He also encouraged other background artists like Maddale beaters.
While the animation is being done, the background artists will paint the sets over which the action of each animated sequence will take place.
Nick Shaw is an independent film maker and background artist.
He joined stage plays and started playing Tabala as a background artist.
Originally the background artist was supposed to be Mary Blair and she did some inspirational sketches for the film.
Claude Coats was then appointed as the key background artist.
He quickly added that we were not mere extras but "background artists" whose contributions were essential to the show's success.
"In this business there's a food chain, and background artists like you are generally at the bottom," he said.
A nonunion background artist is paid about $60 a day.
She started working on the show during the first season as a background clean-up artist.