Beauty and the Beast research

Beauty and the Beast
A Walt Disney Film
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0101414/

Beauty and the Beast is a Walt Disney Classic animated film created in 1991. The film follows the story of Belle, a small town girl who loves to read stories of Princes and love. 'This "tale as old as time" follows the adventures of Belle, a bright young woman who finds herself imprisoned in the castle of a mysterious beast. With the assistance of the castle's enchanted staff, a delightful and tender romance develops between these two unlikely friends and Belle soon learns the most important lesson of all — that true beauty comes from within.' (http://disney.go.com/disneyvideos/animatedfilms/beauty/story.html) The story features enchanting characters, from Belle's crazy inventor father to her beautiful horse Phillipe, as well as the beautiful Belle and the dangerous Beast. The design of Beauty and the Beast has influences of Medieval England, as well as Victorian which is prevalent in the environment designs. The characters are stereotypically Disney, with their designs being simple yet beautiful and unique. Beauty and the Beast is a similar influence to my work as Tangled is, as they feature similar styles in their character and environment designs. I will be looking closely at the design of Belle's house, as well as the town which are themed in a style similar to my own idea.

Character Design
The two characters I want to study closely for their design are Belle and her horse Phillipe. For my own main character I want a simple design, with a Victorian theme. Belle's dress is a good example as it is very simple in its design, but also has a unique look with a bright colour which separates her from the other characters. It also has similarities to Victorian dresses, as it is long and has an undergarment. It also has an apron over the skirt, which also connotes housework and maids. Another inspiration from Belle's character is her strength, as many female characters are portrayed as weak and defenceless. Belle stands up for herself and is has confidence and strength, which is a trait I want to incorporate in my own female character.

For reference for my mount/spirit guardian I decided to look at Belle's horse, Phillipe. Phillipe is Belle's companion and transport, and has a character and personality of his own. Being a stereotypical horse, Phillipe has a nervous character, however he is powerful and strong and tries to protect Belle. His design is that of a Shire horse, with thick feathered legs which gives him a strong presence in the film and gives him a powerful, brave look.  I am particularly influenced by Phillipe's personality, as he is protective and loyal to Belle which is a trait I want to incorporate into the companion for my own main character.

Environment Design
Similar to Tangled, the environments in Beauty and the Beast are magical and has strong influences from Medieval England. Belle's house (above) is a perfect example of how I want to design the main house in our game. Structurally, it is very medieval, however it is the added extras on the building which give it a magical, fantasy look. The cogs on the roof and the slanted chimney both help to give a unique feel to this house. The use of structure is strongly inspirational to my design, with the high sloped roof and wooden beams being aspects I want to include in my design. I also want to  create a slanted look to my house as Belle's house visualises.

The other environment influential in my designs is the town where Belle lives. The town is bright and colourful and the architecture resembles medieval England as much as her home does. Along with the medieval styled houses and towers, with slanted designs, the use of the market stalls is also an aspect I would like to explore in my designs. It is also the colours in the shop signs and market stalls which create a fantasy look to the town, and influence my own ideas and designs.