I’ve been playing around with some ideas to simplify things a bit. Here’s what I’m messing with now:
Per saltire wavy gules diapered and argent diapered, two open books bound in bend that in base inverted countercharged(?).
http://www.dcroe.com/images/roe-da.png
Even though I’ve simplified it a great deal there’s a lot of personal symbolism in there.
I’m not sure about the diapering, but without it the designed seemed quite sparse. If I keep it, I’ll change it to something Celtic or Arebesque.
Two things this design definitely shows I am lacking…decent clipart & decent Photoshop skills.
Dale (or is it Challener?),
Diapering is an artistic treatment and not part of the blazon (so technically not part of the arms themselves). It is done with a slightly darker or slightly lighter shade of the tincture itself.
Diapering from a true master, Anthony Wood:
http://www.heraldic-arts.com/Fordham.gif
http://www.heraldic-arts.com/wooda.htm
I quite rather liked the first shield you did with the books. [Note to others: you didn’t miss it. Dale and I have been emailing.] I thought the books filled the space better. It was simpler, but I did prefer it, and I didn’t think it was sparce at all.
And the term is counterchanged. 
Ken,
I see what you mean. The clipart in that first one was cumbersome at higher resolutions, so I found a different book clip, but I didn’t realize the dimensions of the two books were so different.
Here’s a side by side of the first one I sent you, along with an update with the newer graphic, made to the same size and dimensions of the other (mostly because I like the clasps).
Original Update
http://www.dcroe.com/images/roe-db.pnghttp://www.dcroe.com/images/roe-dc.png
The clasps are important features as they immediately identify the charges as books rather than slightly misshapen billets or rectangles.
I would like to see a version with the books horizontal but counterchanged.
Michael Swanson;56927 wrote:
I would like to see a version with the books horizontal but counterchanged.
Since you all are helping me...ask and ye shall receive…
http://www.dcroe.com/images/roe-dd.png
At first I wasn’t sure whether you meant to have the books in fess or in pale, but then I realized that by specifying counterchanged you probably meant to have them in the same positions. If this assumption was incorrect please let me know.
Have you tried this design in Sable and Argent? This should be more striking than the Gules and Argent combination that you are now employing in the arms. The books are quickly identified as such when in their normal position, so this is change an improvement over the books bend-wise.
Dale Challener Roe;56928 wrote:
Of those with books, I like this one the best. I think other tinctures might be interesting as well, although in contrast to David, I’m not sure I would like Sable and Argent. But I would encourage you to try out a few different combinations (try Or as well) and see what strikes you!
Of course, this presupposes you actually like these designs! 8)
Kyle=
David Pritchard;56931 wrote:
Have you tried this design in Sable and Argent? This should be more striking than the Gules and Argent combination that you are now employing in the arms. The books are quickly identified as such when in their normal position, so this is change an improvement over the books bend-wise.
No, I haven’t. For two reasons:
1) I really don’t like Sable/Argent. I think it’s too close Oakland Raiders colors for my taste..:yarr:
2) The Gules/Argent was chosen for my parents, which is why every recent version has contained these two. Both my parents were wonderful singers and for the first 10 years of my life I was dragged along to Barbershop and Sweet Adeline events nearly every weekend. The traditional colors for both used to be red and white (though Sweet Adelines have since moved toward pink). In addition, the red will translate to red into the mantling which will allow me to incorporate a "red ribbon" into my achievement, which will allow me to mark my father’s death.
Kyle MacLea;56932 wrote:
But I would encourage you to try out a few different combinations (try Or as well) and see what strikes you!
I may try other combinations but I’ll refer you to my reply to David as for an explanation of the colors. Gules/Argent really isn’t my favorite combination—I don’t like red all that much—but I’d rather choose my colors for a meaningful reason rather than just because I like them. Does that make sense?
Kyle MacLea;56932 wrote:
Of course, this presupposes you actually like these designs!
I do like this one and the with the books on a slant. I don’t LOVE them, but the more I play with them the more I’m able to come to grips with the fact that my advertising/design schooling does conflict a little with good heraldic design.:?
David’s and Kyle’s questions about other colors got me thinking. While bored to death at the kid’s school orientation I sketched out a couple more ideas. I kind of like #3 & #4, but still not as much as the version in post #37. I might play around with some variations though.
I agree that none of these are as good as the version in #37. I like that one very much. I still like the first one in #34, but that may be too much the graphic designer. But I really like how the dividing line (the spine) of the book is split by the partition line and it still works to have the line wavy. I think a lot can be done with that and I don’t think there is any problem discerning the books from any other charge in that position than in the "upright" position.
<div class=“bbcode_center” >
http://www.hectorcito.com/heraldry/twocentsworth.gif
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Dale,
Like yourself, I prefer your earlier design on post No. 37. I suppose what I dislike the most about your designs is the (sickly) pale red that you have been using in all of the examples. Try using a stronger red like the one in my (avatar) arms. It was carefully mixed to match my preferred Pantone colour of red whose number I have long forgotten.
Kenneth Mansfield;56955 wrote:
I still like the first one in #34, but that may be too much the graphic designer. But I really like how the dividing line (the spine) of the book is split by the partition line and it still works to have the line wavy.
I agree with Kenneth on this also but of course the books were not as easy to discern. Maybe the problem is trying to include an element into the coat-of-arms that does not belong there, namely the wave to represent your fiancée. Marriages come and go as you well know and ten years from now you could well have a new wife and find yourself cringing every time you see these (wavy) arms. If you want to heraldically represent your fiancée, design arms for her or her father separately and use them as traditional matrimonial arms.
David Pritchard;56956 wrote:
Try using a stronger red like the one in my (avatar) arms. It was carefully mixed to match my preferred Pantone colour of red whose number I have long forgotten.
You’re supposed to write that stuff down, David. 
As close as I can match on my monitor is PMS1797C.
