Blazon

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Elements

Recognised tinctures

Documented in the following sections is the typical meanings of Western Amleian blazonic conventions.

Tincture

Tinctures, (i.e. colours) of the field are strictly limited to two metals, gold/yellow (Or) and silver/white (Argent), as well as five colours, Gules (red), Azure (blue), Sable (black), Vert (Green), and Purpure (purple). The tinctures of Jaunir ("Pure" Yellow) and Tenne (Orange) are considered unorthodox, and are never found in period Amleian escutcheons, however they are common enough in non-western and modern western-influenced designs to be included in many blazonic sources.

The rule of tincture is that none may be mixed to create anew, and that tints may not deviate any more than is absolutely necessary. Additional colours do exist, technically breaking these rules, although they are very rare, and are considered incredibly superfluous.

Metals

Parts of a coat of arms:      Escutcheon (shield),      Mantle,      Motto,      Supporters,      Order,      Torse,      Crest,      Compartment

The rule of metals is that no metal may be placed on another metal.

Furs

Additional furs are acceptable, although rare. The colour of furs never deviate, lest they become a new fur.

Divisions

Divisions can be combined, be it an inescutcheon or one atop another. Additional divisions do exist, although rarely.

Lines of partition

Lines of partition are decorative line styles that are applied to divisions, e.g. a bend wavy, a per fess raguly, etc. The rule of lines is that no line may be placed with a different line that is not an inescutcheon. Additional lines do exist, although rarely.

Rules

A shield or flag usually consists of a field (background) on which one or more distinct charges (objects) are placed. The blazon of such a shield describes the field first, then the charges. The field may be a single, solid tincture. In this case, it is described by simply naming the tincture.

To describe a group of charges, you usually specify at least three things:

1. The number charges in the group
2. The type(s) of charge(s) in the group + additional information
3. The tinctures of the charge(s)

In that order. An example: the shield at right is blazoned "Sable, a mullet Argent”. The first word, "Sable" describes the field, indicating that it is entirely black. The remainder of the blazon, "a mullet Argent" describes a group of charges on the field:

• "a" indicates that there is one charge in the group
• "mullet" indicates that charges in the group are mullets (stars)
• "argent" indicates that the tincture of the group is silver.

It is helpful to think of a shield as being painted in layers. The field constitutes the first layer, and the first group of charges is placed in a second layer on the field. Charges are described in the order they are placed. For example a red field with a white pale and a blue chief on top of it would be described as “Gules, a pale Argent, a chief Azure”.

To summarise the syntax rules so far:

1. Field before charges
2. Number, position*, type (name/description), orientation*†, pose*†, partition type*, tincture

(Items marked with * are only necessary if they are applicable. Items additionally marked with † are required for animal charges.)

Heraldry is read and described from right to left (in addition to the order they're placed, for description), with the “very” top being the upper part of the (viewer’s) right side of the shield (not the right vertex). All elements on the right take precedence to elements on the left (i.e., as shown on the right, a per pale described as Argent and Sable. Describing it as Sable and Argent would imply black as being on the right). The rules of traditional heraldry state that no colour may be placed on a colour and no metals placed on a metal. Note that beside one-another, e.g. in a per pale, per fess and etc, is still permitted.

Proper heraldry contrasts well, as is illustrated through the choice of tincture used in the majority of furs (i.e. vair being Azure and Argent, or ermines being Argent and Sable). A poorly designed shield is often spotted through the usage of colours that don’t contrast well, such as Argent and Sable together. Beyond five feet, the charge would not be easily recognised. This practice is significantly less strict for metals due to the the high reflectivity of the common metals/metallic paint used to represent them, causing a contrast between the metal and tincture.

Areas of the Device

For descriptive purposes, the shield-shaped field of the coat of arms is divided into areas.

At right is an image of a shield, with the various shield positions marked with letters, these are:

A - Chief (the top)
B - Dexter (bearer's right)
C - Sinister (bearer's left)
D - Base (the bottom)
E - Dexter Chief (top right)
F - Middle Chief (top middle)
G - Sinister Chief (top left)
H - Honour Point
I - Fess Point
J - Nombril Point
K - Dexter Base (right bottom)
L - Sinister Base (left bottom)
M - Middle Base (middle bottom; seldom used)

External Links

• Basic Blazonry (good for beginners)
• Heraldry Symbols And Their Meanings (Good for the historical meanings of divisions and tincture.)
• Heraldic Symbolism and Convention (Good reference in general, especially regarding animal charges)
• Vinycomb, John, "Fictitious & Symbolic Creatures in Art, With Special Reference to Their Use in British Heraldry" (Good resource for the types of and meanings of animal charges. Additionally, all images are good quality, and are free to use without permission.)
• Blazon (Good reference of furs)
• Heraldry: Blazoning of Creatures (Excellent resource for the corrent blazoning of creatures)
• Parker, James, A Glossary of Terms Used in Heraldry (A good reference for all of the jargon used when describing heraldry)
• Heraldry and Blazon (Additional, miscellaneous source)
• Fox-Davies, Arthur Charles, "A Complete Guide To Heraldry" (As the name says, a complete guide. Very comprehensive, is best used as a heraldry bible that's consulted when seeking very specific questions. Also a good reference of charges)