Remember how excited you’d get when the latest ice-bound Disney adventure came to your nearest arena? As a kid—okay, even as an adult while my nieces were still little—I’d look forward to Mickey and Minnie skating around the rink, singing my favorite songs from the Happiest Place on Earth! I’d also fear for the safety of the person in the costume trying to skate with massive character feet. Yes, I was a weird kid. Anyway, I’ve just been thinking about these family holiday traditions, so I thought I’d weave those Disney-themed memories into another winter tradition: My year-end round-up of digital goodies.
Well, it would hardly be Disney without the rodent power couple, Mickey and Minnie Mouse. Whether you like your rodents cute and cuddly or more realistic and furrier, there’s a collection for you. The cartoon rodents are colorful vectors, while the photos of rats, hamsters, and the like are photos on transparent backgrounds.
Mulan is one of those Disney tales that makes me want to run to far off places and have amazing adventures. Until I get to see the splendor of China, I’ll have to make do with this flat icon set, which is perfect for travel or cultural infographics.
If you want join the Little Mermaid, Ariel, under the sea, these brushes can add to the ambiance. The set of 15 Photoshop brushes feature fish and other sea creatures to make it all better down where it’s wetter. Take it from me.
Though not as continuous as the circle of life, this set of patterns are seamless and conjure up the mighty beasts that populate the world of The Lion King. The black and white prints of giraffes, cheetahs, and zebras can stitch together to make a great background for your next safari-themed project. And if that’s not your thing, hakuna matata! The “Wild One” animal print font might be more your style.
In a classic tale of overcoming the odds while discovering one’s self, Moana retells the mythical tale of the creation of the Pacific islands. To lend some island vibes to your next Photoshop creation, look no further than these Hawaii style brushes. There’s no telling how far you’ll go.
I can’t guarantee these Arabic patterns will open up a whole new world like Aladdin’s magic carpet did, but they will lend a worldly air to your designs. Simplistic, yet intricate, the seamless designs make them an ideal backdrop for cards, brochures, and presentations.
Whether your favorite princess story is Cinderella, Snow White, Rapunzel, or Tiana, this set of hand-drawn fairytale clipart brings the whimsy. The vector artwork includes 50 cute fantasy images and sport the bright colors befitting storybook royalty.
Now Brave was the kind of tale I could really get into. The tale features a plucky anti-tradition princess, archery competitions, witches, spells, and it all takes place in Scotland! Anything even remotely Celtic-flavored—or should I say, “flavoured?”—and I’m in. That’s why the Celtic Knots font caught my eye. It features over 100 dingbats featuring styles of, well, Celtic knots.
I realize that Finding Nemo is all about Nemo the clownfish. Then his forgetful friend Dory stole the show and got her own movie. But who here doesn’t identify with Crush the laid-back sea turtle and his chill tortoise pals, right? This downloadable 3D papercraft file is just what you need to create your own tabletop tortoise troupe. Let him be a reminder that, even if things get scary, to just keep swimming.
Confession time: I’ve never seen Disney’s Cars…but I’m guessing the plot has something to do with cars. Possibly cars that talk and go on grand adventures. While not a grand adventure, if you’re tasked with creating auto-related logos, you might want to check out these vintage car badges. There are 50 in all, set up as PSD file with editable vector shapes.
Maybe the cold never bothered Elsa anyway, but I bundle up from head to toe before wandering out into the winter cold. If you’re trying to create your own frozen wonderland, check out these ice texture Photoshop brushes. The 20 brushes can help add an icy texture to your next creation, but probably aren’t practical for building a snowman. I was hoping to stick one more Frozen reference in here, but I’ll just…let it go.
Who doesn’t love a plucky little robot who is into botany and musical theater? Wall-E showed us that even robots have feelings and that human nature might not be as doomed as we think. But mostly: cute robots! This flat icon set—which looks a heck of a lot like Wall-E’s Eve—though more plump, like one of the Axiom ship passengers—contains vector-styled robots engaging in different activities. Bee-dee-bee-boop-bop.
While not the biggest fan of the prince-rescues-helpless-princess story, Sleeping Beauty was always a favorite of mine. Her backstory intrigued me and the wall of thistled hedge that surrounded the castle was such a vivid image in my young brain. The Hobeaux Rococeaux font from Adobe Fonts brings to mind the prickly barricade keeping the prince from waking Sleeping Beauty.
Toy Story’s Buzz and Woody were a classic friendship: A little rocky at the start, always trying to outdo each other, but always there when the other truly needed them.
Like Buzz and Woody, these western and space brush sets might not seem to go together either. But throw them both in your Photoshop toy box and take your creations to—say it with me, now—”Infinity, and beyond!”
I hope these Disney-inspired assets remind you of your childhood as much as writing about them did for me. Keeping a child-like wonder about us helps us grow and flourish as designers. And what better inspiration that the characters from our favorite Disney stories!
This article was last modified on December 8, 2018
This article was first published on December 8, 2018
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