After much consideration I have assumed a badge. Meet Gilberta the Dravencoon as rendered by Ljubodrag Gruijic.

My thanks to Kimon Andreau, Jeffery Boyd Garrison, John Duncan of Sketraw, Richard Globe and Chas-Charles Dunn for their assistance and comments in this effort.

http://www.americanheraldry.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=1251&d=1377869634

Have an excellent weekend.

"Look, up in the sky!"

"It’s a bird!"

"It’s a plane!"

"It’s…."

a dravencoon!

[ATTACH]1252[/ATTACH]

Kathy,

After watching your armorial bearings develop over time, this is the ultimate culmination and combination of the key elements. Well done, very cool.

That is ... um ... interesting. I think I might have done a raven with dragon’s wings and dragon feet, piercing it’s own (the raven) body with the arrow. And take or leave the raccoon tail. With all due respect to the master, I prefer Jeffrey’s interpretation, particularly having the raccoon tail attached to the body (as opposed to the tip of the dragon’s tail.

Kathy McClurg;100435 wrote:

Gilberta the Dravencoon

and here I thought that I was the only person who would ever actually "name" their crest beast - my bobcat’s name is Chama :p

Whew! It’s a good thing we don’t have an heraldic authority.

If I recall, Mr Andreau also bears a bird-dragon hybrid with other elements included as his badge. Would I be correct in assuming that he and those that helped him with his design are the same that helped you, Kathy?

Badges should be simple designs, less ornate than the arms they are replacing as representations of their owner. This badge comes off as too much in too little a space, and would be difficult to tell it from a normal dragon, and the raccoon tail may either be lost completely or misunderstood.

Were there other designs that were abandoned? The most memorable portion of your coat is the two birds pierced through with an arrow, was something like that considered at all? Perhaps a cord that pierces two ravens tied up in the fashion of a particular heraldic knot?

Alexander, I definitely agree with you in the overall consideration for designing a badge should place a premium on simplicity and recognition.

And now we need Michael Woodson to armorial gold this badge up! lol

The advantages of going off for the weekend without one’s computer right after posting such a thread.  OK - for responses…

Thanks for the compliment, David.  It was quite a risk… but I am quite pleased with the result <grin>  For the rest—it’s an acquired taste… :rolleyes:

Kimon and I did discuss the Badge because seeing his Owlatrice was kind of a light bulb moment - for me… I’d stutter-started some badge Ideas in the past.. but they never felt right… this one did.  I did have a discussion with Kimon on chat - accepted and rejected some of his ideas.  As Ljubodrag brought Gilbarta to life, others helped.  I am thankful for the advice, but I made the decisions.

The raccoon tail had a few iterations.  It is the way it is because raccoon tails generally have a specific number of rings and it looked "right" this way.. making it start from the base of the dragon made the raccoon tail - well - eh..  Making the whole base of the Dravencoon a raccoon.. I wasn’t fond of..

I thought of using the "base" animal as a Raven and as a Raccoon.  However, since the Dragon Azure has been come to be quite recognizable as related to me in a rather wide swath of the heraldic community… I was quite insistent it be the "base" animal.  If this were a badge meant for my whole family, the decision would have been different.

I am generally more fond of simple badges as well—but—I don’t think there is any issue with recognition here.  I have minimized the graphic several times.. and am content.. as to use in battle—I would expect my retainers to "fight" up close and personal - as I have been known to do…

This is my personal badge.  I am in conference with the extended family on a "family" badge… I suspect it will be much simpler…

Jeffrey, Thanks for the alternative emblazon.

I’m getting fonder of Gilbarta by the moment… I shall have to produce a back story for her… :eek: