A Toast to Belle

Belle picture created by Jaclyn Canada

I did a fun picture of Grumpy for a Sidekick Showcase post that featured the Disney version looking at the Lee Arenberg's Once Upon a Time character and thought I'd like to draw some more of these. Alisa requested Belle as the next character of focus, and I'm thrilled to draw her since I adore her so much. If you haven't stopped by Picture Me Reading yet, check it out. She has some pretty amazing graphics over there and some excellent features that I love like Project Disney, Awesome Adaptations, and Book to Movie.

Belle is a character that is hard not to love. She has a big heart, eccentric parent, and men telling her what to do every time she turns around. She is so unselfish, brave, intelligent, and has a deep-seated love of reading. This all carries over to her character on Once Upon a Time as well. She's also a warrior on the show though so it's a blast to watch her intelligence take down some baddies. Emilie de Ravin does such a fantastic job portraying her.

From Disney's Beauty and the Beast:

Gaston: How can you read this? There's no pictures!
Belle: Well, some people use their imagination.

Belle: Gaston, you are positively primeval.
Gaston: Why thank you, Belle. What would you say if you and I took a walk over to the tavern and took a look at my trophies?
Belle: Maybe some other time.

From Once Upon a Time:

Belle: To me, love is... love is layered. Love is a... a mystery to be uncovered.

Belle: I've always dreamt of heroics, but... I think it's safer I stick to my books. They're the only adventures I know that have happy endings.

Belle: No matter what you might've done in your past, David sees the good in you, and... and that tells me one thing.
Ruby: What?
Belle: That it's in there. So if we can all see it, why can't you?