Tightening Up A Design

 
Joseph McMillan
 
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Joseph McMillan
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18 September 2014 11:02
 

NLP337;102762 wrote:

Okay. I think this will be the last design:

http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f173/clayprince337/cc484222-1120-41d0-8fcc-6f056d035237_zps42a4a796.jpg

 

Unless someone already has this CoA, I’m going to start eliminating designs, and prepare to do my refrigerator test, on the one or two that I really like.

 

Input is still welcome, and I’d like to thank everyone who has chimed in so far. smile


I think this is the best so far—and by far.

 

A suggestion though: what about pulling together the lion, spear, and star into a single unit like this?

 

http://www.americanheraldry.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=1349&stc=1&d=1411052504

 

An additional comment:  I’m not crazy about the dovetailing, but it might just be that the dovetails are so small and so many.  Perhaps fewer and bigger would look better.

 
mjsmith
 
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mjsmith
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18 September 2014 13:51
 

Joseph McMillan;102769 wrote:

I think this is the best so far—and by far.

A suggestion though: what about pulling together the lion, spear, and star into a single unit like this?

 

http://www.americanheraldry.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=1349&stc=1&d=1411052504

 

An additional comment:  I’m not crazy about the dovetailing, but it might just be that the dovetails are so small and so many.  Perhaps fewer and bigger would look better.


I like the interaction of the charges in the sketch.  Here’s a quick mock up of your suggestion with larger dovetailing.  Again, everyone forgive the terrible lion.

 

http://i.imgur.com/FkqmIG0.png

 

Here’s a version with just an embattled line for comparison.

 

http://i.imgur.com/FksZDjK.png

 
NLP337
 
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NLP337
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18 September 2014 14:41
 

Magnificent! I was about to ask a few questions, and was previewing my post when I noticed the samples. My questions have been answered. smile

I like the large dovetails, over the regular embattlement. What say you Mr. McMillan?

 
Joseph McMillan
 
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Joseph McMillan
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18 September 2014 15:40
 

I think the bigger dovetails look much better.  I might personally go bigger yet, but of course that would be a matter for the artist, not something fixed by blazon.

 
NLP337
 
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18 September 2014 17:51
 

Joseph McMillan;102774 wrote:

I think the bigger dovetails look much better.  I might personally go bigger yet, but of course that would be a matter for the artist, not something fixed by blazon.


Hmmm Dovetails symbolize ‘carpentry’ though and would probably be the first thing that a person knowledgeable in heraldry would think upon seeing them ...

 

How would I search to see if this CoA is already taken, or will someone from the Research group chime in, if it is?

 
Joseph McMillan
 
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18 September 2014 20:22
 

NLP337;102776 wrote:

Hmmm Dovetails symbolize ‘carpentry’ though and would probably be the first thing that a person knowledgeable in heraldry would think upon seeing them ...

How would I search to see if this CoA is already taken, or will someone from the Research group chime in, if it is?


Dovetails don’t symbolize carpentry unless you mean them to, and no one knowledgeable about heraldry would assume they do.  Got to get out of that mindset!

 

I’d be pretty confident that this doesn’t duplicate any other arms—would be very surprised if they do.

 
Kathy McClurg
 
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20 September 2014 13:02
 

I’m going to let Joe repeat profusely to get out of the mindset of symbolism beyond what YOU mean it to mean…  But, Joe, if you get tired of repeating the thought.. let me know and I’ll start helping… wink

I am unable to draw.. but have you considered "hanging" the star on the end of the spear? (perhaps just a bit lower than the spear head?) I again.. am a bit underwhelmed by the lion rampant holding separate somethings in each claw, but agree with the idea of joining the charges.

 

Agree - larger dovetails..

 

For what it’s worth.

 

And you thought you were just "tightening up" a design… <Chuckle>

 
Michael F. McCartney
 
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20 September 2014 17:42
 

Kathy - to each his own - FWIW I rather like Joe’s suggestion, especially given the difficulty of making a lion rampant in a new design distinguishable from every other lion rampant.

(Also FWIW I would like the design even better without the chief, since that would make the lion, spear and star a bit larger & more visually distinguishable in small scale or at a distance, but I suspect that’s just me.  And the chief with a charge like the sword likely does lessen the likelihood of confusion with other lions grasping various thingees.)

 

A demi-lion grasping the same goodies as in the shield would make a nice crest.

 

All above IMO, FWIW.

 
NLP337
 
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21 September 2014 02:04
 

It’s two in the morning and I’m half asleep. Can this shield and charge be made tincture compliant and if so, thoughts?

http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f173/clayprince337/d08f6db9-2f9d-493e-8f9e-4283d5f3c862_zps1680e7b4.jpg

 

(Please excuse the sloppy work. I’m still using A.G., and just had enough time to post the concept).

 
Joseph McMillan
 
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21 September 2014 08:18
 

NLP337;102796 wrote:

It’s two in the morning and I’m half asleep. Can this shield and charge be made tincture compliant and if so, thoughts?


It is tincture compliant, but would be better if the badger were black and white rather than brown and white.

 
NLP337
 
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21 September 2014 10:51
 

... wife doesn’t like the badger ... says it doesn’t fit well for me.

 
NLP337
 
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NLP337
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22 September 2014 02:00
 

I hesitate to put this up, but here goes:

http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f173/clayprince337/253009fb-5687-4776-96c3-891f5704175c_zpsb84feebe.jpg

This is a concept, and tinctures, and such, can be changed/corrected if needed (the teeth are blazoned as sable, but I saved and posted the image before realizing that I needed to correct that).

 

My attempt at blazoning ...

 

Vert, an Alphyn salient, armed and langued sable, holding a sword, point to base, argent.

 

Is this too close to a lion rampant, or is it visually distinct enough that it would work?

 
NLP337
 
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22 September 2014 22:42
Michael F. McCartney
 
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Michael F. McCartney
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23 September 2014 03:03
 

IMO it’s pretty clearly not a lion, though to be honest I’m not familiar with an Alphyn (sp?).  Guess I’ll have to dig an heraldic dictionary out of storage! smile

It’s less likely to raise infringement issues than a lion; is there some intended symbolism or allusion, or just a fierce and handsome non-lion?

 

Other than that, my thoughts are the same as posted earlier re: Joe’s suggestion for the lion with thingees, but noting that with this critter, IMO the chief is less necessary for uniqueness.  (Of course you may like the chief for itself, which is fine.)

 
Kathy McClurg
 
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24 September 2014 13:04
 

I rather like the last two.  Alphyns are relatively rare.  I like the larger dovetails if you go with the chief option.  I may have "lost the bubble" a little re: the symbology…  are you content with the Alphyn as opposed to a lion given your nickname?