Jamie Palmer's Illustration students toured the Eric Carle Children's Museum of Picture Book Art in Amherst, Massachusetts, on Thursday February 11. The students viewed original artwork by the famed Eric Carle, known best for his book "The Very Hungry Caterpillar." The Carle museum offered not only original pieces by the German-American collage artist, but also original works done by Golden Book illustrators over the past 65 years.
Original artwork from children's book illustrators Garth Williams, Richard Scarry, Mary Blair and Gustaf Tenggren splashed the walls with color, and students were able to see the detail and precision that went into these older and seemingly simple children's books.  Lastly on the tour, students were exposed to children's books from the nineteenth-century McLoughlin Bros. publishing company, books that are considered precursors to the Golden Books and which give insight into life and teachings of nineteenth-century America.

Following the museum tour and lunch, students were invited into the art studio, where they were encouraged to use Carle's collage and texturizing techniques to make their own images. Students produced wonderful pieces in the style of Eric Carle, demonstrating their knowledge from class and from the museum tour experience.
Ms. Palmer's students spend their Illustration classes working to produce children's books and comic books, so the trip was meant as inspiration for their work. Not only did they get a look into the life of a successful and world-renowned children's book author and illustrator, they learned new techniques to apply to their own artwork in and out of the classroom.