They Drew as They Pleased Disney

In the 1970s and 1980s, the Disney animation studio redefined its creative vision in the wake of Walt Disney's death. This latest volume from renowned Disney historian Didier Ghez profiles Ken Anderson and Mel Shaw, whose work defined beloved classic Disney characters from films like The Jungle Book, The Aristocats, Robin Hood, and The Rescuers. With vivid descriptions of passages from the artists' autobiographies and interviews, accompanied by never-before-seen images of their art and process, this visually rich collection offers a rare view of the Disney leg¬ends whose work helped shape the nature of character and story development for generations to come.

In the 1970s and 1980s, the Disney animation studio redefined its creative vision in the wake of Walt Disney's death. This latest volume from renowned Disney historian Didier Ghez profiles Ken Anderson and Mel Shaw, whose work defined beloved classic Disney characters from films like The Jungle Book, The Aristocats, Robin Hood, and The Rescuers. With vivid descriptions of passages from the artists' autobiographies and interviews, accompanied by never-before-seen images of their art and process, this visually rich collection offers a rare view of the Disney leg¬ends whose work helped shape the nature of character and story development for generations to come.

Walt Disney always envisioned the studios that bear his name remaining relevant by consistently taking creative risks and doing the unexpected. Heading into the 1940s, he crafted an entirely new division of the studio called the Character Model Department, which focused solely on the details of character development.

The 1950s and 1960s at The Walt Disney Studios marked unprecedented stylistic directions brought on by the mid-century modern and graphic sensibilities of a new wave of artists. This volume explores the contributions of these heroes with special emphasis on the art of Lee Blair, Mary Blair, Tom Oreb, John Dunn, and Walt Peregoy. It includes never-before-seen images from Cinderella, Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan, and Sleeping Beauty and discusses Disney's first forays into television, commercials, space, and science projects—even the development of theme parks.