William Crosbie was born in Hankow, China of Scottish parents. His family stayed in China until 1926, when they moved to Glasgow. Crosbie went on to study at the Glasgow School of Art from 1932-5. A travelling scholarship took him to Paris, where he studied History of Art at the Sorbonne and worked under Fernand Leger. Crosbie showed regularly in mixed Scottish exhibitions, as well as having many solo shows.