 There he was influenced by artists including William Coldstream and Keith Vaughan, developing a dark, figurative painting style.In 1962 he became a professional artist and had his first show at the Redfern Gallery in London's Cork Street in 1963 – a great commercial success that helped confirm his reputation among a wider artistic circle including the theatre and music (he won numerous commissions for pop record sleeves).A year later, Procktor was featured in Bryan Robertson's "New Generation" exhibition at the Whitechapel Gallery – a show that also raised the profile of fellow artists David Hockney, Bridget Riley and John Hoyland.