AILD;71433 wrote:
I’m seeing what you mean about having to make the shield 3D to make it look right. Here’s a couple I did…let me know your thoughts.
Yes, but in your case the shield only. With the flat representations of the trees and wolf (not modelled), you wouldn’t want to add dimension to the chevronnels. It’s too inconsistent. If you want to go that route with the partition and/or (sub)ordinaries, you need to take a different approach with the other charges.
Haha figures, it looks better that way to my eye.
It’s an all-or-nothing proposition. See below. One flat, the other modelled up. What you have in your last illustration is half one way and half the other.
http://img118.imageshack.us/img118/3486/hickmanstephen3cfh9.gif http://img184.imageshack.us/img184/60/hickmanstephen3c2gs0.gif
Ok I get what you’re saying. I tried doing that but the only problem I rank into was…I couldn’t get my wolf getting 3D correctly with smooth lines, it was looking choppy.
I really like Kenneth’s work on your full achievement back in the thread. If I may comment on the addition of dimensions to the shield - and, of course I could be wrong - but traditionally charges were not done in 3-D, but "painted" on, so I think the shield should be 3-D, but the charges should be depicted as if 2 dimensional on it.
Of course shading for effect is OK, but the chevronnels look more dimensional than that.
I do like tha black over green with white charges/chevronnel, too…. Guess I’m just easy.
Kenneth - love the design for your wife… Have you made her a "dancing shield" like your avatar yet? (I always think of that as a dancing shield for some reason…_)
I agree with what you’re saying Kathy. Yes, you can do everything in 3D like I did above, for whatever reasons. However it shouldn’t be the main way the arms is seen, so in the examples below I’ll just make sure the shield itself is 3D and nothing more.
Amazingly I’m feeling pretty good about this…maybe because I stepped back for a bit and just realized I can’t please everybody. The main person that should be happy with the design is myself…and I’ll be happy with it as long as everybody else doesn’t think it’s utter crap haha.
I really love the countered look…but the one thing I notice with my long standing coat of arms is…from a distance it’s almost impossible to tell the main thing on the shield is a wolf. Up close oh large scale, I still really love the design and think it’s cool…but over distance, it doesn’t work as well. Maybe if I was using more of an object countered…instead of an animal, it would work better…but anyway, moving on.
Below I have several designs, and I will attempt to break down my thoughts on each…so hopefully by the end of this post we’re all on the same page as to where my thoughts are. So no more of these designs that are completely off from my original…and I’ll try to just stick with the same basic setup.
http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p122/BrokenChainsX/111111111111.png
Design #1 and #2 have the same idea going with white on top, and color below the chevronell. I feel that out of the two, I prefer design #1. Having just the green and white coloration I feel can at times look pale if done in certain ways. I had no problem with it in my original couterned design because there was still some green on the top. For me, having the white at the top makes it look empty and bottom heavy. I do still like design #1…but I can’t say it looks to me as some of the others.
Design #3 is almost an opposite of #1 and #2 with the vert on top, and the white on the bottom. I think the main thing bothering me in this one is the way my wolf’s eye looks. Yes I am aware that’s just a "design flaw" if you will and has nothing to do with the emblazon, but I’m having trouble visualizing it when it looks wrong to me. Other than that I find it a pretty solid design with the vert being on top, and I do like the idea of the black wolf…I just need to fix that dang eye somehow haha.
Design #4 and #5 are the same except for the vert and sable being reversed. I go back and forth on which I prefer. The one thing I do like about #4 is that the sable is more of an accent instead of the main focus, which I think contrasts well with the black raven on my crest. Removal of the chevron on either of these, is in my opinion out of the question. That’s just way too much darker color next to eachother, and I think it just looks like crap…the white chevron helps set it off.
So that leaves me with considering Design #3, #4, and #5…which I prefer, at times feels like a flip of the coin. So that is where my thinking is and what point I seem to be stuck at. I appreciate all the feedback and help I’ve gotten…and it really helped to go back and read all the posts in this topic because I started typing this reply. Thanks again, and just deal with me a little longer haha.
Maybe this is a little more helpful…but now the wolf just looks kinda flat.
http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p122/BrokenChainsX/Helpful.png
Joshua,
For my 2ยข...
Don’t particularly like 1 or 2…..really don’t like 3 (but I’m not sure why)
I like both 4 and 5 but I’m not sure which wins in my mind. My eye likes 4 best, but my mind likes 5 (as trees are green and wolves are black, among other colors, and this one at least puts the charges ON those colors).
Dale Challener Roe;71448 wrote:
... but my mind likes 5 (as trees are green and wolves are black, among other colors, and this one at least puts the charges ON those colors).
Dale, I think you need to put your mind in a more heraldic frame. When did the color something is in nature become a test of its display on a coat of arms. (At least, I’ve never seen a lion with a silver body and a golden mane and head!)
Joseph McMillan;71457 wrote:
Dale, I think you need to put your mind in a more heraldic frame. When did the color something is in nature become a test of its display on a coat of arms. (At least, I’ve never seen a lion with a silver body and a golden mane and head!)
Then you need to get out more. Too much time cooped up in a research library. 
Joseph McMillan;71457 wrote:
Dale, I think you need to put your mind in a more heraldic frame. When did the color something is in nature become a test of its display on a coat of arms. (At least, I’ve never seen a lion with a silver body and a golden mane and head!)
Does that make it bad though? I take it you’re not a fan of having the black, white, and green together?
AILD;71459 wrote:
Does that make it bad though? I take it you’re not a fan of having the black, white, and green together?
No. You missed his point altogether. Joe was suggesting that in heraldry it matters not if something is the color it is in nature. In fact, it may even be uncommon.
I prefer #5, but here’s perhaps a better version of your #3.
