Lane Smith was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and raised in Corona, California. He spent summers in Tulsa. He attended the Art Center at the College of Design in Pasadena, California while also working as a janitor. He received a B.F.A. degree in illustration, moved to New York City, and began working as a magazine illustrator. In 1991, he collaborated with poet Eve Merriam on his first book, Halloween ABC. He is best know for his collaborations with author Jon Scieszka, including illustrations for several of Scieszka's Time Warp Trio series.