Tightening Up A Design

 
Joseph McMillan
 
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Joseph McMillan
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05 October 2014 11:39
 

Would your wife be all right with a plain-edged chief?  The fir-tree partition line adds a lot of visual distraction in what is already a fairly elaborate design.

 
NLP337
 
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NLP337
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05 October 2014 20:35
 

I’m testing this iteration:

http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f173/clayprince337/a80c01cb-daf7-479d-868a-b0a3d41659b2_zpsd552e7a6.png

 

I’ll slow down or stop further options, at least for now. I think I’ve played with all (of this basic theme) that interest me. I could tinker for years.

 

Further insight is always welcome. wink

 
Michael F. McCartney
 
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Michael F. McCartney
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06 October 2014 00:03
 

Re: wife’s favorite vs yours - hopefully that will sort itself out, one way or another, during an extended refrigerator test.  In any case, arms are for personal and collective identification and shared pride in that identity - but they are secondary to that identity, not something totally fight over.  Life will give any couple more than enough grief without adding one more!

 
mjsmith
 
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mjsmith
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06 October 2014 02:45
 

Michael F. McCartney;102890 wrote:

Re: wife’s favorite vs yours - hopefully that will sort itself out, one way or another, during an extended refrigerator test.  In any case, arms are for personal and collective identification and shared pride in that identity - but they are secondary to that identity, not something totally fight over.  Life will give any couple more than enough grief without adding one more!


At least his wife is taking a genuine interest in it.smile

 
NLP337
 
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NLP337
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07 October 2014 18:14
 

NLP337;102889 wrote:

I’m testing this iteration:

http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f173/clayprince337/a80c01cb-daf7-479d-868a-b0a3d41659b2_zpsd552e7a6.png


Okay, let me try to work out the blazon. I don’t expect to get it right the first time though. Here we go ...

 

Blazon: Vert a Gamelyon rampant argent, armed gules, languid argent, grasping a longsword overhead, point to sinister chief, hilted and pommeled Or, the pommel an eagles head; five suns Or arching in chief, the center sun larger than the remaining four.

 

Is that blazon overly detailed, or should the artist be given a freer hand? I also realize that the claws, teeth and tongue are blazoned differently from the image. That is because if they are all ‘gules’, the teeth may disappear, Then again, is this something small that the artist would take care of?

 
Joseph McMillan
 
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Joseph McMillan
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07 October 2014 19:04
 

NLP337;102899 wrote:

Okay, let me try to work out the blazon. I don’t expect to get it right the first time though. Here we go ...

Blazon: Vert a Gamelyon rampant argent, armed gules, languid argent, grasping a longsword overhead, point to sinister chief, hilted and pommeled Or, the pommel an eagles head; five suns Or arching in chief, the center sun larger than the remaining four.

 

Is that blazon overly detailed, or should the artist be given a freer hand? I also realize that the claws, teeth and tongue are blazoned differently from the image. That is because if they are all ‘gules’, the teeth may disappear, Then again, is this something small that the artist would take care of?


"Langued," not "languid," and it describes the color of the tongue, which I assume that you want to be red. This need not be blazoned, since in English-speaking countries, beasts are shown with red claws and tongue ("armed and langued gules") unless:

 

(a) stated otherwise, or

(b) either red themselves or placed on a red background. In this case they are "armed and langued azure," unless [see (a)].

 

Although some old heraldry manuals say that "armed" includes teeth, they are in fact shown argent unless blazoned otherwise.

 

You don’t need to blazon the sword in quite such detail.

 

Vert a gamelyon rampant grasping a sword Argent hilted and pommelled Or, in chief an arc of five suns the center one larger than the others Or.

 

Others may be able to think of a more graceful way to blazon the suns.

 
mjsmith
 
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07 October 2014 21:20
 

"...in chief five Sun’s arched centermost enlarged Or."

Does that give enough information though?

 
Joseph McMillan
 
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Joseph McMillan
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07 October 2014 22:08
 

X number of "suns arched" seems to be a description of each sun rather than of the way they’re arranged.

 
Jeffrey Boyd Garrison
 
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07 October 2014 22:14
 

Not to wedge a tangent in here, but a quick note in regard to "wife’s opinion" ....if one’s spouse has different preferences, one’s spouse is entitled to design and assume her own arms.

 
mjsmith
 
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mjsmith
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07 October 2014 23:13
 

Joseph McMillan;102902 wrote:

X number of "suns arched" seems to be a description of each sun rather than of the way they’re arranged.


I see your point.  How about this borrowed from the vexillology of the flag of Venezuela.

 

"...in chief an arc of five Sun’s centermost enlarged Or."

 
NLP337
 
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07 October 2014 23:16
 

Jeffrey Boyd Garrison;102903 wrote:

Not to wedge a tangent in here, but a quick note in regard to "wife’s opinion" ....if one’s spouse has different preferences, one’s spouse is entitled to design and assume her own arms.


Yep. We’ve already talked about that, as a matter of fact. That will undoubtedly be a future project. She is fine with the current design being tested. Knowing that I like architectural detail, she thought that, when upside down, the ‘fir tree’ line looked like corbels, which would do well in representing that interest.

 
mjsmith
 
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07 October 2014 23:29
 

Joseph McMillan;102902 wrote:

X number of "suns arched" seems to be a description of each sun rather than of the way they’re arranged.


I see your point.  I found a couple examples from TIOH and various vexillological descriptions using "arc of X" so it may be that it is the most graceful way to describe that particular arrangement.

 
Kathy McClurg
 
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08 October 2014 11:58
 

Joseph McMillan;102900 wrote:

"

Vert a gamelyon rampant grasping a sword Argent hilted and pommelled Or, in chief an arc of five suns the center one larger than the others Or.

Others may be able to think of a more graceful way to blazon the suns.


The only question I have on this is.. if the armiger considers the eagle hilt of consistent importance.. shouldn’t it be blazoned?

 

I would advocate not making this part of the blazon - but believe the armiger should decide.  The alternative being that he can request every artist commissioned to include the eagle head pommel - and on occasion allow artists to use their discretion. (similar to my fouled anchor - I generally prefer the fouling to be similar to the USN CPO insignia, but have emblazons which are different).

 
NLP337
 
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NLP337
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09 October 2014 00:08
 

I have come to a decision which I’m very comfortable with. As of today, 10.9.14, I am officially assuming the following coat of arms:

http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f173/clayprince337/a80c01cb-daf7-479d-868a-b0a3d41659b2_zpsd552e7a6.png

 

Blazon: ‘Vert a gamelyon rampant grasping a sword Argent hilted Or with an eagle headed pommel Or, in chief an arc of five suns the center one larger than the others Or’

 

Thanks to all who provided instruction, input and support. I’m currently testing the second crest which I posted a few days ago.

 
Michael F. McCartney
 
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09 October 2014 03:57
 

A good decision, & hopefully one acceptable to your spouse!

(You mentioned earlier the posssibility that she might want to also design her own; if so, hopefully she will consider consulting with her own siblings or cousins bearing her maiden surname to arrive at a design meaningful to her family.  And of course, if she would like, I’m sure we’d enjoy the opportunity to participate… smile )