About This Stamp
Originally titled “Masters of the Mesozoic,” The World of Dinosaurs began as one block of four stamps, but the project quickly expanded to show two scenes from prehistoric North America: Colorado during the Jurassic period, approximately 150 million years ago; and Montana during the Cretaceous period, around 75 million years ago.
Unlike many stamp artists, illustrator James Gurney had no live models to pose for him; his subjects had all been dead for millions of years. However, the best-selling author of the Dinotopia series captured subtleties of texture and shadow by shining bright lights on plastic models, some of which are shown here. Gurney based the colors of each creature on the patterns of modern animals, and several prominent paleontologists served as consultants.
Art Director
Carl T. Herrman
As an art director for the U.S. Postal Service® for more than 15 years, Carl T. Herrman designed more than 50 stamps and guided more than 250 stamp projects, including Marilyn Monroe, James Dean, Humphrey Bogart, and Comic Strip Classics. He also served as art director for five of the Celebrate the Century stamp panes. He has won more than 260 awards for design and design management, including two gold medals from the Society of Illustrators.
Herrman’s career has included positions as Director of Creative Services and adjunct professor at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville, and Director of Marketing and Publications for the University of California at Irvine. He has provided consulting services for the Smithsonian Institution, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and numerous academic institutions. Herrman lives in Carlsbad,California.