Blazon 101

Arwyn of Leicester White Wyvern Herald Submissions Avacal What we will discuss

• Definition – Emblazon vs Blazon • Using Emblazon and Blazons in SCA – Submissions – Conflict Check – Display What we will discuss

• How to Build a Blazon – Elements of a blazon – Basic Syntax Rules – How to put it together • Resources (on-line, books) Using Emblazon and Blazons in SCA • Submissions – Emblazon – picture of device/badge • This is what is registered – Proposed Blazon vs. Registered Blazon • Local heralds should attempt at a blazon on the submission (Proposed Blazon) • Laurel gives final blazon (registered) Using Emblazon and Blazons in SCA • Conflict Checks – Blazon is what is listed in the armorial – Allows a visual picture to be developed from the description • Display – Scribes can use this to add colour to scrolls – Providing personal banners How to Build a Blazon

• Elements of a Blazon – Tinctures • Colours: – azure (blue) – gules (red) – purpure (purple) – sable (black) – vert (green) • Metals: – Or (gold) – Argent (white/silver) How to Build a Blazon

• Elements of a Blazon – Tinctures • Furs – Ermine (white with black spots) – Ermines (also called counter ermine –black with white spots) – Erminois (gold with black spots) – Pean (black with gold spots) – Vair (interlocking "bells" alternately white and blue) – Potent (interlocking "T's" alternately white and blue) How to Build a Blazon

• Elements of a Blazon – Ordinaries • An ordinary is a charge that consists of one or more strips of a contrasting tincture which cover large areas of the shield. • Examples: – Base – Bordure – Canton – Chief – Pile – Bend How to Build a Blazon

• Elements of a Blazon – Directions • Remember that the directions are like you wearing the shield – then the Norman French makes sense • to base (= toward the bottom point of the shield) • to chief (= toward the top edge of the shield) • to dexter (= toward the viewer's left, the shield bearers right) • to sinister (= toward the viewer's right, the shield bears left) How to Build a Blazon

• Basic Syntax Rules 1. Field before charges. 2. Number, then type, then tincture. 3. Some positions have defaults of the charges for positions and should be indicated when different that the default. i) charges arranged "in bend" are oriented "bendwise" by default ii) charges arranged "in bend sinister" are oriented "bendwise sinister" by default iii) A group of three charges on the field are "two and one" if no other arrangement is specified. 4. Charges on charges are blazoned after the charges on which they lie 5. If the field is divided, it is still considered to be a single layer. Normally one would blazon from top to bottom, left to right (facing the shield). 6. If a line division is different that a straight line, it should go after the line type but before the tincture. – For example: Per fess embattled argent How to Build a Blazon

• How to Put it Together 1. Start with the background including any field treatments 2. Then describe the ordinaries if there 3. Describe the major charge group (including number, tincture and posture/position if applicable) 4. Describe charged groups. Resources

• Resources (on-line) – SCA Heraldic Primer http://sca.org/heraldry/newprimer/ Practice Practice Argent, a rose and a bordure azure semy of needles argent. Practice Practice Sable, three lions passant to sinister, on a chief argent five oak leaves gules. Practice Practice Argent, a sledgehammer inverted bendwise sinister sable, on chief embattled purpure three roses argent. Practice Practice Per fess gules and vert, a sea-elephant maintaining in its trunk a coronet argent. Practice

Argent, on an eagle's head contourny issuant from base sable a coronet within an annulet of chain Or. Practice Argent, on an eagle's head contourny issuant from base sable a coronet within an annulet of chain Or. Practice

Gyronny argent and sable, a rose and a bordure vert. Practice Gyronny argent and sable, a rose and a bordure vert.