It occurs to me again that a collection of some of the most dramatic before and after new arms designs might go a long way to help newcomers understand the process better.  I know I enjoyed a thread Father Guy posted a few years ago about the development of his arms.

Perhaps some of you can share some of the early designs you originally presented, and then the final product with a brief explanation of how the design and symbolism eventually crystallized.

Anyone have the armorial equivalent of embarrassing old yearbook pictures they’d care to share?

This was one of the original designs I was looking at when I started, seriously, on path to develop my arms. I’m thankful for the group for steering me away from designs like this and towards what I have assumed.

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b146/Snydercrew/blankshield4.jpg

Here’s the initial concept my friend came up with for his arms.

http://www.thesupertribe.com/images/SeanEzell.jpg

...and the design he wound up assuming.

http://www.thesupertribe.com/images/EzellArmsFinal.png

He had a lot of things he wanted represented in the arms thus the numerous charges.  We wound up consolidating or moving some of those representations to the crest and avoided the clutter of the initial concept.

To put it plainly, I went from this shield . . . .

http://www.americanheraldry.org/forums/picture.php?albumid=4&pictureid=1493

. . . . to this shield . . . .

http://www.americanheraldry.org/forums/picture.php?albumid=4&pictureid=1865

Soooooo very thankful for the "prompting" comments of my friends at AHS!!!

Mine was really pretty close to what it is now. It was an idea that struck me quite suddenly ... after beginning to think about it 10 years earlier. I brought the idea here and tweaked it to the second variation, which I used for some time. Eventually I decided I liked the more uniform look of the barrulet that is in the final version.

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http://img607.imageshack.us/img607/4656/kennethcoaevolution.png
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IIRC Fr Guy Selvester posted his armorial history on this forum some time ago (i.e. anything from 6 months to as many years)—others have as well but my memory bank is inversely proportional to my advancing years.

Rather than occasional, unconnected treads on this subject of perennial interest & usefulness, maybe the moderators or S[other]KS(s) could compile them in one place; or more practically maybe just a list of links to the various archived threads to which new ones could be easily added.

Since many (most?) of the more involved threads should be in the "members only" portions of the forum, I assume such a compilation would be also.

There may also be other ways to do it that would be less work and/or easier to use.

Michael F. McCartney;98753 wrote:

Rather than occasional, unconnected treads on this subject of perennial interest & usefulness, maybe the moderators or S[other]KS(s) could compile them in one place; or more practically maybe just a list of links to the various archived threads to which new ones could be easily added.

Right - just somewhere to which we can direct newcomers to give them a notion of what’s possible.

Ben & I are talking about two different things—he’s apparently suggesting something aimed at newbies ("just somewhere to which we can direct newcomers to give them a notion of what’s possible") which I agree would be a good thing, open to anyone who comes alooking.

On the other hand, I was thinking of an as-complete-as-possible compilation or link-listing of the sometimes drawn-out design discussions, draft designs, etc. for reference, inspiration and education of those actually contemplating or pursuing the design of new arms with our advuice & assistance, which by our current rules is limited toi those who actually jpoin the Society. Some few of the shorter & less potentially confusing of these might also be included in Ben’s newbie reference; but others, which sometimes have run for many months with tons of messages would not IMO be suitable for newbies unless/until they really get into it.

My thoughts, others may see it differently.

Mike, I think we’re on the same page, more or less (I am, here, at risk of speaking for you)- I meant new members beginning their design process, or re-evaluating a current incarnation.

That’s why I posted this in the members’ section. If someone is serious, we can invite them to join and direct them appropriately.

My hope was really for something like a "sticky" thread, or a section on the main page. In a perfect world, everyone could write a thoughtful essay like Father Guy’s, complete with pictures, showing the evolution as it progresses. Alternatively, many of the design threads archived here could be very useful, if a bit meandering sometimes - although I would subscribe to the idea that someone unwilling to read a few dozen pages (or even a few dozen dozen) might not be taking it seriously enough.

In any case, this requires a moderator’s hand at least, if not board approval, to create something more than a thread.  At the very least, if we do collect a solid list of linked threads, perhaps a moderator can change some of the thread titles - if one is reading through a series, being able to identify the "Jones arms design" from the "Brown arms design" thread will be much easier if they all aren’t called "Designing my COA", "New arms design", etc.

Benjamin Thornton;98763 wrote:

...although I would subscribe to the idea that someone unwilling to read a few dozen pages (or even a few dozen dozen) might not be taking it seriously enough.

And they all said, "Amen."

I worked through my design on the old Scots Heraldry forum in 2004, before this one existed, and apparently threw away the drafts of the shield (and the 2004 material online is not available from Internet Archive or anywhere else, as far as I can find).

So working from memory a little:  I always wanted to follow the Scottish principle of basing my arms on those of the chief with adequate differencing, and I always wanted to symbolize the history of my particular family in the arms.  As I recall, the switch from lion rampant (in the chief’s arms) to lion passant in mine happened fairly early.  At one point I had three saltires Gules (for Alabama) in place of the stars in chief, but it looked like 3 Xs which is never good.  Then I tried three roundels Azure charged with stars Argent, for my father’s service in the Army Air Corps in WWII, but the other members of the Scottish group thought that looked too Murray-ish.  Also at one point I had a mound Gules in base symbolizing Red Mountain in Birmingham, where my father grew up, but it looked like the lion jumping over a mountain which seemed weird.  Not to mention that too many colors were creeping in.

I still have some of the early crest designs, though.

The first two, again, are references to my dad’s Air Force career.  First, guidons representing the three squadrons he commanded.

http://www.americanheraldry.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=1194&stc=1&d=1367596126

Second, the "wooly-booger" badge of the 620th Tactical Control Sqdn, which he commanded in Vietnam:

http://www.americanheraldry.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=1195&stc=1&d=1367596126

Finally, a reference to earlier family history, which I was rather pleased with, two hands holding two bayonets in saltire for the two McMillan brother—my great-great-grandfather Jesse and his older brother John—who fought throughout the Civil War with the 10th (X for 10) Alabama (saltire for Alabama) Infantry Regiment.

http://www.americanheraldry.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=1193&stc=1&d=1367596126

I also liked this because it "answered" the chiefly crest of two hands holding a Highland broadsword.  I don’t remember why I chose the Creek Indian war club instead, other than it pushed the reference back one more generation, and some felt the bayonets looked more like the crest of an infantry regiment than a person.

I’ll be a jerk, toot my horn by pointing out my arms are my first draft.

My crest, however is a different story, and one lost somewhere in the annals of the interwebs. The design process was done at the IAAH forum. I believe it began with just a tree - which was not unique enough. I then used a medieval tower with a sun rising behind it. Finally, I settled on the dog bearing the sword and wearing a gold collar with a vert escallop on it.

... and it’s an ongoing evolution as I’m interested in adopting a new crest.

And then there’s the issue with the arms designed for my grandfather which I haven’t stopped thinking about adopting. I just hate to give up the design I have now.

My arms are also my first "real" draft. Although I must admit to a fair bit of back and forth with David Robert Wooten of the ACH.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Benjamin Thornton

...although I would subscribe to the idea that someone unwilling to read a few dozen pages (or even a few dozen dozen) might not be taking it seriously enough.

Man, when I first started going through my process I was scouring this forum and reading everything.  I must have read through Travis Smith’s process about 5 times.  I was looking through all of the different designs in the armorial amd going through the Canadian database page by page.  I don’t understand how someone would not want to go through all of that if you we’re trying to start your own process.