Paul Landacre was born in Columbus, Ohio. As a young many he attended Ohio State University, where he began his artistic training. He moved to California in 1916 and began working as a printmaker and illustrator. Landacre established himself as a well-known California printmaker and taught wood engraving at Otis Art Institute. Known for his wood engravings, Landacre developed a signature style consisting of stark, angular lines and dramatic compositions. His richly hued prints were modern in aesthetic but depicted traditional subjects such as landscapes, animals, and people.

Landacre taught art at University of Southern California and the Kahn Institute and was a member of the California Society of Etchers, California Print Makers Society, American Society of Wood Engravers, and the American Society of Etchers, Gravers, Lithographers and Woodcutters. Landacre was well respected by fellow artists for his beautifully rendered wood engravings. Landacre exhibited widely, including the 1939 New York Worlds Fair. He also illustrated numerous books on wood engraving and American printmaking, including California Hills. He was elected to the National Academy of Design in 1946.