A painter and graphic artist, Orlik studied in Munich at the private art school of Heinrich Knirr (1890−1891) and then studied painting with Wilhelm Lindenschmit and graphic art with Johann Leonhard Raab at the Munich Academy (1892−1893). After graduating from the academy he returned in 1894 to Prague, where he lived until he moved to Berlin where he taught at the Meisterschule für Graphik und Buchgewerbe from 1905 to 1932. He was a member of the Vienna Secession and in 1905 was appointed professor at State Academy of the Berlin Museum of Decorative Arts where he worked until his death. Orlik was born into a Prague German family and he maintained contact with his native city throughout his life. From 1898 he travelled around Europe, visiting the Netherlands, England, Belgium and Paris, and also Japan, where he was captivated by Japanese art and its refined traditionalism. He is remembered chiefly for his drawings and etchings (portraits of Max Klinger, Gustav Klimt, Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk), while his painting tend to be ignored in his native country, possibly because they rarely appear here.