This 3D Artist Ruined Our Innocent Childhood Cartoons
By Alex D
From Winnie the Pooh to Bugs Bunny, our memories of cartoons are cuddly and comforting. But that’s about to radically change. Online artist Miguel Velasquez is giving them a makeover. His work is eye-catching — but it’s not an improvement, by most standards. Instead, he goes out of his way to disturb us using advanced digital tools. Miguel combines high-definition graphics and odd textures. The result is realistic, yet unfamiliar in an eerie way. TV and movies are reimagined as he creates an unsettling version of the characters we fondly remember. At present, he has more than 270k followers on Instagram. You could soon be one of them, if you dare. Ready for a nightmare? Check out his creepy creations, next.
Homer Simpson is Horrifying
On a good day, Homer Simpson showed up at the Springfield nuclear plant and ate donuts. He wasn’t the brightest tool in the box, but he didn’t terrify us. Today, that all changes. Here, our favorite yellow dad has been revamped by Miguel.
Some may say he looks better in 3D. We’re not inclined to agree with that idea. His teeth look jagged and his drool is out of control. His stare is blank and unfocused like a zombie. Overall, we prefer the original.
SpongeBob SquarePants Says Hi
He lived in a pineapple under the sea for years, but now he has emerged. Is this the SpongeBob SquarePants you wanted to meet? Opinions will differ, but overall, we assume not. Something about this photo is making the internet uneasy.
Maybe it’s the human teeth. Rarely have we seen those growing out of a sea sponge. On second thought, we’ve never seen that before — and we don’t want to see it again. Fans prefer the original Bob in his 2D form. We don’t blame them!
Michelangelo, Your Favorite Turtle
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles remains an iconic series. All the turtles had their charm. But who was the most fun? As the song explained: “Michelangelo, he’s one of a kind, and you know just where to find him when it’s party time.”
For Mike, a party mostly consisted of pizza. Slices in the series always seemed impossibly cheesy. Here, Miguel shows us what that may have looked like up close. It’s too close for comfort, to be sure — but at least we can see his passion.
Maggie Simpson Scares Us
Fans often ignored one character on The Simpsons. Little Maggie was the quietest in the family. She was adorable, which offset her lack of words. But we did always wonder what she would look like in real life. This cannot possibly be it.
They say that babies have soft skin, but Maggie is bumpy. Some might say she looks lumpy. We know Miguel is a unique talent. Few artists could make us cringe at the sight of an infant. But hey, if the diaper fits.
Winnie the Pooh Sees You
More than anything, Winnie the Pooh was innocent. The caramel-colored bear had a sweet little smile and loved honey. He taught us about empathy. There was nothing scary about him, so Miguel decided that had to change. Behold, the new Pooh.
Readers will not recognize him with human lips. Somehow, the texture is both wrinkled and chapped. Winnie’s eyes have become lifeless and his smile looks menacing. This is the last bear you’d want to encounter in The Hundred Acre Wood.
Elmo Lives in Terror
Elmo is a red monster on Sesame Street. That sounds intimidating. But don’t be scared: He’s a furry, friendly monster who just likes to sing little songs. He has a falsetto voice and toddlers love him. How could you fear him?
Well, we know we don’t. But we can’t say the same for Elmo. The poor little guy looks terrified, through and through. From here, the source of his fear is a mystery. We’re getting uneasy just watching him. Nice work, Miguel!
Bugs Bunny, Not Funny
The rabbit that started it all is back, and he looks better than ever. Or does he? This version of Bugs Bunny comes straight from Miguel’s lab, and fans are divided. Some say he is more realistic, while others are just creeped out.
It might be the teeth, and it might be his strange little hand. It seems his overall shape changed, but his curves don’t look cuddly. We assume Elmer Fudd is still looking for him, But truly, we advise against it.
Sid Needs a Tissue
If you saw Ice Age, you surely remember Sid the sloth. As you might expect, Sid was lazy and slovenly. But he wasn’t snotty, as far as we recall. Here, Miguel has reimagined him as a creature with a runny nose.
A tissue is his issue, in the sense that he needs one right away. His eyes actually look infected, as well. It appears Sid caught a cold during the last ice age. But that’s just our opinion. Sid seems none the wiser, grinning like a fool.
Patrick Star Has Brain Freeze
Patrick Star is SpongeBob’s best friend and underwater neighbor. Some would call him the sidekick. Though friendly, he is generally foolish and unintelligent. As you can see here, Patrick loves ice cream. Though he is a starfish, fans accept it.
We know that starfish hands aren’t the grippiest. With fingers or opposable thumbs, it’s easy to drop your snack. But that doesn’t explain this mishap. Pat’s ice cream is smashed right on his forehead. A classic case of brain freeze, we suspect.
Ed from Ed, Edd n Eddy
With so many toons out there, you may have forgotten about Ed, Edd and Eddy. But Miguel remembers them well, and he decided to transform one of the key characters. Here is Ed, still distinct from both Ed and Eddy.
He’s got all the familiar features we recall. His bulging eyes communicate aggression and stupidity. He has a fluffy unibrow and a short buzzcut. His clothes haven’t changed in all this time, either. As they say, the more things change, the more they stay the same.
Bubble Bass Has an Attitude
SpongeBob SquarePants was full of quality secondary characters. Take Bubble Bass, for example. The obese green bass is an enemy of SpongeBob himself. Fans may recall the time he criticized Bob for forgetting pickles on his Krabby Patty. A rookie mistake!
Here, Bubble Bass has come to life, whether we like it or not. He stands with his fins on his hip. He looks irritable, as he often does. His beady eyes have narrowed as he prepares to criticize someone nearby. Prepare for his wrath!
Little Miss is Lookin’ Rough
Who is Little Miss? It’s been a while, but you may remember the childhood books. Mr. Men was a kids’ book series from the 1970s. It started with a round little man, but then it branched out into a lady character, too. Here she is, in 3D.
In all honesty, Little Miss isn’t looking her best. After decades in the public eye, she has wear and tear. Her face sags and her skin has gotten bumpy and lumpy. Time for botox? Miguel didn’t create a glamour shot, here.
Hey There, Arnold
Hey Arnold! chronicled the life of Arnold, a fourth-grader with a football-shaped head. He lived with his grandparents and had relatable challenges. Except for one thing, that is — his football-shaped head. Miguel decided to bring him to life with this odd feature, as you can see.
We can’t imagine growing up with a head like this. It’s misshapen to an extreme. Any kid would hear about it on the playground. If you look different, prepare to get teased. We can hear it now: Hey, football head!
Lisa Simpson in the Flesh
Lisa Simpson was a vegetarian before it was trendy. She loved to read and she had a sensitive temperament. Some would say she was the conscience of the family. She was never into superficial things like beauty. But honestly, based on this image, it couldn’t hurt.
She has a pearl necklace in an attempt to accessorize. But no matter what he wears, she needs to brush her teeth. She might want to consider braces, too. The gaps here will not be attractive in the long run. Now is the time, Lisa.
Meet Toad From Mario Kart
Toad is a classic character in the Mario universe. He’s been there since the beginning, and he never lets us down. He’s light, but you can get by with his gifts: Fans say he has pretty good acceleration and low top speed.
That’s all well and good. But in the 2D game, he looked a lot cuter. Even 3D Mario Kart was better than this. Miguel has created an odd, hairy version of Toad. His eyes are way too far apart. Then, there’s the matter of his nose. Where is it?
Peppa the Pig in Detail
Peppa the pig is an outgoing student in preschool. She has lots of energy and learns something new each day. We loved reading about her adventures with family and friends. Along the way, we learned a lot, too. Here, Miguel made Peppa in 3D.
It’s a masterpiece worthy of a gallery. This is one of those pictures where the gaze follows you wherever you go. It’s a trick with the eyes, just like Mona Lisa. Her beauty is timeless, too. Look at those pearly whites!
The Savage Patrick Meme
Good heavens, Patrick looks different here. According to Know Your Meme, this version is a screen grab from season one. Internet jokesters enhanced it to look menacing. And now, Miguel has gone a step further to make Patrick look downright evil.
He squinted in the meme, sure. But now, his eyes are bright red. He has purple circles underneath like he hasn’t slept for days as he plotted evil. We can’t accuse him of anything specific. But right now, we’re feeling suspicious.
Nigel Thornberry is Wild
His full name is Sir Nigel Archibald Thornberry. But of course, we all knew him as Nigel, the dad on The Wild Thornberrys. He had a hearty laugh and dry wit. Physically, he had red hair and a red mustache.
As some may recall, the character was the host of Nigel Thornberry’s Wild World. He was an expert in all sorts of wild animals and a daring pilot. Often he would risk his life to save his wife and daughters. Maybe he needs some rest. Look at his eyes!
It’s Handsome Squidward
If you got hit in the face with a door, it would do damage. But Squidward wasn’t a looker to begin with,. Incredibly, this act made him look better. The new version was dubbed Handsome Squidward. Here he is, in the flesh.
As you might expect, SpongeBob tries to help. He hits Squidward to make him normal again, but that doesn’t work. Instead, Squidward is more handsome and now, more muscular. Miguel shows us what that may have looked like. We like what we see!
Dr. Phil as the Green M&M
Dr. Phil is a nationally known psychologist and TV personality. M&Ms have been around for half a century. Isn’t it time they combined? The internet thought so, and thus, the meme was born. The idea spread like wildfire. Here’s a new, even creepier version.
Classic Phil has a mustache and a bald head. That’s the case here, too. Those features work well with the candy character, we think you will agree. This version of the meme is festive. Have a holly and jolly day, America.
This Goofy is Exhausted
Goofy is the original doggo created by The Walt Disney Company. He is tall and goofy looking, which led to his name. Typically, he sports a turtle neck, vest, pants, shoes, and white gloves. He usually has a hat, too.
Those elements are certainly here. But in a way, Goofy isn’t himself at all. For some reason, he looks downright exhausted. It’s all the eyes: He has puffy and red lids. His expression looks lifeless like he’s seen it all. We’re worried, Miguel.
Plankton is Still Creepy
Of all the villains on SpongeBob SquarePants, Plankton is the most sinister. Some would call him evil, to be frank. His role on the show is running the Chum Bucket restaurant. His wife Karen is a waterproof computer, which makes sense underwater.
Playing with textures has a creepy effect. You just need to know where to put the lumps. Plankton’s’s texture is pretty smooth, unlike so many characters by Miguel. But if you ask us, he made this one a little too smooth.
Bart Simpson Just Stares
Bart Simpson has been getting in trouble for decades. He never wants to follow the rules. He often skips school. Often, he spends time in detention learning his lesson on the blackboard. Miguel shows us how Bart might look in reality.
Bart’s spiky hair has been molded as ridges on his skull. That’s not what we pictured, but it’s a reasonable conclusion. In 2D, it’s not so clear where his hair began and his skull ended. We enjoyed our ignorance. That’s gone, now.
Kermit Has Teeth Now
Jim Henson created the muppet franchise. At this point, it has a life of its own beyond the founder’s passing. Originally, he voiced Kermit the frog before another actor took over. He was fine with that change. But would he accept this evolution?
We assume not, actually. This is perverse! Not only does Kermit have human teeth, but he appears to have human hands, fingers, and toes. The webs we loved are gone. It’s not easy being green, but it’s hard to look at this frog.
It’s Finn from Adventure Time
Adventure Time had adorable animation. It told the story of Finn, perhaps the last human in the Land of Ooo. Some thought he might be the last on the planet, too. If humans go extinct, Finn here is what might live on.
We always saw that Finn’s teeth were incomplete. But in simple illustration, it didn’t look so harsh. Now, Miguel shows us what that might look like in the flesh. They’re not ideal, but that’s nothing compared to the eyes. Shark eyes, anyone?
Scooby Doo Needs to Poo
Fred, Daphne, Velma, and Shaggy were curious characters who liked mysteries. They loved to solve the kind with ghosts, most of all. Scooby Doo was the Great Dane by their side through it all. Oddly, we never saw him poo.
Some readers suggest he has been holding it in. And since the show has been on TV for decades, we bet it’s getting uncomfortable. Here, Miguel drew Scooby with an expression saying what we all know. When you gotta go, you gotta go.
Wallace Without Gromit
Now, a quality British toon. Fans of Wallace & Gromit enjoyed the series, spin-offs, and TV adaptations. The stories always involved Wallace, a kind yet eccentric inventor. He loved cheese and dogs. His beagle Gromit was always by his side.
Here, we see his shy smile in 3D. On the show, just a bit of cheddar could spark a grin. We don’t know what he sees today, but he is staring right at us. Hello there, Wallace. How do you do?
Mr. Krabs Laughs and Laughs
On SpongeBob SquarePants, Mr. Krabs owns the local fast food joint, The Krusty Krab. It seems all he cares about is money. Often he neglects the needs of his workers. Overall, he’s not a very nice crab. Here, he laughs like a villain.
We aren’t robots, despite what our bosses may hope. Even the best of us slack off from time to time. But Mr. Krabs would never stand for that at The Krusty Krab. He explained: “If you’re wasting time, you’re wasting money… and that’s just sick.”
Mike Wazowski from Monsters Inc.
Of all the monsters, Michael “Mike” Wazowski is the most confident. He has a little round body and stick legs. But that doesn’t slow him down in the least. At his company, he aims to succeed. He here is, reporting for duty.
Miguel made him extra monstrous. Mike has a big, white smile. But his teeth are so sharp that we are afraid. At work, we might avoid this version by the water cooler. Be honest: Would you get near those jaws?
Squidward Makes Us Scream
Squidward is a grouchy neighbor of SpongeBob. You might assume he is some sort of squid, but you’d be wrong. He is actually an octopus. Miguel decided to draw him in an extra cranky mood. Here he is, complaining in 3D.
We don’t know what can account for his mood today. But maybe he is unhappy at work. As Squidward explained: “I order the food, you cook the food, the customer gets the food. We do that for forty years and then we die.”