Heraldry – possibilities abound.

A short time ago I got my device a badge and my name passed. It all passed the first time around thanks to lots of help and research. On paper it looks boring but with a little thought it has the potential to go from boring and plain to something great.

Lets start with my badge. This is the description: (Fieldless) Issuant from an annulet three falcon’s heads in pall argent.

To the left is how I will display it.

It took years of just trying to get a herald to sign off on and submit my paper work but I got it through on the first pass.

The great thing is once it has passed the way you display it is up to you. As with the stylized look of my badge designed to fit my early period persona. My device will also be more stylized then the artwork submitted.

Or, a falcon close gules on a chief vert a drinking horn mouth to sinister Or.

The drinking horn needs to be recognizable as a drinking horn and the falcon needs to look like a raptor closed it does not need to be on a heater shield shaped display, there just needs to be proper division of fields. As the artwork is drawn it is boring and unimpressive but has huge possibilities for an early period persona that would have had contact with Roman style unit displays on the field and stylized representation of a falcon.

I see plenty of casting and enameling in my future to create an excellent heraldry display. I see metal components on dyed leather. there are lots of possibilities. But once you create the design for a badge and device elements keep it consistent. Once people have seen your heraldry display they will expect it to look the same each time you display it.

All I can say is hang in there if you are trying to get a device passed. Simple can be better. The artwork that goes in the books is not what matters. Display and presentation are what you need to consider. How can you make what is on paper fit your persona? What you display is what people will remember Not the art work as submitted.