Ari Matthews
Elsa Redesign — Applying caricature theory to Disney's Elsa — pushing shape language until the design reads harder.

Elsa Redesign

Year
2026
Type
School project
Discipline
character design
Tools
Procreate

Apply the pillars of caricature to an existing character, as a practical companion to a research paper on caricature and character design.

I wrote a paper on caricature for my Art History of Illustration class, and accompanied the writing work with this piece.

As a means of demonstrating the techniques I researched, and to show the connection between caricature and character design, I took the pre-existing character of Elsa from the Disney movie Frozen and applied certain caricature pillars to attempt to elevate her design.

The outfits

Elsa redesign shown in three views — a dark blue gown with a diamond motif, a white layered dress, and a blue and white gown

The redesign in a heavy white fur coat, shown in three views

Three views of the blue gown with a trailing feathered cape

Process

Sketches, iterations, and directions that didn't make the final.

Elsa Redesign — process image 1Elsa Redesign — process image 2Elsa Redesign — process image 3