Monday, Oct. 26th 09 Notes

Shape of the Shield Con't.

Women can use shields today

Shield Colors

-In heraldry colors are called "tinctures"

- 9 main tinctures

-2 metals (light)

-7 colours (dark)

-Names of the tinctures mainly come from the French

-1st rule of tincture, metal never on metal, nor color on color

-to improve contrast because it was difficult t do

Tinctures

Color Meaning

-Or Gold Metal Generosity

-Argent (silver-white) Metal Peace, Sincerity

-Purpure (purple) Regal, Justice

-Gules (red) Warrior, Martyr

-Azure (blue) Strength, Loyalty

-Vert (green) Hope, Loyalty in Love

-Sable (black) Constancy, Grief

-Tenne or Tawny (orange) Worthwhile, Ambition

-Sanguine or Murray (maroon) Victorious, Patient in battle

Assembling the C.O.A.

Field= the background color of the shield

Charge= "things you place on the shield"

-can be animals, objects or geometric constructs

- The simplest type of shield has only 1 main charge

Charges

Common Charges

-Lions

-Leopards

-Eagle

-Boars

-Gryphons

-Fish/Dolphin

-Marlets

Rarely Used

-Unicorn

-Dragon

Charges Con't

-From the shields prospective the default position for animal is "dexter"

-Looking to the left is "sinister"

-Animal looking directly at the viewer is "gardant"

flying-volant

walking- passant

sitting-sejant

swimming- (i can't read my handwriting...)

leaping- salient

lying down- couchant

standing on hild legs- rampant

-Animal shown langue (tongue sticking out) denotes fierceness

-Head of an animal cut off at the neck is couped if cut is straight

-Erased if it looks if the animals head has been ripped off

Other Charges

-Different kinds of animals

-Heads of animals

-Parts of body parts

-Geometric Shapes

-Flowers and Leaves

-Crowns and Anchors

-Stars and Heart

-"the label" (first born son)

Blazonry, Part 1

-a shield with a Green field

- a gold lion with its tongue out

-in profile standing on his hind legs

Thus, in heraldry terms:

Vert, a lion langue rampant Or

(start with background color, then type of charge, discription of charge, color of charge)

-Molly M (thanks for reminding me Kiera)