In addition to the action, many artists work on the backgrounds, choosing colors to create the right atmosphere. To create Agrabath, the fictional kingdom in which the story is set, Disney artists studied Persian minatures, paintings done in the Middle East between the 11th and 1 5th centuries. These small paintings, according to Art Director Bill Perkins, are basically flat patterns, filled with people, caravans, horses, banners and lots of decorative details.