Dunlop was an artist, sculptor and illustrator. He became mainly known for his sculptures of New Zealand and Welsh rugby players.

Born in New Zealand, his family moved to Europe after his father died. They settling in Vienna in the mid-1930s and then Paris. Dunlop moved to London and studied at the Royal Academy Schools, where he won the Landseer Prize. He was in Scandinavia during the second world war and attended art school in Stockholm before escaping to Britain and serving in the Royal Air Force.

In 1946 he moved to Sydney and attended Sydney Technical College and began a successful career as an illustrator. He was the subject of Arthur Murch's portrait that won the 1949 Archibald Prize.

In 1959 he moved to London and worked as an illustrator, contributing to high visibility advertising campaigns, such as for Harrods and Rothmans. He also worked on book illustration and, in the early 1970s, became a full-time sculptor. Dunlop and his wife spent the latter part of their lives between Mojácar Spain and Sussex England.