Illustrator Wyethe Smallish’s reimagining of Disney characters with new bodies has endeared her to millions of people.
The 24-year-old has been drawing for most of her life but captured the attention of millions after she began reinventing Disney characters with bigger bodies on her TikTok.
“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,” she said.
Wyethe’s minor changes are causing women to recognize how much culture has influenced their perception of what their bodies should look like.
It all began with a drawing of a fuller-bodied Cinderella.
@fartscapade Cinderella 💎 #cinderella #originalcinderella #bodypositivity #disneyprincess #disney #redrawing #redraw #cartoon ♬ Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo – From “Cinderella” – Verna Felton
Representation Matters
“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,” Wyethe said. “I started with Cinderella, and once I had her drawn, I had an unexpected emotional response and felt this 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!”
Wyethe started sketching more characters, including Sleeping Beauty, after engaging with nearly three million people through the video of Cinderella.
@fartscapade Princess Aurora 💖 slight body alterations, that I feel are more common. Absolutely no hate to slender/petite bodies, just showing different representation 🥰 #allbodiesaregoodbodies #bodypositivity #disneyprincesses #disneyprincess #sleepingbeauty #princessaurora #fullerfigure #disney #redraw #alteration ♬ An Unusual Prince / Once Upon A Dream – Soundtrack – Mary Costa & Bill Shirley & Chorus – Sleeping Beauty
“I was going to say something about plus size representation, but honestly, this is just an average size! Disney just makes us feel like medium is large,” a commenter wrote.
Next up, Wyethe took on a reimagining of Princess Jasmine from Aladdin:
@fartscapade Replying to @Desia Ann as requested 💖 many more to come! I see how meaningful these drawings are to you guys, and that truly makes my heart happy! Again absolutely no hate for small petite bodies! The reason for these adjustments is the lack of mid/plus size representation 💓 thank you for the love and stay tuned for many more! #disney #disneyprincesses #disneyprincess #bodypositivity #midsize #plussize #midsizetiktok #alterations #redraw #ReTokforNature #digitalart #illustration #princessjasmine #aladdin #awholenewworld ♬ A Whole New World – From “Aladdin” / Soundtrack Version – Lea Salonga & Brad Kane & Disney
And then? Ariel from The Little Mermaid:
@fartscapade Replying to @Jenica Jones Ariel 🐠 I am very happy you all seem to be enjoying these videos! Princess Mulan, Tiana, and Belle are next! Also i will be doing another series where I depict larger bodies and weight being carried in different areas! And yes I will be doing the Princes as well! #thelittlemermaid #littlemermaid #underthesea #disney #disneyprincess #disneyprincesses #midsize #midsizebody #midsizebodies #midsizequeens #plussize #digitalart #illustration #femaleartist #healinginnerchild #representationmatters ♬ Under the Sea (Instrumental) [From “The Little Mermaid”] – London Music Works
Belle from Beauty And The Beast:
@fartscapade Replying to @Gracenachbor_444 here is long awaited belle and prince adam! Just softened him a bit, made his shoulders narrow, and a rounder jaw line 🙂 belle still thin just more common/relateable proportions 💖 #belle #princessbelle #beautyandthebeast #disney #disneyprincess #disneyprincesses #disneyprince #princeadam #redraw #bodypositivity #midsize #average #taleasoldastime #taleasoldastime🥀🤗💐 #digitalart #illustration ♬ Tale as Old as Time (From “Beauty and the Beast”) – London Music Works & Helena Blackman
Princess Tiana:
@fartscapade The beautiful Princess Tiana 💖🐸 slight adjustments would have left a different imprint on our subconscious 🥹✨ follow for more princesses/princes and more characters in general! #disney #disneyprincess #theprincessandthefrog #princesstiana #tiana #frogprincess #bodypositivity #midsize #midsizerep #representationmatters #representationinthemediamatters #healinginnerchild #OLAFLEX #DoritosDareToBeBurned #illustration #feminism ♬ The Princess and the Frog: Almost There – Geek Music
Mulan has some muscles:
@fartscapade Replying to @tujefa much much MUCH requested toned/buff ✨Mulan✨ #mulan #disney #disneyprincess #disneyprincesses #musclewomen #strongwomen #bodypositivity #disneyredraw #femaleartist #illustration #feminism #OLAFLEX #DoritosDareToBeBurned ♬ Mulan: I’ll Make a Man Out of You – Geek Music
And finally, Rapunzel:
@fartscapade One of my personal faves! Repunzel 💖 #disney #disneyprincesses #repunzel #tangled #bodypositivity #midsize #representation #representationmatters #princess #animation #midsizetiktok ##OLAFLEX #DoritosDareToBeBurned ♬ When Will My Life Begin? – From “Tangled” / Soundtrack Version – Mandy Moore
There Is No ‘Ideal’ Body Type
“When only one body type is accepted as the norm, we pick out the special qualities that make us all different and we start to look negatively upon them. Including variation in body representation — it is [essential] to healing inner self-image,” Wyethe said. “Having this representation can hopefully begin to heal our inner child.
“Thousands and thousands of people [are] commenting about how this ‘healed’ them, made them cry tears of joy! People saying how they wished this is how it had been when they were little really touched my heart and motivates me to keep making more.”
We love to see realistic body types and not the unattainable – like actually physically impossible – body types that we have been programmed to see as “ideal.” Thank you, Wyethe!
If you want to see more of Wyethe’s work, you can visit her website or follow her on TikTok and Instagram!
We think Disney’s female characters should be more representative of all body types. Tell us if you agree in the comments!
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