Maker · the cabinet's people
David A. Carter
Pop-up artist · the 'Bugs' series & abstract paper sculpture
David A. Carter (born March 4, 1957, in Salt Lake City, Utah) is an American author, illustrator, and paper engineer known for pop-up books for both children and adults. He attended Utah State University, worked as a graphic designer and advertising illustrator in the late 1970s, and until 1987 worked as an artist, paper engineer, and book designer for a pop-up publishing house in Los Angeles before launching his own career.
Carter is best known for his hugely popular Bugs series, which began with How Many Bugs in a Box? (1988) and has sold more than six million copies. He has created dozens of books over his career, and co-authored the influential instructional guide The Elements of Pop-Up with James Diaz.
In his later work, Carter turned to abstract paper sculpture aimed at both children and adult pop-up aficionados. Two of these, 600 Black Spots (2007) and White Noise (2008), were named to the New York Times 10 Best Illustrated Children's Books list. In 2023 he and James Diaz received the Movable Book Society's Meggendorfer Prize for Best Paper Engineering.
Style signature
Carter works at two poles: playful, brightly colored interactive pop-ups for young children (the Bugs books), and spare, sculptural 'abstract' pop-ups in which dots, squares, and lines spring into kinetic paper artworks. The minimalist abstract series, built on bold geometry and primary color, is his most distinctive contribution.
Notable works
- How Many Bugs in a Box?
- One Red Dot
- Blue 2
- 600 Black Spots
- White Noise
- The Elements of Pop-Up (with James Diaz)
Questions about David A. Carter
Who is David A. Carter?
David A. Carter is an American pop-up book artist and paper engineer, born in 1957 in Salt Lake City. He is best known for the children's Bugs series, beginning with How Many Bugs in a Box?, and for his abstract paper-sculpture pop-ups like 600 Black Spots.
What is David A. Carter's Bugs series?
The Bugs series is Carter's signature line of interactive children's pop-up books, launched with How Many Bugs in a Box? in 1988. The series has sold more than six million copies.
What are David A. Carter's abstract pop-up books?
Carter created a series of abstract, minimalist pop-ups including One Red Dot, Blue 2, 600 Black Spots, and White Noise. 600 Black Spots (2007) and White Noise (2008) were both named to the New York Times 10 Best Illustrated Children's Books list.