Anthony Velonis studied at the College of Fine Arts at New York University. He received his silkscreen training from his brothers sign shop. He joined the New York City WPA poster division as a designer in 1935. In 1938 the Silk Screen Unit was created as a branch of the graphic arts division and Velonis was appointed head. Through his efforts, with a few other artists, silkscreen was turned into a fine art medium—serigraphy. He authored the book Technical Problems of the Artist: Technique of the Silkscreen Process. He left the WPA in 1939 and founded a commercial studio with Hyman Warsager.