Rodney J. Burn was born at Palmers Green, London. During the Great War he served with the Army Civil Defence Camouflage Establishment and the War Artists Advisory Committee.
He then attended the Slade from 1918-1922.
Burn exhibited at the New English Arts Club from 1923, a joint exhibition with Stephen Bone at the Goupil Gallery, 1926 and the Royal Academy from 1945.