The film was the first feature-length production from and Rich Animation Studios . Richard Rich, who had previously co-directed Disney's The Fox and the Hound , sought to create a fairy tale centered on a strong love story after leaving the studio.
: The production involved approximately 750,000 handmade pieces of art and took over 300 artists four years to complete. The Swan Princess
: Because it avoided computer aid for coloring or ink-and-paint (unlike Disney’s CAPS system of the era), it is often cited as the end of an era for pure hand-drawn animation. The film was the first feature-length production from