Artist reimagines Disney princesses with diverse body types, results go viral

What would the popular Disney princesses look like if they had curves and proportional waists? Crystal Walter, a Wisconsin-based artist re-imagined Disney princesses and shared a glimpse of how Arielle, Belle and all the rest would look like if their bodies actually resembled the different types of bodies we see all around us every day.

The drawings of reimagined princesses, which Walter has been posting on her Instagram page @neoqlassicalart, have recently gone viral.

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Run, walk, swim, fly or swing into the Fat Girl Party of the season! ⠀ All your favorites are already on their way! ⠀ Follow the link in my profile to get prints, tees, stickers and more with this design at my TeePublic shop, and don’t forget to SHARE this post! ⠀ It means so much when people share my work with their friends! ⠀ ⠀ Thank you all for your support, I love you! ⠀ ⠀ #neoqlassicalart #plussizeart #fatpositive #fatjoy #plussizecosplay #fanart #disneyfanart #fatdisneyprincesses

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A post shared by Neoqlassical Art (@neoqlassicalart) on May 27, 2020 at 10:33am PDT

Walter is clear that she's not promoting the idea that one type of body is better or more realistic than another. "My stance has always been that all bodies should be seen as equal," she recently wrote on Instagram.

The artist told Insider that she wants people to know that her drawings are meant to be relatable to a wide range of audiences in comparison to the body proportions of the original animated characters.

"The reason I draw them fat is not to make them 'realistic.' It's to see myself in them and to help other fat folks see themselves in them," she said.

Recalling her own struggle of growing up fat and not having positive role models around, she said in one of her captions, “I focus on making these characters fat simply because I know the struggle of growing up fat, so I can relate, and it helps me. I needed to see the heroes of my favourite stories look more like me, rather than only physically relating to villains or comic relief characters. Good people come in all shapes, sizes and colours, and that needs to be more apparent.”

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A MESSAGE: Yesterday, I was featured in an article on Scary Mommy, and today, this article has been pushed onto Yahoo, which is cool and all, because I love when people reach out to hear and share my message and my art.⠀ ⠀ The trouble is that the way the article was titled and worded, came across as sounding like I think being fat is better than being thin, and that being thin is unrealistic. My stance has always been that all bodies should be seen as equal. No one body shape is better than any other, and nobody is a better person than any other based on what they are or are not able to physically do. ⠀ ⠀ It is true that the original art of these characters I've redrawn was unrealistic, in that their waists are all, without any exceptions, narrower than their heads. But all physical human bodies are realistic, regardless of slimness or fatness, because... they are real. ⠀ ⠀ I focus on making these characters fat simply because I know the struggle of growing up fat, so I can relate, and it helps me. I needed to see the heroes of my favorite stories look more like me, rather than only physically relating to villains or comic relief characters. Good people come in all shapes, sizes and colors, and that needs to be more apparent. ⠀ ⠀ I feel like sharing something personal, and I'll put it in the comments below. TW for talk of eating disorders and suicidal ideation. ⠀

A post shared by Neoqlassical Art (@neoqlassicalart) on Aug 24, 2020 at 10:10am PDT

Walter has also re-imagined Disney princes like Aladdin to drive her point home. She said that in her opinion Disney princes "tend to be drawn with an exaggerated shoulder-to-hip ratio" for them to appear more masculine. According to her, “There is no perfect body type for anyone of any gender."

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It’s okay to have a “mom belly” or a “dad bod” even if you don’t have kids! ❤️ And if you do have kids, it’s not your job to “get your body back” You are more than a body shape.