Well, I asked my father and girlfriend (separately) for feedback, and neither are fans of the two current designs I was considering. Specifically, the skulls were a problem.
I think I’m going to do another redesign that takes out the skulls, but I don’t know if I want to go down the canting route. Right now I’m looking at a design from way back that maintained the or/argent bends in the top half, and a pattern of billets in or *or* argent on a sable field.
Medugal;95932 wrote:
Well, I asked my father and girlfriend (separately) for feedback, and neither are fans of the two current designs I was considering. Specifically, the skulls were a problem.
I think I’m going to do another redesign that takes out the skulls, but I don’t know if I want to go down the canting route. Right now I’m looking at a design from way back that maintained the or/argent bends in the top half, and a pattern of billets in or *or* argent on a sable field.
If you’re losing the skulls, why not just have it bendy Or and Argent the entire field? No one has every done it, lol.
Per fess sable and bendy or and argent in chief a spade fesswise or?
As for your intended reference to education, I would forgo it altogether. My guess is that being well-educated (multiple advanced degrees) or being in an educational profession (university professor, dean, provost) is not an uncommon occurrence among armigers. The fact that you’re assuming arms, in itself, is a "non-cliched" indication that you are well-read and interested in education…
If you jettisoning the skull, I’d go with a spade or shovel. That still keeps the symbolism but avoids the morbid overtones.
How about "Bendy wavy Or and Murrey, two shovel blades Or (or Argent) on a chief Sable"?
Digging from the fount of knowledge?
Taking your original idea and replacing the skull with a shovel….
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I’ve been experimenting with a semy of spade heads, not sure how I’m feeling about it so far.
Medugal;95940 wrote:
I’ve been experimenting with a semy of spade heads, not sure how I’m feeling about it so far.
I assume you mean semy of spade heads instead of billetty for the bottom half? I don’t find it as compelling as a single spade head or a spade overall counterchanged Sable and Or/Argent (previous post). But it isn’t bad.
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Some very original ideas there Kenneth. Personally, I like the semy a lot. Original and unique. Perhaps a fewer spade heads to be visible at a distance or when reduced in size?
Kenneth,
I was trying out both the per fess semy as well as without, with a verte/sable/azure field a semy spade heads or/argent. At this point I’m straying from the color pattern of my other design, more into "what looks good?"
In my sketches I’ve just been doing the basic shape, no detailing inside the heads, so they look a bit like arrow heads.
After a day of consideration I’ve come to this:
1) Spades are not my thing. Despite the historical/ canting argument, they aren’t doing anything for me aesthetically.
2) Despite the arguments against incorporating education into my arms, I think that a semy of billets looks good, references my field of work, and is a reference to the arms of my university.
So I sketched out a few arms that maintain the or/argent bends in chief, and a semy of billets or in a several colors, such as sable, verte, and murray. I’ll post them later.
Medugal;95954 wrote:
2) Despite the arguments against incorporating education into my arms, I think that a semy of billets looks good, references my field of work, and is a reference to the arms of my university.
So I sketched out a few arms that maintain the or/argent bends in chief, and a semy of billets or in a several colors, such as sable, verte, and murray. I’ll post them later.
Speaking for myself, I was never against incorporating education per se. I was against using cliche charges for education at the expense of something more unique. Billets or a semy of billets is far from cliche in my opinion, so I think you’re going in a very good.
Just throwing this idea out…
Bendy of six Argent and Or three billets two and one Sable.
Robert Blackard;95922 wrote:
Well, there goes those ideas that I had for my Shield. lol But what wouldn’t be a "lucky charm" look for education? I was thinking a basic opened book.
Hi Robert—I know you are on my FB friends list, so may I suggest you take a look at my photo Album - "Tim McClurg’s arms" and the albums of his daughters, Kelly, Amanda and Shannon? Tim’s crest is representative of his profession as a professor (yep, book) and his daughter’s arms have a "repeat" of his crest in base of their arms. Note that when rendered by professionals without "all" of the possibilities of "education" symbols—arms can become quite elegant using traditional symbols when not overdone.
Also note how the artists rendered the books to fill the field divisions—which again removes some of the "lucky charm" look…
Kathy McClurg;95962 wrote:
Hi Robert—I know you are on my FB friends list, so may I suggest you take a look at my photo Album - "Tim McClurg’s arms" and the albums of his daughters, Kelly, Amanda and Shannon? Tim’s crest is representative of his profession as a professor (yep, book) and his daughter’s arms have a "repeat" of his crest in base of their arms. Note that when rendered by professionals without "all" of the possibilities of "education" symbols—arms can become quite elegant using traditional symbols when not overdone.
Also note how the artists rendered the books to fill the field divisions—which again removes some of the "lucky charm" look…
I checked this out Kathy and thought it looked great- quite a few of your families’ arms are on Google images!
In other news, I plan on uploading my inked sketches soon, which will show my attempt at creating a stamp of my WIP arms… the billets were infinitely easier than skulls, book, and torch!
I used an eraser and an Exacto knife, and though it’s very rough looking and my stamping technique is a bit off, I think it’s great for my first attempt and holds a certain rustic charm!