John Michael Carter was born in Chicago. He showed an interest in drawing at an early age and began his studies at 15 with his father E. L. Carter, a commercial artist and illustrator.
After graduation from high school he attended the American Academy of Art in Chicago.
In 1970 Carter continued his studies at the Art Center College of Design in Los Angeles.
There he studied the major classical schools of drawing and painting with Reynolds Brown, Harry Carmean and Lorser Feitelson.




