About
Tumblr Nose, sometimes called Tumblr Red Nose Syndrome is a name given for a trend where artists, particularly on Tumblr, give characters they draw red noses. The style has come under some criticism for its unrealistic, but persistent, usage.
Origin
In cartooning, noses are occasionally filled in with a different color than the rest of the face to bring out the nose as its own facial feature. This is often used in cases where the nose is cartoonishly exaggerated.[1] Classic examples of this can be seen in Disney characters such as the dwarfs from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and Pinocchio from the movie of the same name. What makes Tumblr Nose different from this is that in artwork that uses it, the nose is usually not considered its own separate facial element, but rather, it is visibly attached to the rest of the face.
Spread
Although the trend existed, most of the early complaints about the trend began to show up in 2012. Much of the criticism of the trend stems from a seeming unoriginality as well as the strange look due to the inappropriate use of color; characters with the look are commonly said to have the appearance of having a cold. The earliest references on 4chan come from April of 2012.[2] In November 2012, Tumblr user burnishable made a post noting the trend, which gained over 10,000 notes.[3] This image was reposted in 2013 by Tumblr user pfeizer, where it gained over 20,000 notes.[4] In 2015, Tumblr user son0fsparda posted a Filename Thread-style post featuring a screenshot from the cartoon SpongeBob SquarePants edited to feature a Tumblr nose; this post gained over 2,000 notes.[5]
Examples Images
Search Interest
References
[1]Tumblr – Nose Color Theory
[2]Archive.moe – tumblr red nose
[3]Internet Archive – I see this all the time in fan art and I don’t get it.
[4]Tumblr – Don’t draw tumblr noses, guys.
[5]Tumblr – tumblr_redraws.jpg