If Disney Characters Had Fuller Bodies, They Would Look Much More Realistic, As Shown By This Incredible Illustrator

Disney characters have been part of childhood for generations, but their familiar looks have also shaped how many people picture beauty. That is why one illustrator's take on fuller-bodied princesses stands out so much.

Wyethe Smallish started redrawing beloved Disney characters with more realistic proportions, and the results quickly caught attention. What began as a personal art project turned into a conversation about representation, body image, and why these characters feel so different with just a few changes.

The reactions came fast, and the illustrations kept coming. Read on.

Wyethe Smallish

She is twenty-four years old and has been drawing all her life. Wyethe said, "I come from a family of illustrators, so you could say it’s in my blood!"

I am currently in art school, specifically at the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design. My area of study is illustration and communication design."

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She started drawing Disney princesses with fuller figures

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Her first recreated princess was Cinderella

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That first redraw set the tone for everything that followed.

Wyethe's subtle changes to the Disney characters made women more aware of how much culture influences their perception of what a woman's body should look like:

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"I started with Cinderella, and once I had her drawn, I had an unexpected emotional response."

"Like many people, I have struggled with self-image and disordered eating, probably from as early as 10 years old. I have been using my art to learn to love my body just the way it is.

I started with Cinderella, and once I had her drawn, I had an unexpected emotional response. I felt a sense of comfort, and she felt so real to me.

It would have made a huge impact on me as a young girl to see Cinderella with a proportionate waist and fuller arms!" said Wyethe.

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After her recreation of Cinderella gained so much attention, she continued drawing other Disney princesses.

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Next in line was Sleeping Beauty

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Then people asked her to draw Jasmine,

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and she did.

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The series kept growing as more fans wanted to see their favorites reimagined.

Wyethe’s fuller Disney figures feel like the same kind of realism as Old Masters portraits that “influenced” modern art.

Her slight alterations really make Disney's princesses more gorgeous than they already are.

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Then it was Ariel's turn

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She illustrated a couple of Ariel's photos for her fans.

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And it turned out awesome!

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By then, the project had become a full lineup of familiar faces.

Here's the version of Princess Tiana:

"When only one body type is accepted as the norm, we overlook the special qualities that make us all different and begin to view them negatively. Including variation in body representation is essential to healing our inner self-image," Wyethe said.

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"Having this representation can hopefully begin to heal our inner child," said Wyethe.

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Just a little modification, and the characters look so much more realistic.

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Meg:

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Belle:

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Rapunzel:

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Belle And Adam:

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Princess Aurora:

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This commenter says the proportions feel more ordinary than oversized.

If you appreciate her beautiful illustrations, you can follow her work on social media accounts. Enjoy.

And that is exactly why the redesigns hit so hard.

Want more body-image talk? See why Danielle Fishel “couldn’t show her arms” in Boy Meets World.