How’s this? Is this more along the lines of what you are looking at?
http://www.heraldrysociety.us/pictures/members_posts/linus1.png
Well I was thinking more along the lines of one of this.
http://www.uploadfile.info/uploads/cb42549e56.png
However I think I am going to narrow my choice down to one of these three, but Personally I like either the per fess, or the per chevron with the green gauntlet . Of course it’s up to my wife to really decide, but I would love to take more feedback.
http://www.uploadfile.info/uploads/cb42549e56.png http://www.uploadfile.info/uploads/65d5eff82a.png http://www.uploadfile.info/uploads/7622285217.png
(Assume the first two are in 3D like the third one, forgot to put that effect in)
Linus, the one on the far right is per bend, not per fess. Per fess would be straight across the shield. Whichever one you wind up choosing, you might want to beak and arm the bird Gules, that is paint his beak and feet red. The black just doesn’t show up very well on the green and red beaking and arming is sort of an heraldic norm (you could also just make the whole bird gold, for that matter).
Thanks patrick for the idea. I tried the beak and feet gulles, but just didn’t like it,so i made the claws Or and kept the beak and legs Black (sable right?) and it looks better. I also changed the gauntlet sinister with an oak tree per my wifes request, and I am sold on that.
Now it’s time to create the arms around it. If i knew nothing of how to design the shield before (which is true) i knew even less about the arms, so I do have some questions. I have seen a lot of discussion on the knight’s helmets at the top of the shield. Are specific ones represenative of something? what about the other surroundings. I was thinking of using a grape vine to drape the shield in but I don’t want to do anything too radical.
Thanks for all your help
Hi, Linus!
You’re at the point where you really need to get a book on basic heraldry. Do a search for the ‘Bookshelf’ thread, there’s a big list of them there. Also do a seach on ‘helms’, ‘compartments’, ‘mantling’ and ‘additaments’. These searches will help you figure out the reasons for the following:
First, the shield is ‘the arms’. Yes, the different kinds of helmets do have meanings. Look at the member’s arms pages: you’ll find that most of us use the tilting helm. It’s also widely felt here that American arms should consist of the shield, mantling, wreath, crest and motto only. Your searches as listed above should bring up the discussions that will tell you why.
Thanks Patrick, I have already ordered a book and it should be in my mailbox thurs or Friday. I do have some more questions, but they are more of general questions, so I will post them in a different thread.
Well my wife is being difficult (as women often are) so Her arms have gone through quite the redesign since I last posted. She didn’t like the Vert and Or, so I changed it to Vert and Argent, and she prefered Purpure and Argent, which is where we are now. I also counterchanged the color and metal and moved the Oak tree (which was an acorn teree before) to the base and the falcon to the chief, since the oak tree is her father’s charge and should be displayed more prominantly, IMO. I also counterchanged the hearts since they were now being displayed on a color instead of a metal.
Here’s a full view of what I have done to the arms:
http://www.uploadfile.info/uploads/782e2452e9.png
And the whole coat:
Now this is nice Colin! I think it is better than the Vert/Or designs you had before for several reasons - not the least of which is that it clears up the hearts charged with ermine tails…much better this way.
Now some will say, and maybe rightfully so, that the introduction of the proper colors of the tree add too much color, which can be the case. However, I really, really think that this case pulls it off very well. This is very good use of the color wheel and the tincture rules of heraldry - very well done Colin.
P.S. And as difficult as she (women) can be 
pps. The only reason I think she’s difficult is I spent all morning making it Vert and Argent, and she said she wanted Purpure instead.
I personally liked the Vert and Argent version i did a little better, but they are her arms
I think it looks just fine. If you stand back from your computer screen a bit and look at it, I think you’ll find that the balance and colors work well. Were they mine, I’d change the feet of the falcon to Argent as well, the Sable feet disappear on the Purpure (color on color 
).
Patrick Williams wrote:
I think it looks just fine. If you stand back from your computer screen a bit and look at it, I think you’ll find that the balance and colors work well. Were they mine, I’d change the feet of the falcon to Argent as well, the Sable feet disappear on the Purpure (color on color
I agree…or, for the beak and feet of the falcon, gold.
A good idea Patrick/Joseph thanks
Linusboarder wrote:
my wife is being difficult (as women often are) .....
pps. The only reason I think she’s difficult is I spent all morning making it Vert and Argent, and she said she wanted Purpure instead.
Aha!!! "Manrule #6: When I do not agree with my wife’s point of view, she will be considered difficult; I will never be considered obstinate!"
I think every married man has "been there, done that, and got the t-shirt." 
Actually, I like your wife’s color combination better than yours. The colors are very distinct, yet are not an assault on the eyes—they work well together. (I’m not saying Vert & Argent assault the eyes….)
If you can find a sinister-facing helmet to exchange for the affrontee, change it if you can so that the crest matches the direction the wearer faces.
Great design (tell your wife!!)
Cheers,
Guy
Guy Power wrote:
Aha!!! "Manrule #6: When I do not agree with my wife’s point of view, she will be considered difficult; I will never be considered obstinate!"
I think every married man has "been there, done that, and got the t-shirt."
Actually, I like your wife’s color combination better than yours. The colors are very distinct, yet are not an assault on the eyes—they work well together. (I’m not saying Vert & Argent assault the eyes….)
If you can find a sinister-facing helmet to exchange for the affrontee, change it if you can so that the crest matches the direction the wearer faces.
Great design (tell your wife!!)
Cheers,
Guy
Well I will agree that the Vert and Or looked awkward together, but those were her original choice, then she changed to Purpure and Argent.
As for a sinister helmet, well that’s another case of her being difficult, I had one and she decided she wanted one profile
Linusboarder wrote:
As for a sinister helmet, well that’s another case of her being difficult, I had one and she decided she wanted one profile
??? A helmet facing sinister is in profile. The one you currently have is affrontee—facing frontally.
I need another cuppa coffee! :D
—Guy
