I express my deep gratitude to everybody, who shared my enthusiasm for this book project from day one. They are:
• My editors from Focal Press. Lauren Mattos, who asked me in the first place whether I was interested in sharing my knowledge in the art of Disney’s Nine Old Men, and Caitlin Murphy, who patiently oversaw the bulk of this book’s production. Both Lauren and Caitlin gave me the kind of warm guidance that was very much appreciated by this first time-writer.
• Members of Disney’s fabulous Animation Research Library (ARL). Mary Walsh, the managing director, who supported the project by delegating a number of knowledgeable staff members to help research endless visual materials.
• Research manager Fox Carney patiently stood by me during my long selection process and provided me with numerous scans of beautiful artwork I didn’t even know still existed.
• Researchers Jackie Vasquez, Ann Hansen, and Doug Engella, all searched methodically for animation drawings that best complemented my writings.
• Eric Boyd conducted some tasteful clean-up and prepping of the files.
• Michael Pucher, Mathieu Fretschel, and Idris Erba from the Image Capture Team photographed some art from my personal collection of animation art.
• Last not least Roger Viloria, who helped me to select and scan original drawings I had accumulated over the years.
During the whole process of writing and gathering gorgeous material for this book I found myself in a state of utter delight and kept thinking that there really is no better time spent than researching the masterworks of Walt Disney’s incomparable animators.