Raynes trained at the St Albans Art School and the Royal College of Art in London. His specialities are figure painting and illustration, and his commissions have been numerous.

His publications include nine successful instructional books on aspects of drawing and painting, two of which are Figure Drawing and Anatomy for the Artist. His work Suzi in Log Cabin Wrap (oil on canvas) was selected for the '20 Years of Contemporary Art' exhibition at the Falmouth Art Gallery in 2000.