and Patrick Caulfield, who were heralded by the press as the young stars of British Pop Art. Hockney said that he took up printmaking at the Royal College because it was the one department where you got the materials given to you; his first etchings date from 1961, and he was awarded a prize for etching in the same year.

In 1962 he was threatened with not getting his diploma, as he had not complied with the requirements of the College's General Studies Department, so he etched his own diploma. 'The diploma' shows the figures of John Moon, the Registrar, Michael Kullman of the General Studies Department and Sir Robin Darwin, Principal of the Royal College of Art. Below the frame are fellow students with their heads bowed. Hockney did receive his diploma, as well as the gold medal for painting.