2019 The Little Mermaid #art sketch series ‘URSULA’ #AtoZChallenge
Thanks for joining in today. If you missed previous posts in The Little Mermaid Artsketch series you can find them easily under Latest Mews in my side menu. ☞ ☞ ☞
All fairy tales have heroes and villains. This series wouldn’t be complete without sharing the films’ ultimate bad guy. I drew inspiration for my illustration from this picture of the sea witch, Ursula!
Ursula is part human and octopus. She has eyes and ears in the Underwater Kingdom looking for ways to exact her revenge on King Triton. The merpeople who do not help or fail are reduced to a polyp and the only way this curse can be broken is by her death. Other than herself, she only cares about her two beloved pets the slippery, evil sea eels – Flotsam and Jetsam (shared sketch earlier in the month), who she refers to as her ‘babies’.
While Ursula wants to be the queen of the Underwater Kingdom, she’s more of a ‘drama’ queen with her theatrics, overemphasizing her life with a dark and humorous flare. Here’s a snippet for you to evaluate.
The first time I saw this scene with Ursula saying she’s wasting away to nothing, it was a truly laugh out loud moment in our house, mostly me as our kids were too young to understand. I really need to find this movie on Blu-ray or streaming so I can one day share it with my little Angel.
[tweetthis]Celebrating the 10th anniversary of the #AtoZChallenge with my 6th-year participation in the April #blogfest. Join me this month with my #TheLittleMermaid characters #artsketch theme. U is for Ursula. #pencildrawing #Procreate #illustrations[/tweetthis]
I’m heading off to link up with other fellow AtoZers and you’re invited to come along. For my fellow A2Zers, please leave a breadcrumb (direct post URL) in comments so I might find my way easily to you. You’re invited to return tomorrow for another the next installment in my Little Mermaid Artsketch Series! X💋X💋, Cathy
44 Comments
Ronel Janse van Vuuren
Nice details in the sketch. I think her eyes are too kind 😉
Ronel visiting with the A-Z Challenge music and writing: the gifted and unusual
sandy
I’ve missed about a weeks’ worth – i probably won’t comment on each one but I love what you are doing – great job on Ursula. I hope some day you will color them in – that would be fun to see also.
Cathy Kennedy
Sandy,
Don’t sweat it, take a peek as you like. I understand how easy it is to fall behind since I am always lagging. 🙂
Debbie D.
Your Ursula looks just menacing enough, Cathy; a little more “human” than the original villian. Adds a nice touch! 🙂
-Eugenia
Great capture, Cathy! She looks quite devious and ready to create trouble. Have a purrfect rest of the week.
Birgit
It’s my Auntie Evil! I mean Eva:). You captured Ursula well and actually gave her more humanity since most being have good and bad in them, it just is determined which side they use more. I believe your goodness shows through and you capture her soul more. I like the newspaper look as well because it is unique. Oh…as for my aunt, who did have good and bad in her but she always chose the bad..she would go to funerals of people she didn’t know just to get some gossip. Driving with my aunt and u clue once, after she complained about the car a/c and the open window, she proceeded to blow wind and I literally passed out. She accused my mom, when m mom lost everything, of my dad getting cancer. The final nail, she was driving and her donought fell, she went to retrieve it and veered intothe next lane. A young 17 yr old on a motorcycle was coming the other way and my aunt hit him head on, killing him. She blamed him and tried to get out of the situation by this method. The judge was appalled when she said, “He’s dead anywY so what does it matter now.” Yeah…she was a peach
Cathy Kennedy
Birgit,
Oh smoke, your aunt is something else! I can’t even imagine someone being that bad, except for in a book or movie. That’s so sad, really terribly sad. Is she still living?
Birgit
no, she died in the late 1990’s or early 2000’s…She was a real peach…Not! I didn’t even get to tell you the time she was suggesting I was a lesbian because I didn’t have a boyfriend yet (I was 17 or 18). I shot back that i was happy on my own rather than being knocked up (all her children got pregnant or caused a pregnancy before marriage).
Cathy Kennedy
Birgit,
The peach that she was I have to ask, were there many mourners present? Why do some think just because a gal or boy doesn’t have a boy/girlfriend that something is wrong? I wish more young people would hold off on serious relationships until their out of school and settled a bit instead of jumping the gun. You mentioned one real possibility resulting in premature deeds. We can learn from people such as your aunt by not mimicking their ways but to be better, right?
kislaya
Hello Cathy,
Ursula has such a manly voice.
Your sketch looks less wicked and I agree that this is due to your sunny personality!
Nevertheless, you have done a purrfect (i like the use of this word on your blog repeatedly) job in sketching Ursula.
Hats off to your efforts – sketching each day for this entire month…you deserve applause 😊😊👌🙌
Read my U post here UBUNTU
Cathy Kennedy
Kislaya,
Ursula’s voice is gruff for a woman’s but it suits the way her character looks, though. I appreciate your frequent visits this month. Just so you’ll know I did not do a sketch each day this month but did most of my illustrations in March. It would’ve been too much for me to draw a new picture each day, create my post, reply to commenters, follow up on return visits, make new visits, and leave a message on each bloggers’ site. I’m barely able to keep up with things even with my posts scheduled. I guess I’m just not organized enough. 🙂
kislaya
Of course you are organised. You planned your sketch well in advance. It shows your enthusiasm.
Every sketch is so nicely done!! 🙂
Cathy Kennedy
Kislaya,
I have more organizing to do. A couple of years ago I finally figured out how to get my A2Z posts done ahead. That took a lot of commitment and work to pull of but the pay off was worth it. Now, to find a way to work better organizational skills into my daily life. 🙂
Jackie
I F$#@!’ing hate that sea witch but you did a good job of capturing her. Jackie’s Bookbytes Letter U
Cathy Kennedy
Jackie,
I don’t like the villains but a good story needs them so the heroes can mop up the sea floor with them. Thanks for visiting.
messymimi's meanderings
She looks like she’s happy to be doing something devious, that is certain!
Cathy Kennedy
Mimi,
That’s it! She’s happy because she being devious. Why didn’t I think of that? lol
15andmeowing
I knew that would be your U 🙂 She came out great. XO
Cathy Kennedy
Ellen,
I figured it wouldn’t come as a surprise to include the main villainess in my art sketch series, not to mention there’s not a lot of ‘U’ inspired subjects to illustrate.
Trudy
Ursula! shudder She scares me. I’m glad your sunny disposition softened her a little!
Cathy Kennedy
Trudy,
The Disney villains are scary with Ursula bein no exception. With her over her cauldron, she really looks wicked. I wish I could’ve tapped into that a little more, maybe when I redraw her I’ll get it right.
John Holton
Nice likeness, although I miss the purple skin…
Cathy Kennedy
John,
Not to worry, she’ll have purple skin when I add color to the picture. 🙂
Kathe W.
excellent Cathy!
Cathy Kennedy
Thanks, Kathe! 🙂
Veronica Lee
You captured her perfectly, Cathy!
Happy WW!!
Cathy Kennedy
Veronica,
I appreciate your visit and words of praise. Thanks, my friend! 😉
scr4pl80
Another really good one, Cathy. I laugh too when she says she’s wasting away.
Cathy Kennedy
Janet,
Thanks. That scene is always good for some chuckles. 😀
Lisa
I don’t think the filter worked this time. Last time (shark?) it worked very nicely. She looks very pleased with herself in your sketch! I wonder what she’s done?
Cathy Kennedy
Lisa,
The filter trick doesn’t have quite the same effect as the shark but that’s ok. I’m looking forward to vamping it with color pencils or as recreation on my iPad Procreate app.
Jacqui Murray
You have captured her perfectly, in all her devious nastiness.
Cathy Kennedy
Jacqui,
Ursula was very devious – evil to the core but quite funny!
Sandee
I love it and you did make her a happy witch. Such fun. You do have a sunny personality.
Thank you for joining the Wordless Wednesday Blog Hop.
Have a fabulous Wordless Wednesday, Cathy. Hugs and love. ♥
Cathy Kennedy
Sandee,
Yeah, I know I made her happy. Gosh, I’ve gotta figure out how to make my evil characters look like mean, nasty villains. Maybe, I’ll have to get into character myself. Nah, it won’t work I’m just too darn nice! Thanks for visiting. 😉
Jade Li
Great job! Those tentacles look like…. snakes!
Cathy Kennedy
Jade,
Snakes? Oh, good grief, they do look like snakes and you know how much I hate them.
Thomas Anderson
Hi again, Cathy!
No, Pat Carroll did not play Danny’s wife. She played Bunny Halper, wife of Uncle Charlie Halper, proprietor of the Copa Club. Danny had two wives during the series’ run. His first wife was played by Jean Hagen who died young at age 54. His second wife was played by Marjorie Lord who lived to age 97.
Cathy Kennedy
Tom,
The only person I really remember in the series is Danny Thompson but thinking about it I’m not sure if I’m getting my thinking wires crossed. I remembered him being on the 70s TV show “That Girl” with his daughter and now I just don’t know. Thanks for the clarification even though it doesn’t help me any. 🙂
Brian Frum
She does look like a wonderfully happy witch!
Keith's Ramblings
She looks a bit of a smiling assassin! I’ll certainly be avoiding her next time I go for a swim!
Cathy Kennedy
Keith,
She’s definitely deadly!
Thomas Anderson
Hi, Cathy!
Happy Almost Wordless Wednesday and “U” day, dear friend! By now, thanks to these marvelous sketches of yours, I am getting to know the plot and characters of The Little Mermaid. I think you did another wonderful job this time, drawing in great detail the rotund sea witch/drama queen Ursula – part human and part octopus. (On dates, my girlfriends called me an octopus because I seemed to have 8 hands.) :). I looked up Ursula and discovered that her voice was done by veteran actress Pat Carroll. I remember Pat from The Danny Thomas Show. Pat turns 92 a few days from now on May 5. I agree that your own pleasing purrsonality comes through in sketches of villainous characters like Ursula. I compared your portrait to the Disney original and her eyes look more sinister on Disney’s. Not being an artist myself, I don’t know how or why that is, but perhaps if you color this sketch at some point you can give her eyes a more wicked glint. It was fun to watch that scene with Ursula and her babies, the evil eels Flotsam and Jetsam.
I hope your week is going well, dear friend Cathy. I’ll be back tamale for your “V” day post!
Cathy Kennedy
Tom,
I watched The Danny Thomas Show in the later years as reruns, I’m sure. Did Pat play as Danny’s wife on the show? I Googled her. She looks familiar and stretching the imagination a bit, you can see her likeness in Ursula. I met to include the voice-over actress in my tidbits but forgot that part out but I’m glad that you did and shared it with me. Thanks for visiting this morning, my friend and for your wonderful words of praise. This month is exhausting and I’m ready for May to get here. lol Have a good day, mu friend!