One thing I was really interested in looking for when searching for art was images that portrayed the Little Mermaid. I wanted to see different interpretations on how she looks to artists based on the Disney version and other adaptations as well.
I came across this image and it immediately brought a smile to my face.
We only briefly talked about this in class, but I do have so many thoughts on the new live action Disney version of The Little Mermaid. In this version, Halle Bailey is casted as Ariel and has gotten a lot of criticism thrown at her. There have been many blatantly racist comments made towards her being Ariel and quite frankly I think it’s outrageous.
In this image, I think the artist did a fantastic job at portraying who Ariel really is. In the Disney movie, Ariel loves her sidekick Flounder and she’s known for her beauty. This image does Ariel justice. It has her long red hair, her green tail, her sidekicks, and other sea creatures as well. The colors are bright and the contrast between the darker blues and her red hair and darker skin tone just pop. People are criticizing Halle Bailey, but it’s just an excuse to be racist. She has everything she needs to be the perfect Ariel. She has the red hair; the beautiful singing voice and I’m looking forward to seeing the movie no matter what the critics say.
Great artwork selection, especially because of its relevance to both our class discussions as well as discussions going on outside of class! It is nice to see that positive artwork of Halle Bailey is being produced in support for her as Ariel, as like you stated yourself, she has received a lot of criticism for her role. I am also looking forward to seeing the movie!
I would have loved to see you expand further on your analysis of the art, as I agree with you that the artist did a fantastic job. Maybe discussing what supportive artwork means for Halle Bailey as Ariel, or a further analysis on the already existing breakdown you did of the colors and portrayal of Ariel in this art could be ideas for expansion!
I really enjoyed your choice of artwork! I’ve seen a lot of artwork of the two versions of Ariel side by side, usually meant to show that they would get along and be friends. However, drawing the two versions side by side can have the unintended effect of making it seem like they’re two different people, rather than emphasizing that Halle Bailey’s Ariel *is* Ariel. It still sets out to compare them, even in a positive way. This is one of the few images I’ve seen just of Halle’s Ariel on her own, and I really like how you discuss what makes the image stand out to you and how well she fits the character based on this art. I think you could expand further on how the features of the image you described make her the “perfect” Ariel.
I love this new version of Ariel, I even discussed her towards the end my last essay. I think it is super important for kids to see representation even in these small ways. Although, there will always be people who oppose progress it is essential to keep celebrating positive changes in media through art. As the other comments said I would’ve liked to hear more about a “perfect Ariel”, otherwise, nice work!