This Women’s History Month, we recognize the achievements of the women of Walt Disney Animation Studios. From inkers and painters, to sculptors, to concept artists, to animators and beyond, women have long been involved in bringing Disney’s animated films to life. Learn more about these trailblazing women from the following books.

INK & PAINT: THE WOMEN OF WALT DISNEY’S ANIMATION

By Mindy Johnson

This authoritative volume on the history of women animators at Walt Disney Animation Studios covers the often overlooked history of female artists and innovators who played an integral role in the development of animated films. Beginning in the Ink & Paint Department, where legions of female artists brought the pencil sketches of the animators to colorful life as they transferred the paper drawings to celluloid sheets, women soon were part of every discipline within animation production. Extensively researched with the full support of the entire Walt Disney Studios archival resources, plus a multitude of private collections, firsthand accounts, newly discovered materials, and production documentation, as well as never-before-seen photography and artwork, this essential volume redefines the collective history of animation.

PENCILS, PENS, AND BRUSHES: A GREAT GIRLS’ GUIDE TO DISNEY ANIMATION

By Mindy Johnson, Illustrated by Lorelay Bové

Mindy Johnson brings her illuminating research from INK & PAINT to a younger audience with this non-fiction picture book that highlights the lives and work of some of the trailblazing women who worked at Walt Disney Animation Studios. These amazing women achieved a lot of “firsts”: from the first woman to head a department in animation (helping to win high-profile awards) to the chemist who created the world’s first animation paint laboratory to the first woman to design famous Hollywood monsters. Their achievements have and continue to inspire generations of women to break down barriers in animation and the wider film industry.

MARY BLAIR’S UNIQUE FLAIR

By Amy Novesky, Illustrated by Brittney Lee

The stylishness and vibrant color of Disney films in the early 1940s through mid-1950s came primarily from artist Mary Blair. In her prime, she was an amazingly prolific American artist who enlivened and influenced the not-so-small worlds of film, print, theme parks, architectural décor, and advertising. This picture book biography, illustrated by a current visual development artist at Walt Disney Animation Studios, is a colorful introduction to the life and legacy of a legendary artist who left a lasting impact on Disney and animation.