Anyone else into heraldry?

[Whittier S]

I only just recently got into it. I enjoy it, but it's really challenging from a design perspective, because the rules around how to use colors are somewhat complex and strict. But I've definitely found that having some background in design is helpful in generating ideas, coming up with lots of ideas, and fine-tuning them.

[BigRed618]

I’m into heraldry. Some of the rules surrounding it actually has helped me with my designing skills. For instance, the rules prohibit using a dark color from bordering another one, and instead suggests using metals, or the colors that resemble silver and gold, white and yellow. I wonder if other light colors, like orange and cyan, would count as a metal or a color?

[IceCap]

I'm very much into it.

[BrandMooreArt]

its certainly an interesting approach to Design. lots to learn about simplicity that carries into Brand Identity.

 

i can only remember one project i really used heraldry (heraldic?) principles / inspiration but you can see that influence here:

 

[MEANS]

Our design team at adidas looked into heraldry a lot when we were working on the Vegas Golden Knights project. 

[colinturner95]

I've always been fascinated by what goes into heraldry, but never really looked deep into it. 

 

On that note, does anyone know of a "Heraldry for Dummies" for someone like me? 

[Whittier S]

On 1/27/2020 at 2:41 PM, BigRed618 said:

I’m into heraldry. Some of the rules surrounding it actually has helped me with my designing skills. For instance, the rules prohibit using a dark color from bordering another one, and instead suggests using metals, or the colors that resemble silver and gold, white and yellow. I wonder if other light colors, like orange and cyan, would count as a metal or a color?

Orange and a cyan-like color called bleu-celeste are rarely used and are often considered better avoided if possible.

[BigRed618]

52 minutes ago, Whittier S said:

Orange and a cyan-like color called bleu-celeste are rarely used and are often considered better avoided if possible.

Actually I just found something...

 

So orange is a thing in heraldry after all, but it’s not a color, but a "stain," which are generally treated the same as non-metallic colors.

[ec5]

7 minutes ago, BigRed618 said:

Actually I just found something...

 

So orange is a thing in heraldry after all, but it’s not a color, but a "stain," which are generally treated the same as non-metallic colors.

 

I was just looking into this.  It looks like tenne is a brown/orange (more orange in England, more brown everywhere else).  Orange is a quite rare colour in heraldry, but it does show up in some regions.  

 

I think all the basic colours show up, it's just some are much more popular (due to appearance).  Even some long established rules, like the law of tincture, are broken from time to time.

[Whittier S]

You'll always be best off sticking to those first seven colors (though argent and or are technically metals) and maybe a little use of fur. I'm presently working on twelve coats of arms and I'm only using a fur once.

[MJWalker45]

I've been using it from time to time when trying to update my soccer team's logo. The original logo confuses a lot of people because the MUFC logo looks like MUEC to people that don't understand what it is without the spelled out name below. 

 

There's also an incredible amount of work that goes into the heraldry that is used in military units. Especially since they try not to replicates hundreds of similar units that share lineages across multiple eras and mission types.

[BigRed618]

Here’s my first attempt at a personal CoA, assuming no one has a problem with it:

A rough blazon: Argent, a chief vert charged with three millrinds or, and in the field on an open book azure, the letters P and R and the numbers 19 and 20 of the field.

 

The printing on the book refers to Proverbs 19:20 of the Bible, "Listen to advice and accept discipline, and in the end you will be counted among the wise."

[Captain Tsubasa]

Hi Big Red. 

While I like the Coat of Arms as a whole, I think you're right, that the references to Bavaria and Ireland could be a bit more subtle. Maybe you can find a way to mash up some Bavarian/Irish symbols without just using their flags, e.g. include a Bavarian pretzel styled like an Irish knot design or something. What's the significance/meaning of the arm and arrow by the way? 

[BigRed618]

1 hour ago, Captain Tsubasa said:

Hi Big Red. 

While I like the Coat of Arms as a whole, I think you're right, that the references to Bavaria and Ireland could be a bit more subtle. Maybe you can find a way to mash up some Bavarian/Irish symbols without just using their flags, e.g. include a Bavarian pretzel styled like an Irish knot design or something. What's the significance/meaning of the arm and arrow by the way? 

Oh hey, thanks for the input. I actually changed it to something different. I didn’t realize anyone saw the first version, honestly. After showing the first version on Reddit, I was advised against using actual regional arms as that would imply that I had some sovereignty over those places. The arm was a symbol of industriousness and the arrow stood for readiness. I was later told that the arm and arrow are a prominent symbol of the Armstrong clan, which I have no affiliation with. 
 

For this new version, I dropped the brown and used the colors of my ancestral homes as a more subtle reference. The millrinds are a less common symbol of industry. The book, along with the writing within, represents a willingness to listen and learn.

[BrandMooreArt]

Modern heraldry book

 

https://www.counter-print.co.uk/collections/all-books/products/modern-heraldry-book-set

[pianoknight]

Heraldry and vexillology are closely related.  They each have some distinctive rules, but I like them in general.

 

You could make some sweeping generalizations that sports are the modern versions of these two things.  Traditionally, coats of arms and flags were used by rulers and armies to distinguish their troops on the battlefield.  While design rules have been obviously relaxed, the way this has been applied to sports design, airplane/train/ship livery and a bunch of other modern applications is essentially the same thing in spirit. 

 

If you like this stuff, here's an older concept I did turning the Big Ten into a Game Of Thrones-style map.  

 

 

 

 

[Whittier S]

@BigRed618 Actually saw you develop this over on Reddit. You made great progress from what you've posted here, and you should be proud of your revision process. You really ought to post your final draft here.

[Bruhammydude]

TIL that heraldry is a thing