How to Create a Coat of Arms: Part 7

This segment will conclude my postings on How to Create a Coat of Arms.

Step 7: The Blazon of Arms

The blazon of arms is the written description of the image, described in such a manner that an accurate drawing may be made. This must follow a particular order. The blazon had to be precise because it would be given to an artist to create the coat of arms. The blazon would help the artist understand exactly what was required.

For the instructions that follow, I will use the Lyons family coat of arms as an example. For more detailed instructions on creating your own blazon of arms, here are a couple good websites to visit:
The Basics of Blazonry
Master Bruce's Guide to Excruciatingly Correct Blazon

First, the color of the shield is given. Thus a blazon would begin with one word to describe the color, such as Sable (black).

Next would come the divisions of the shield, if there are any, and what color they are.
Sable, a chevron ermine.

Following the divisions would be the primary charges and their colors. The specific position of the charges follows the color.
Sable, a chevron ermine between three lions argent langued gules, sejant guardant.
(Langued gules = tongue and claws in red.)

Then secondary charges are listed, along with their colors and position.
Over the chevron, a label gules.

If the coat of arms includes a crest, that would follow.
For the crest, a demi lion ermine rampant maintaining a cross-crosslet fitchee.
(Demi = partial. Ermine = fur: black ermine spot on white. Maintaining = holding in a non-threatening manner. Cross-crosslet fitchee = the specific type of cross used.)

Thus my husband's blazon of arms would read:
Sable, a chevron ermine between three lions argent langued gules, sejant guardant. Over the chevron, a label gules. For the crest, a demi lion ermine rampant maintaining a cross-crosslet fitchee. For the motto: Vertute et fidelitate.


I hope you've had some fun creating your own coat of arms. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or would like some assistance.

How to Create a Coat of Arms: Part 6

Step 6: Motto

In antiquity, a family might have had a motto. Not all families had mottoes, and they are certainly not required. A motto is a short phrase that represents you, your beliefs, or your goals. Many ancient mottoes were war cries, but some expressed hope, courage, or another sentiment. Mottoes are not held to any rules, so feel free to create your own. These can be written in any language. Latin was common but not required.

A few examples are provided here—some inspirational, some whimsical.

Listen, and walk on.
Never behind.
Beauty is a flower, fame a breath.
Christ's death is to me the death of death.
Either death or honourable life.
Fear shame.
Strong both in faith and war.
The brave always show mercy.
Without God, castles are nothing.
Thou may'st break, but shalt not bend me.
Act your office.
Arms cause laws to be respected.
I am willing but unable.
Good and handsome enough.
Dare to be wise, begin at once.
It does not shame me to have played, but that I have not left off playing.
Mediocrity is safe.
Neither swiftly nor slowly.
This hand is hostile to tyrants.
Trust, but in whom take care.
Sink him in the sea, he comes out fairer.
Faithful to my unhappy country.

A motto should be placed on a scroll either above or below the shield. The placement of the motto, the type of scroll it’s on, and the typestyle are left to your discretion.

Scrolls

There are many different scrolls, or banners, to choose from, or you can create your own. A scroll would be used not only for a motto but also for the family name. You can put the name above the coat of arms and the motto below, or vice versa. The scrolls used for the name and the motto should complement one another.

Here are a few examples of scrolls:


I've repeated two complete coats of arms here so that you can see examples of scrolls and mottoes:

How to Create a Coat of Arms: Part 5

Step 5: Finishing Touches

Once you have chosen your charges (symbols or emblems) and placed them on the appropriate color shield, your shield is done and you’re ready to place the finishing touches. These finishing touches could take as much time and effort as the components of the shield.

The finishing touches include the helmet, mantle, crest, motto, and blazon. In this posting, we’ll talk about the helmet, mantle, and crest.

For the helmet and mantle, a great deal of flexibility is granted. What this means is that if you have a historical coat of arms for your family name, you are not bound to keep the same helmet or mantle design. So feel free to adopt or design a helmet and/or mantle that best suits you. Or you can leave them off. A helmet and mantle are not a necessary part of the coat of arms.

Helmet

Many helmet types exist, or you could create your own. A few examples are shown below. The only real rule here is that the helmet should face toward the dexter side.

In some marshalled arms (combination of husband and wife), there are two helmets, which face each other, like this one that I created for my daughter and her husband (left).

Also note the red label (mark of cadence for the firstborn) on the Gallinger quarters, and the red cresent (mark of cadence for the second-born) on the Lyons quarters. (Marks of cadence can be any of the traditional colors. My daughter chose red [gules].)

You'll also see that the husband's name comes first on the banner (my daughter being a Lyons). This is because the husband's coat appears on the dexter side of the shield (quarter 1), having the dominant position. So I placed his crest and name above quarter 1.

Mantle

The mantle is a representation of the owner’s cloak. In antiquity, the family arms were depicted on the cloak, or coat, thus the term “coat of arms.” In early designs, the mantle appeared as a cloak draped around the shield. Later on, intricate leafy patterns were used. Whatever style you choose, you’ll want to use colors that are complementary to your shield. In the Gallinger-Lyons coat shown here, note the red and white leafy arrangement around the shield.

Crest

The term “crest” properly applies to the charge (symbol or emblem) that is placed above the helmet. Often you’ll hear the term “crest” being applied to the entire coat of arms. This is actually a misnomer that has come into popular usage.

Many families do not have a crest on their coats of arms. You may choose to use one or not, as you desire.

The crest can come out of the helmet, in which case you may want to place a “torse” on the top of the helmet. This is like a braided headband. Again, choose colors for the torse that will complement the shield. Typically, only one or two colors are used on a torse.

For examples of crests with torses, see the Gallinger-Lyons coat of arms above. The stag actually belongs to my son-in-law's mother's coat of arms. Here I took a bit of liberty, seeing as the mother's coat of arms placed the stag on the shield, not as a crest. I had left this up to my daughter's discretion, and this is what she chose.

Here's the coat of arms I just created for someone who responded to this blog. I've made it into a bookplate.