What X Looks Like Vs How X Draws Them

2024Comparison image / redraw trenddeclining

Also known as: This Is My Gripe

"What X Looks Like Vs. How X Draws Them" is a redraw meme trend that blew up on X (formerly Twitter) in February 2024. Started by artist @peloriq with a side-by-side comparison of realistic weasels versus their cartoonish depictions, the format quickly spread as artists posted their own versions comparing real animals and objects to their stylized counterparts in popular media.

Overview

The meme follows a simple two-panel comparison format. On one side, an artist draws what something actually looks like in real life. On the other side, they draw how that same thing typically gets depicted in cartoons, video games, or other media. The humor comes from how wildly exaggerated or inaccurate the stylized versions are compared to the real thing.

Most versions focus on animals, since cartoon character design tends to take the biggest liberties with animal anatomy. But the format also works for inanimate objects and other subjects where media depictions diverge sharply from reality.

On February 11, 2024, X user @peloriq posted an image featuring two hand-drawn weasels side by side2. The left drawing showed a more anatomically accurate weasel labeled "What weasels look like," while the right showed a heavily cartoonish version labeled "How western cartoonists usually draw them." The caption read simply: "This is my gripe".

The post struck a nerve with artists and animation fans. It picked up over 50,000 likes within a week of posting2.

Origin & Background

Platform
X (Twitter)
Creator
@peloriq
Date
2024

On February 11, 2024, X user @peloriq posted an image featuring two hand-drawn weasels side by side2. The left drawing showed a more anatomically accurate weasel labeled "What weasels look like," while the right showed a heavily cartoonish version labeled "How western cartoonists usually draw them." The caption read simply: "This is my gripe".

The post struck a nerve with artists and animation fans. It picked up over 50,000 likes within a week of posting2.

How It Spread

The format caught on almost immediately. On the same day as the original post, February 11, X user @Nebla_idk posted a version comparing real birds to how "Angry" cartoonists (a reference to Angry Birds) draw them, earning over 18,000 likes in eight days. Also on February 11, @von_cosmo went viral with a comparison of actual sea sponges to SpongeBob SquarePants, racking up over 57,000 likes in a week and actually outperforming the original post1.

By February 12, the trend had fully taken off. @ess_n_stuffs posted a raccoon comparison referencing the show Regular Show, which pulled in over 43,000 likes within a week. That same day, @Mania4lyf3 compared real hedgehogs to Sonic the Hedgehog, gathering over 3,000 likes in a single day.

The meme spread rapidly through art Twitter, with each new entry riffing on a different cartoon or video game franchise. The format worked especially well because it let artists show off their skills while making a genuine (if lighthearted) critique of character design conventions.

How to Use This Meme

The format is straightforward:

1

Pick a subject that gets heavily stylized in popular media (animals work best)

2

Draw or show what the subject actually looks like on the left side

3

Draw the exaggerated media version on the right side

4

Label the left "What [subject] looks like" and the right "How [type of media] draws them"

5

Optionally caption with "This is my gripe" or a similar complaint

Cultural Impact

The trend tapped into an ongoing conversation in art and animation communities about character design accuracy versus appeal. While the original post framed it as a genuine gripe about western cartoon design, most of the follow-up entries leaned more playful than critical. The meme gave artists an excuse to flex their realistic drawing skills while poking fun at beloved cartoon designs.

The format also worked as a love letter to the source material. Many of the comparison posts came from fans of the very franchises they were riffing on, turning the meme into a celebration of how iconic these stylized designs had become despite (or because of) their departure from reality1.

Fun Facts

The SpongeBob version by @von_cosmo actually got more likes than the original weasel post, hitting 57,000 compared to @peloriq's 50,000.

The meme's alternate name "This Is My Gripe" comes directly from @peloriq's original caption2.

The trend peaked within about 48 hours, with the most popular entries all posting on February 11-12, 2024.

The Regular Show raccoon version was one of the top performers at over 43,000 likes despite being posted a day after the original.

Frequently Asked Questions

What X Looks Like Vs How X Draws Them

2024Comparison image / redraw trenddeclining

Also known as: This Is My Gripe

"What X Looks Like Vs. How X Draws Them" is a redraw meme trend that blew up on X (formerly Twitter) in February 2024. Started by artist @peloriq with a side-by-side comparison of realistic weasels versus their cartoonish depictions, the format quickly spread as artists posted their own versions comparing real animals and objects to their stylized counterparts in popular media.

Overview

The meme follows a simple two-panel comparison format. On one side, an artist draws what something actually looks like in real life. On the other side, they draw how that same thing typically gets depicted in cartoons, video games, or other media. The humor comes from how wildly exaggerated or inaccurate the stylized versions are compared to the real thing.

Most versions focus on animals, since cartoon character design tends to take the biggest liberties with animal anatomy. But the format also works for inanimate objects and other subjects where media depictions diverge sharply from reality.

On February 11, 2024, X user @peloriq posted an image featuring two hand-drawn weasels side by side2. The left drawing showed a more anatomically accurate weasel labeled "What weasels look like," while the right showed a heavily cartoonish version labeled "How western cartoonists usually draw them." The caption read simply: "This is my gripe".

The post struck a nerve with artists and animation fans. It picked up over 50,000 likes within a week of posting2.

Origin & Background

Platform
X (Twitter)
Creator
@peloriq
Date
2024

On February 11, 2024, X user @peloriq posted an image featuring two hand-drawn weasels side by side2. The left drawing showed a more anatomically accurate weasel labeled "What weasels look like," while the right showed a heavily cartoonish version labeled "How western cartoonists usually draw them." The caption read simply: "This is my gripe".

The post struck a nerve with artists and animation fans. It picked up over 50,000 likes within a week of posting2.

How It Spread

The format caught on almost immediately. On the same day as the original post, February 11, X user @Nebla_idk posted a version comparing real birds to how "Angry" cartoonists (a reference to Angry Birds) draw them, earning over 18,000 likes in eight days. Also on February 11, @von_cosmo went viral with a comparison of actual sea sponges to SpongeBob SquarePants, racking up over 57,000 likes in a week and actually outperforming the original post1.

By February 12, the trend had fully taken off. @ess_n_stuffs posted a raccoon comparison referencing the show Regular Show, which pulled in over 43,000 likes within a week. That same day, @Mania4lyf3 compared real hedgehogs to Sonic the Hedgehog, gathering over 3,000 likes in a single day.

The meme spread rapidly through art Twitter, with each new entry riffing on a different cartoon or video game franchise. The format worked especially well because it let artists show off their skills while making a genuine (if lighthearted) critique of character design conventions.

How to Use This Meme

The format is straightforward:

1

Pick a subject that gets heavily stylized in popular media (animals work best)

2

Draw or show what the subject actually looks like on the left side

3

Draw the exaggerated media version on the right side

4

Label the left "What [subject] looks like" and the right "How [type of media] draws them"

5

Optionally caption with "This is my gripe" or a similar complaint

Cultural Impact

The trend tapped into an ongoing conversation in art and animation communities about character design accuracy versus appeal. While the original post framed it as a genuine gripe about western cartoon design, most of the follow-up entries leaned more playful than critical. The meme gave artists an excuse to flex their realistic drawing skills while poking fun at beloved cartoon designs.

The format also worked as a love letter to the source material. Many of the comparison posts came from fans of the very franchises they were riffing on, turning the meme into a celebration of how iconic these stylized designs had become despite (or because of) their departure from reality1.

Fun Facts

The SpongeBob version by @von_cosmo actually got more likes than the original weasel post, hitting 57,000 compared to @peloriq's 50,000.

The meme's alternate name "This Is My Gripe" comes directly from @peloriq's original caption2.

The trend peaked within about 48 hours, with the most popular entries all posting on February 11-12, 2024.

The Regular Show raccoon version was one of the top performers at over 43,000 likes despite being posted a day after the original.

Frequently Asked Questions