Family Arms WIP

 
Carl Alexander Roth
 
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Carl Alexander Roth
Total Posts:  69
Joined  20-07-2012
 
 
 
02 August 2012 11:26
 

Looking forward to suggestions and feedback.smile

“Azure, an Yggdrasil pierced fesswise by an arrow to sinister Or.”

 

Explanation:

-The Azure and gold are a reference to the colors of Sweden where I was raised and where the vast majority of my family still lives.

-The Yggdrasil part a second reference to my Nordic heritage, part its three roots are a canting to the Swedish pronunciation of my last name (Rot) which means root in Swedish.

-The arrow is a reference to the Roth family mark which can be seen in my signaure.

 
Kenneth Mansfield
 
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Kenneth Mansfield
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02 August 2012 11:57
 

Being completely unfamiliar with Norse mythology, I had to Google "Yggdrasil". What I found, though, seemed to indicate that there is no set way of illustrating it. Wikipedia, however, does say, "Yggdrasil is attested in the Poetic Edda, compiled in the 13th century from earlier traditional sources, and the Prose Edda, written in the 13th century by Snorri Sturluson. In both sources, Yggdrasil is an immense ash tree that is central and considered very holy."

My recommendation would be to use the blazon Azure an Ash Tree eradicated transfixed by an Arrow point to sinister Or with the explanation that the tree represents Yggdrasil.

 

What I’m not sure about is how this sacred tree being pierced through by an arrow is to be interpreted.

 
 
Carl Alexander Roth
 
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Carl Alexander Roth
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Joined  20-07-2012
 
 
 
02 August 2012 12:34
 

Kenneth Mansfield;95017 wrote:

Being completely unfamiliar with Norse mythology, I had to Google "Yggdrasil". What I found, though, seemed to indicate that there is no set way of illustrating it. Wikipedia, however, does say, "Yggdrasil is attested in the Poetic Edda, compiled in the 13th century from earlier traditional sources, and the Prose Edda, written in the 13th century by Snorri Sturluson. In both sources, Yggdrasil is an immense ash tree that is central and considered very holy."

My recommendation would be to use the blazon Azure an Ash Tree eradicated transfixed by an Arrow point to sinister Or with the explanation that the tree represents Yggdrasil.

 

What I’m not sure about is how this sacred tree being pierced through by an arrow is to be interpreted.

 


I’ve seen the word eradicated used serveral times now, does it mean that the tree is without leaves?

 
Carl Alexander Roth
 
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Carl Alexander Roth
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02 August 2012 12:36
 

Kenneth Mansfield;95017 wrote:

transfixed by an Arrow point to sinister Or with the explanation that the tree represents Yggdrasil.


Transfixed > Pierced ?

 
Kenneth Mansfield
 
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Kenneth Mansfield
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02 August 2012 13:05
 

Carl Alexander Roth;95018 wrote:

I’ve seen the word eradicated used serveral times now, does it mean that the tree is without leaves?


Eradicated means uprooted, but in practice it means that the roots are showing.


Carl Alexander Roth;95019 wrote:

Transfixed > Pierced ?


Transfixed means pierced through, so there is no confusion as to whether or not both ends of the arrow are showing.

 
 
Claus K Berntsen
 
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Claus K Berntsen
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Joined  25-05-2005
 
 
 
02 August 2012 13:40
 

My suggestion, a quick sketch:


<div class=“bbcode_center” >
[ATTACH]1134[/ATTACH]


<div class=“bbcode_left” >
I think that the field would look better red, but that’s up to you…
</div>

</div>

 
Carl Alexander Roth
 
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Carl Alexander Roth
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02 August 2012 14:35
 

New version:

Azure an Ash Tree eradicated with three roots representing Yggdrasil transfixed by an Arrow point to sinister Or.

 

Explanation:

-The Azure and gold are a reference to the colors of Sweden where I was raised and where the vast majority of my family still lives.

-The Yggdrasil part a second reference to my Nordic heritage; also its three roots are a canting to the Swedish pronunciation of my last name (Rot) which means root in Swedish.

-The arrow is a reference to the Roth family mark which can be seen in my signature.

-The tree and the arrow together are a reference to a cross.

 
j.carrasco
 
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j.carrasco
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02 August 2012 15:47
 

Carl Alexander Roth;95022 wrote:

New version:

Azure an Ash Tree eradicated with three roots representing Yggdrasil transfixed by an Arrow point to sinister Or.

 

Explanation:

-The Azure and gold are a reference to the colors of Sweden where I was raised and where the vast majority of my family still lives.

-The Yggdrasil part a second reference to my Nordic heritage; also its three roots are a canting to the Swedish pronunciation of my last name (Rot) which means root in Swedish.

-The arrow is a reference to the Roth family mark which can be seen in my signature.

-The tree and the arrow together are a reference to a cross.


You can remove "representing Yggdrasil" as it’s not relevant to the blazon.  I do like what you have otherwise.

 
Michael F. McCartney
 
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Michael F. McCartney
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02 August 2012 16:12
 

With the clarification of "yggdrassil" my initial reaction is quite positive—clean, simple, meaningful, and (hopefully) unique/distinctive.

Carl’s emblazonment is interesting—the lower tree trunk & roots on the shield with the upper trunk & branches as the crest—but not what I would have pictured from the blazon, which suggests the whole ash tree depicted on the shield. (I would also have expected to see at least a few ash leaves on the branches, to make it clearly "ash" rather than oak or whatever, unless the intent is to show the tree either in winter or dead.)

 

Either way is IMO nice.  Carl’s interpretation emphasizes the "roots" which are much more prominent than they would be if the whole tree were on the shield; but when the basic arms (shield design) are displayed without the crest, e.g. as an banner of the arms, the tree trunk could be any sort of tree & the specific "ash tree" allusion is lost.  (Not sure how important that is to the your intended symbolism.)

 

On the other hand, as noted, if the whole ash tree is shown on the shield (presumably with leaves typical of an ash tree i.e. clearly not an oak or other variety), the roots will be less prominent.

 

This sort of balancing of several, sometimes competing, artistic & symbolic interests is not at all unusual in designing new arms—welcome to the game!

 

You might consider a preliminary "refrigerator test"—i.e. draw up two versions, or better four (two with crest, two just the shield, since the final design may be used either way) and post them on your refrigerator, or some other prominent place where you will see them several times a day in the ordinary course of daily life.  Leave them there for a month or so, and see which (if any) gradually seem to subconsciously establish themselves as instinctively "yours" without consciously thinking about it.  If there are other interested family members who will also see them frequently in passing (i.e. without you making a big fuss) then after a few weeks—not initially!—ask for their reactions as well, assuming you want the arms to signify "family" and not just "you."

 

If over time a clear winner emerges, great!—if not, then back to the drawing board.

 

As a caution, the posted versions should be in a similar style, size and artistic level, since you’re trying to settle on a basic design, not just one particularly good or bad rendition.  After you settle on a design, then various artists (yourself & family included) can exercise artistic license in various depictions—the artistic style can vary considerably and still be true to the basic design, just as various artist can each create a variety of portraits in a variety of styles but all still clearly the same person. (Look at some of the variations in individual pages of our Members Roll of arms)

 

Finally, back to Carl’s emblazonment—he shows the tree trunk emerging from the top of the shield, not centered.  That goes well with his crest design, but should be reflected in the blazon.

 
Claus K Berntsen
 
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Claus K Berntsen
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02 August 2012 16:23
 

Michael, that’s actually my emblazonment, not Carl’s… I haven’t done the blazon yet.

The crest is also roots, mirroring the shield.

 
Carl Alexander Roth
 
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Carl Alexander Roth
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03 August 2012 06:26
 

Claus, would you mind doing up a quick version of this as shield only (no mantle, helm, crest etc.) and translate the blazon to Swedish ( I am unfamiliar with Swedish blazoning grammar and I can translate the explanation myself ) so I can show my idea to my family?  I will, of course, compensate you if we can figure out how : P

Azure an Ash Tree eradicated with three roots transfixed by an Arrow point to sinister Or.

 

Overt meanings:

-The Azure and gold are a reference to the colors of Sweden where I was raised and where the vast majority of my family still lives.

-The tree is Yggdrasil, a second reference to my Nordic heritage and its three roots are a canting to the Swedish pronunciation of my last name (Rot) which means root in Swedish.

-The arrow is a reference to the Roth family mark.

 

Extended meanings:

-The tree and the arrow together make a cross-like structure with is both a reference to the Christian cross and the flag of Sweden.

-The three roots of Yggdrasil are also a reference to the trinity of God.

 
Joseph McMillan
 
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Joseph McMillan
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03 August 2012 08:20
 

I think you’ve gotten to a rather elegant concept remarkably quickly.

 
david
 
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david
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03 August 2012 08:59
 

I agree, and Claus did a terrific emblazonment.

 
Claus K Berntsen
 
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Claus K Berntsen
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03 August 2012 09:15
 

Quick sketches, with thanks to Wikipedia…


<div class=“bbcode_center” >
[ATTACH]1135[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]1136[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH]1137[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]1138[/ATTACH]
<div class=“bbcode_left” >
I know it’s not tree roots, but as a quick sketch showing the principle, I think it works…
</div>

</div>

 

 
j.carrasco
 
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j.carrasco
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03 August 2012 10:28
 

that’s a very simple and elegant design.  Very nice.

 
Kenneth Mansfield
 
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Kenneth Mansfield
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03 August 2012 11:05
 

Claus K Berntsen;95039 wrote:

Quick sketches, with thanks to Wikipedia…


<div class=“bbcode_center” >
http://www.americanheraldry.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=1135&d=1343999583 http://www.americanheraldry.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=1136&d=1343999599


<div class=“bbcode_left” >
I know it’s not tree roots, but as a quick sketch showing the principle, I think it works…
</div>

</div>


I prefer the white arrow, but understand the allusion to the Swedish flag by using the gold one.

Either way, I echo the statements of others. It’s very nice.