Talk:Heraldry: Tips for Great Design

So this is just a loose starting point for the article. My main idea is to (A) Keep the article written like a Chatelaine's approach to new heraldic design audiences, (B) Be a good example for making heraldry accessible, but not too technical, (C) Add technical references and citations to precendence or other articles using footnotes or endnotes or references links to technical articles on other sites. --Eilidh Swann 17:08, 18 May 2009 (PDT)

Some of Lachlan's comments included:

Heraldic design is fluid. Every charge expands to take up the maximum space appropriate based on its importance, but typically charges do not like to touch other charges, and only the ordinaries like to touch the edge of the field.

It might be useful to use the analogy that all charges have a "pushing" force, proportional to its charge class. A primary charge will expand to fill the biggest available space. A single, primary charge will fill the entire field almost to the point where it will touch the edge of the field. If the primary charge is accompanied by secondary charges, then it _has_ to give up some space. The secondary charges "push" outward enough that they are immediately recognizable, but not so much that the primary charge loses its importance. Tertiary charges (charges on other charges) have very little push, but still have some push, which contributes to the pushing force of the primary or secondary charge they are upon.

For example: "How wide should a bordure be?" A bordure alone on the field can be FAT. But usually there is also a primary charge, which may require the bordure to get a little thinner. If there are several different charge groups on the field, then the bordure will have to be drawn as thin as possible, while still being visible. Conversely, if the bordure is charged, those charges will want to expand, requiring the bordure to expand as well.

--Eilidh Swann 17:10, 18 May 2009 (PDT)

And some of Teceangl's comments:

... simply presenting period examples of different designs, showing how space was filled and charges were placed in the art we're trying to re-create.

...marking charges on a per chevron field, charges around a fess, charged ordinaries and chiefs and bordures of all sorts, etc. Between the period stuff online and some of the best redraws, such as Iago ab Adam's Caerlaverock Roll of Arms...

--Eilidh Swann 17:12, 18 May 2009 (PDT)

Something that occurred to me later: If you want to answer very specific questions (e.g. "If using a field seme of [strewn with] charges, how many charges should be present?"), you might specify you are talking about the shield shape on standard submissions forms. The answer to these questions might be different for a 2'X3' flag or a 2"X3" web page thumbnail.--Lachlan 10:42, 19 May 2009 (PDT)

I wrote an article a couple or three decades ago, called "Heraldry for Scribes" that answers a lot of the questions / comments noted here. It addresses things like, "What does that complex line of division look like" and "How wide is an X", etc. It appears in quite a few Kingdoms' Heraldry manuals. I'll see if I can dig it up. --EowynA 13:07, 20 May 2009 (PDT)