Coat of Arms

• Think about how you can symbolically and artistically represent you or your family

• Certain traditions to heraldry

• Very few real rules• In battle, the shield

allowed others to tell if you were friend or foe

Coat of Arms• Coat of arms date to the early middle ages• Helmets and armor made it difficult to tell

warriors apart• The solution was for each knight to paint

something personal on their shield. • Designs were important for battles, but

also as a uniform for tournaments• Shields became enduring symbols of their

owners and families

COLORS Even the colors can have special meaning in a "family crest" or coat of arms: 

Gold (Or) Generosity and elevation of the mind

Silver or White (Argent)

Peace and sincerity

Red (Gules) Warrior or martyr; Military strength and magnanimity

Blue (Azure) Truth and loyalty

Green (Vert) Hope, joy, and loyalty in love

Black (Sable) Constancy or grief

Purple (Purpure) Royal majesty, sovereignty, and justice

Orange (Tawny or Tenne)

Worthy ambition

Maroon (Sanguine or Murray)

Patient in battle, and yet victorious

There are many different ways you can choose to divide your shield

http://www.fleurdelis.com/shieldsdividing.htm

FURS The mere fact that a shield or crest contains furs suggests a mark of dignity. Usually the fur coat of the weasel is represented.

Ermine          White with black spots.

Erminois          Gold with black spots.

Ermines         Black with white spots.

Pean

         Black with gold spots.

Vair          Blue and white bell-shaped objects.

Heraldic AnimalsBear – protectiveness Bee – industriousness Camel – perseverance

Dog – loyalty Eagle – leadership Dragon – defender of treasure

Fox – cleverness Griffin (part eagle/part lion) – bravery

Horse – readiness to serve

Lion – courage Pelican – generosity and devotion

Raven – constancy

Snake – ambition Elk or Deer – peace and harmony

Tiger – fierceness or valor

Unicorn – extreme courage

Wolf – constant vigilance

Boar’s Head - hospitality

Heraldic SymbolsHand - faith, sincerity, and

justiceHeart - sincerity Flaming Heart - passion

Crown - authority Finger ring - fidelity Fleur-de-lys - purity

Crosses - Christian sentiment

Scepter - justice Oyster Shell - traveler

Axe - dutiful Sword - warlike Sun - Glory

Tower/castle - protectiveness

Crescent - enlightenment Fire -zeal

Lightning - decisiveness Moon - serenity Star- nobility

Other design details…

• Some may contain design motifs, such as checkerboards, polka dots, or fur patterns.

• One traditional design rule is that two solid-color fields shouldn’t appear side by side