:confused:
This is something I have been interested in learning/studying for years but have no idea on where to find classes,instruction or even valid source material.I have an artistic bent and can freehand fairly well but I wish to learn how to emulate the archtypical,stylistcally simple and beautiful forms and figures that one sees most often portrayed in the European Middle Ages.I feel the artists of this time period had some of the simplest but most expressive artwork—be it in the illuminated manuscripts,armorial achievements proper or tapestries.This is one of the most alluring things of this historical period for me personally…the iconography,art and imagery.
Any help or insight would be greatly appreciated.
Vires Per Ego
(Hos)
http://www.google.nl/books?id=zFssAAAAYAAJ&printsec=titlepage
This is a link to the wappenrolle of Zurich an armorial in old style from the 1400’s
http://diglit.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/diglit/cpg848/
the codex manesse
Thanks a million,emrys! This will be a huge help!
I also downloaded another text on Swiss Achievements of Zuerich I found posted on AHS site.THAT was incredible and depicted some of the finest(IMHO)and most original heraldic artwork I have seen.
Thanks again,sir!
VPE
(Hos)
oops! The first link you posted was the gorgeous treatise I was talking about! Amazing.
Is there a particular part of the art that interests you more than another? For example, is your key focus heraldry with a bit of dabbling in other medieval art?
Mainly heraldry but I would like to get a feel for that general stylized type of drawing.I`m an Art History nut and am especially fascinated by the artistic works of the medieval and renaissance periods. I don`t have any illusions of becoming a heraldic artist but I would like to be able to "dabble" just for my personal satisfaction.
VPE
(Hos)
I would like to be able to "dabble" just for my personal satisfaction.
I think most of us try our hand at emblazoning for that very reason….....personal satisfaction…...... I’m sure you will enjoy it. I will look forward to seeing your efforts.
Regards ...... Peter
In my opinion, the easiest way to get into doing heraldry or medieval art is to just start doing it. I’d suggest emblazoning a couple different coat of arms that catch your eye, and posting them on here. I know most of us would love to see your efforts, and help guide you in the right direction 
. We have some very tallented artists lurking around here.
By the way Vires, here’s a link that I’ve found very helpful…for me it’s always nice to see a variety of arms in one place to compare and see trends.
I appreciate the encouragement and the hearty vote of confidence.
Well out of curiosity, what kind of art experience do you have previous to this?
Artistically? The only formal instruction was a few basic art classes in high school but I`ve always drawn pictures or made silly cartoons.From my childhood up until my late teens I drew because it was fun. One of those things I want to do(but never seem to get around to it) is to take some college art classes to help me learn proper technique(shading,lighting,better perspective and such.
Don`t consider myself "gifted" but I have an artistic side(or used to).
VPE
(Hos)
Do you have a particular medium that you tend to use?
I`m pretty ghetto.I just use pen or pencil.Paints,watercolors and pastels scare me!
Don’t sweat it…I mainly use pencil myself. I wish I was good with paints…and maybe I could be, I just don’t know where to begin.
Yeah…I get overwhelmed by that medium(paints).
At my most daring I`ll maybe use a set of colored pencils.
While we can not teach you to paint as the masters, it is far easier than you might expect to paint a coat of arms. One trick is to have the whole design mapped out like a paint-by-number, then simply filling in the appropriate colour. Another is using slightly dark colours around the edges to make crisp clean outlines, like with comics and cartoons, which does make a paintingmore eye-catching. Oh, and using much darker colours to cast a simple idea of a shadow, to give dimension to the painting. All and all, not much and the outcome looks good.