HOME | DD

Description
As everyone in the art community knows, May is also known as Mermay, where many talented artists take the challenge to draw merfolk (either from different media or their own characters) in their own unique styles. This year, I decided to celebrate Mermay by drawing a cute chibi version of Ariel from The Little Mermaid.

I must say, Ariel has a pretty interesting story. Disney's Renaissance gave audiences Beauty and the Beast, Pocahontas, and The Lion King, but it really kicked off with The Little Mermaid in the late 1980s. Despite centering on Ariel, who's the mermaid in the title, the movie spent a whole lot of time above the water as she learned about human life. She is clearly adventurous, which earns her some points, as she pushed the boundaries of what her father allowed her to do. She swam to the limits of human territory, entered the domain of a known sea witch, and regularly refused to listen to the more conservative voice of Sebastian the crab, the guardian appointed to her by her father. Ariel's adventurous spirit is great for a potential leader, but she also went a bit too far, which got her into trouble. Despite having a huge ocean to roam, she's one of the more naive Disney Princesses. For some reason, even knowing Ursula's reputation, she trusted her enough to trade her voice for some temporary legs. It's that trust that backfired on Ariel and put her in a precarious position later in the movie. Yes, she did save Prince Eric from drowning at the top of the movie, and attempted to hold her own against Ursula in human form, so she's not a princess who goes down without a fight. She's also a much stronger young woman than the original Disney princesses that came before her. Even though Ariel managed to save the prince from having to get married to the other girl (who was actually Ursula in disguise), she was lost in an understandable childhood rebellion, and her mistakes lead her on a frightening path of transformation, betrayal, and near-death. Her initial superficiality gave way to a deep and self-giving love for her paramour and for her own family. She had the courage to pursue her life that went against what society dictated. In short, we can praise Ariel for standing up for what she believes in, and for being stronger and braver than her predecessors. Because of her, many of the modern princesses are a lot more powerful and independent than they were many years ago, and that's what I think makes her a great princess.

Hope you have a happy Mermay!

Description
As everyone in the art community knows, May is also known as Mermay, where many talented artists take the challenge to draw merfolk (either from different media or their own characters) in their own unique styles. This year, I decided to celebrate Mermay by drawing a cute chibi version of Ariel from The Little Mermaid.

I must say, Ariel has a pretty interesting story. Disney's Renaissance gave audiences Beauty and the Beast, Pocahontas, and The Lion King, but it really kicked off with The Little Mermaid in the late 1980s. Despite centering on Ariel, who's the mermaid in the title, the movie spent a whole lot of time above the water as she learned about human life. She is clearly adventurous, which earns her some points, as she pushed the boundaries of what her father allowed her to do. She swam to the limits of human territory, entered the domain of a known sea witch, and regularly refused to listen to the more conservative voice of Sebastian the crab, the guardian appointed to her by her father. Ariel's adventurous spirit is great for a potential leader, but she also went a bit too far, which got her into trouble. Despite having a huge ocean to roam, she's one of the more naive Disney Princesses. For some reason, even knowing Ursula's reputation, she trusted her enough to trade her voice for some temporary legs. It's that trust that backfired on Ariel and put her in a precarious position later in the movie. Yes, she did save Prince Eric from drowning at the top of the movie, and attempted to hold her own against Ursula in human form, so she's not a princess who goes down without a fight. She's also a much stronger young woman than the original Disney princesses that came before her. Even though Ariel managed to save the prince from having to get married to the other girl (who was actually Ursula in disguise), she was lost in an understandable childhood rebellion, and her mistakes lead her on a frightening path of transformation, betrayal, and near-death. Her initial superficiality gave way to a deep and self-giving love for her paramour and for her own family. She had the courage to pursue her life that went against what society dictated. In short, we can praise Ariel for standing up for what she believes in, and for being stronger and braver than her predecessors. Because of her, many of the modern princesses are a lot more powerful and independent than they were many years ago, and that's what I think makes her a great princess.

Hope you have a happy Mermay!