By Francesca Scrimgeour, Walt Disney Archives
It’s hard to believe that 35 years ago, an effervescent young mermaid with a bubbly personality made her debut on the animated feature scene, forever altering the course of Disney animation. The Little Mermaid (1989) marked a return to Disney’s storytelling roots as the first full-length production to draw inspiration from a classic fairy tale in three decades. Disney Legend Glen Keane, the directing animator primarily responsible for Ariel, encapsulated the excitement of creating the imaginative film: “This story is different from any fairy tale Disney has ever done. The heroine feels more real and relatable. What she desires may seem impossible, but hopefully, the audience becomes so invested in her determination that they’ll root for her success.”
The legacy of The Little Mermaid ripples far beyond the motion picture screen as millions of fans have brought the magic of the animated classic home through merchandise that have served as emotional touchpoints to Ariel and her friends. And while the film’s production art has often been the focus of study and celebration, less featured have been the illustrations produced for a number of memorable and much beloved consumer products.
In celebration of the film’s initial release on November 15, 1989, the Walt Disney Archives invites you to explore our rarely seen collections of merchandising artwork, including illustrations created for publishing and home entertainment releases—each a treasure (or, thingamabob?) unto itself.
The first of these is a charming entry from the Little Nugget Book series from Golden Press. Illustrated by Kerry Martin and Fred Marvin, this 1992 adaptation of The Little Mermaid features stunning illustrations that complement the text for young readers:
The full scope of the artwork created for this book is breathtaking in its own right. And while the illustrations are adapted for literary format, our art collection allows us to appreciate the artists’ initial vision.
Diving deeper into our publishing art collection, we present original illustrations from How to Draw The Little Mermaid from Walter Foster Publishing. This book, also published in 1992, offers artists of all ages the chance to make a splash with easy-to-follow instructions for drawing their favorite characters in a variety of poses.
Two pieces from the collection are highlighted here: a completed illustration of Flounder (above) and the beautifully designed background that complements it (below). Seeing the entire scene offers a glimpse into the artist’s fully rendered concept—truly a “fin-tastic” way to appreciate the artwork!
Our staff also explored a collection of home entertainment artwork to uncover this next piece. During the Company’s early tide of home video releases, Disney fans had the chance to reel in their favorite films, often accompanied by beautifully designed packaging, such as this Little Mermaid VHS cover. Below, you can see an early example of home video art featuring Flounder and some of Ariel’s “Under the Sea” friends alongside designated spaces for product text. The artwork is vibrant and inviting, making it even more tempting to take off the shelf and enjoy!
Along those same towlines, additional supplemental art was crafted for individual Walt Disney Home Video stories featuring Ariel, much like the piece showcased below. This VHS cover artwork was designed for the 1995 release Princess Collection: Ariel’s Songs and Stories, which featured two episodes from the popular animated TV series Disney’s The Little Mermaid: “Wish Upon a Starfish” and “Metal Fish.” A close look at this original artwork offers a detailed glimpse beyond what ultimately made it onto the final product.
We hope this unique glimpse into the Walt Disney Archives collection inspires you to have your own artistic celebration honoring this milestone anniversary of The Little Mermaid, a timeless classic that continues to enchant audiences and shape the ocean of animation.