Printmaker, draughtsman and lecturer, born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, who graduated with honours in fine art, Edinburgh College of Art, 1981–5, completing his postgraduate diploma there in fine art printmaking, 1985–6, principal teacher Elspeth Lamb; was printmaking assistant, Dundee Printmakers’ Workshop, 1986–8; then gained his Certificate in Education, University of Ulster, 1989–90. At that University Croft was associate lecturer in printmaking, 1990–4 and 1996–9, from 1994–6 pursuing the master printer training programme at Tamarind Institute, Albuquerque, New Mexico, in America, where his principal teachers were Jeffery Sipple, Bill Lagattuta, Marjorie Devon and Clinton Adams; then was lecturer in printmaking, Aberystwyth School of Art, from 1999.