CLICK HERE TO VIEW ALL THE COATS OF ARMS
A Call to Arms!
Heraldry is an ancient art dating
back across the Middle Ages. Knights used a coat of arms to identify themselves
because one man in armor looked a lot like another. Colorfully painted shields
were used to identify a knight in battle. In a society where few people could
read and write, pictures were very important. A coat of arms was more like a
label for instant identification than it was like a painting. You wanted to know
instantly who was coming toward you, so you could know which side he was on.
Coats of arms later took on further significance and meanings when they also
became a way of showing membership in the aristocracy.
We are going to spend the next two
weeks holding a Heraldry Challenge! The Wizard is
proclaiming all of you Knights of the PIRC Board and you need to have a Coat of
Arms to commemorate the occasion! I want you to build yourself a
Coat of Arms, which you can identify with. If you like birds, certainly birds
can be a prominent feature of your shield. Like Flowers??? Put them in! It
doesn’t have to be swords and Dragons! Build yourself something you will be
proud of!
Let’s look at the parts of a
Coat of Arms and you can further research them on the web! Shields are generally
"read" like a book, starting at the upper left, going across and then
down. A coat of arms can have several parts. The main part is a shield, which
can have a crest above it, a motto, and animals supporting the shield. The blazon
was a description of the shield in words, using a special vocabulary. The terms
used in heraldry are similar to a kind of old French. French was the language
used by the aristocracy during the Middle Ages. The idea is that a single shield
can be described by one expert in heraldry so that another expert could draw it
correctly without ever seeing it. To draw the coat of arms from the description
is to emblazon it.
First, you are going to want to pick a shape for your shield.
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Lots to chose from huh?
Next,
pick a color for your shield.
The background of a shield is called the "field" and there
are many colors used in the creation of a shield. Pick your favorite. Some of
the traditional colors are Bright Red or Gules,
Royal Blue, called Azure,
Emerald Green known as Vert, Royal Purple (purpure) and Black,
which was Sable. When metallic colors were used they were Gold or Yellow
(known as Or) and Silver or White (Argent). There are “proper”
colors, which would be described as Earth Colors (Brown,
Green, etc). There are
a dozen rules about how to place colors but we will just go with what you like
and what looks pleasing to you.
Next, lets lay out the shield! Here are a few of the more traditional designs and their names in the language of Heraldry.
Wow!
Are we overwhelmed yet?
Once
you have a pleasing shield, we can begin adding things to it!
This
is where you begin to place your “Charges” (Lions, Dragons, Griffins,
Horses, Eagles and other designs, which appear on the shield). In our case it
can be birds, flowers, computer screens, etc. Whatever you want and whatever
best describes you! Crosses were also prevalent as charges on a shield but
mostly charges were animals and there is a specific language describing the
placement of the animal on the shield.
Rampart – An animal standing on it’s rear legs
Rampart Guardant – Standing on hind legs, face
turned toward viewer.
Passant – walking
Crouchant – Lying Down
Sejant - Sitting
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When
you have completed the shield to your satisfaction, then you can begin adding
supports to it and make it look really neat!
There can be a HELMET above the shield
designating your rank in the aristocracy. You can add a CREST
above the helmet. A crest can show affiliation with a school, family, religion
or even a business. A WREATH separates the helm from the crest.
It’s usually a ribbon of color, which matches the shield. There can be SUPPORTERS,
usually animals, birds or persons standing beside the shield, “supporting”
it! MANTLING is a design, like a scarf, hanging from the side of
the shield. A Coat of Arms can have a MOTTO (on a banner) above
the crest and a FAMILY NAME below.
Whew. That’s a lot to think
about so that’s why you have two weeks to work on it. You can just do a shield
and leave it at that or you can go the entire route. Shield, Helm, Crest,
Supporters! Your call.
Some of you may already have a Family Coat of Arms and you are more than welcome to reproduce it or you can make up one from scratch using your favorite things. Research them on the net. They are fascinating!
