How to Make Eric Carle Inspired Art: Easy Collage for Kids

Today we are going to learn how to make an Eric Carle-inspired art collage. Have you ever read one of his books, like The Very Hungry Caterpillar, and been curious about how he made his iconic illustrations? I know I have.

His illustrations look so simple, yet textured and so very interesting. We did this collage craft as an afternoon art project, and it was delightful.

This is one of those kids’ art activities that looks beautiful when it’s finished, but the process is really what makes it fun. You don’t need fancy art supplies or amazing art skills. Just some paper, paint, scissors, and a little time to let the kids get creative.

The idea is to create colorful painted papers and then turn those papers into a simple collage inspired by Eric Carle’s iconic layered-paper style.

And honestly? You don’t have to worry about making it perfect. The uneven brushstrokes, fingerprints, and unexpected color combinations are part of the charm.

What Makes This Eric Carle Inspired Art?

Eric Carle was well known for creating illustrations using hand-painted papers that he cut and layered into colorful collages.

For this project, we’re taking inspiration from that painted paper collage technique without trying to copy any particular illustration.

Kids get to experiment with color and texture first, then use their painted papers to create their own animals, bugs, flowers, landscapes, aliens, or whatever else they can dream up.

It’s a great process art activity for kids because there isn’t really a “wrong” way to do it.

What You’ll Need for This Easy Collage Craft

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The best part is, you probably already have most of these items at home.

White or light-colored paper (We used printer paper)
Washable tempera paint or acrylic paint
Paintbrushes
Objects to create texture (cotton swabs, string, sponges, stencils, combs, cardboard, utensils, etc)
Water and a cup for rinsing brushes
White or Black Cardstock
Scissors
Glue sticks
Newspaper, a trashbag, or a washable table covering
Pencil
Black marker or crayon

How to Create Your Textured Eric Carle Inspired Paper

Step 1: Paint Your Paper

Start by giving each child several sheets of printer paper and a few different paint colors. Let them freely paint the paper however they want.

They can make stripes, dots, swirls, scribbles, brushstrokes, or big blocks of color. Try using different colors on different sheets so you’ll have lots of options when it’s time to make the collage.

Encourage them to use multiple objects to create various textures. Blot the page with a sponge, or drag a fork through the paint; the sky is the limit.

Step 2: Let the Painted Paper Dry

The next step is to set your painted papers aside to dry completely. (We put ours outside to dry in the sun while we cleaned up our paint mess. You could also speed up the process with a hair dryer.)

If you’re doing this as a classroom or homeschool activity, you could also paint the papers one day and make the collages the next.

Step 4: Choose What to Make

Now comes the fun part: deciding what you want to make. Eric Carle created a lot of insects, animals, and nature using his collage technique, but any object or scene works!

For inspiration, you could always get a few of Eric Carle’s books, like The Very Busy Spider, Brown Bear, Brown Bear, or The Greedy Python, and peruse the pages.

If you want to stick with Eric Carle’s nature theme, here are a few ideas to get started:

Butterflies
Fish
Birds
Flowers
Frogs
Snails
Ladybugs
Dinosaurs
Their favorite animal

Note: You can lightly sketch an outline on a piece of paper to use as a guide, or let your child build the picture completely freehand.

Step 3: Cut or Tear the Painted Paper

Once the paper is dry, it’s time to turn those paintings into collage pieces. Kids can cut the paper into different shapes or tear it by hand.

You can also experiment with shaped hole punches. We used a 1in round punch in some of our designs.

Don’t worry about getting perfectly symmetrical pieces. In fact, the imperfect shapes make the finished artwork much more interesting.

Step 5: Layer Your Collage Pieces

Start arranging the painted paper pieces on your background cardstock paper. Move things around until you’re happy with the design before gluing anything down.

This is where kids really get to see how different colors and patterns can work together.

Once you have your main design laid out, try layering smaller pieces over larger pieces to create details like eyes, wings, spots, stripes, and legs.

Step 6: Glue Everything Down

Once the pieces are where you want them, glue them onto the cardstock background. (A glue stick works especially well for kids because it’s easy to control and doesn’t make the paper quite as soggy as liquid glue.)

Press each piece down firmly and give the artwork a few minutes to dry.

Step 7: Add the Finishing Details

Once the collage is dry, your child can add a few details with a black marker, crayon, or colored pencil. They might like to add eyes, antennae, legs, patterns, grass, flowers, or other background details.

Or you can leave the collage exactly as it is!

A Few Tips for Making This Art Project Easier

Provide various objects from around the house that could be used to create texture. These objects could be anything: string, sponges, paper towels, Q-tips, cotton balls, a plastic fork, etc. Tell the kids to get creative and create any texture they can think of.
Use colors that contrast: Bright colors really make these collages pop. Try pairing warm colors like red, orange, and yellow with cooler colors like blue, green, and purple.
Think through your collage and the colors you might want to use. If you want to assemble a pink butterfly with a purple body, you might want to paint a pink page and a separate purple page. (We made colored pages for all the primary colors.)
Have fun. You really don’t need to overthink this project; just be okay with a little mess and have fun.
Save your painted papers. Store the pieces in a folder or envelope and use them for future paper collage art projects. Having a stash of colorful painted paper ready to go makes the next project even easier.

Is This Eric Carle-Inspired Art Project Worth My Time?

Taking some time to study and learn from another artist is always worth the effort. In this case, it’s being creative without being complicated.

This collage craft works for a pretty wide range of ages. And kids get to experience several different art processes in one activity—painting, cutting, tearing, arranging, and gluing.

And the best part? Every child will make something completely different.

If you’re looking for an Eric Carle-inspired art project for kids, this is an easy one to add to your afternoon homeschool plans, preschool activities, or a children’s book-themed art day.