Heraldry

[Dottie Elliott]

>Is there any real, valid, reason why something should not look like landscape?
>
>There are examples in mundane
>heraldry of 3D (though they are modern). Th only reasonalbe objection i
>have heard to
>it is that it is not a period practice.
>
>What reason IS there not to use natural charges? because it makes it look too
>much like a picture? Why is that so bad.
>

Well, all of these were not done in period (or only limited use in period
for the natural stuff).  If what we are trying to do is recreate the middle
ages in as many ways as possible, then our heraldry should also.  Period
charges displayed in a period manner.  Period heraldry is very stylized and
was not used to tell stories or look like pictures so ours should not do
this also.  Now, if we are just doing heraldry any old way and NOT trying
to re-create mideval heraldry then these are not objectionable.  It is my
understanding however that we ARE recreating the middle ages.

>>Savian says:
>><avoid>Too many charges.
>>Keep your charges recognizeable.
>>Limit the details.
>
>These three actually are good and useful, but they are also increadibly
>subjective. I have heard all three used to shoot down devices for
>reasons which have seemed a lot more related to disliking the person than
>the device.
>
These are very subjective and I have seen devices canned just because a
number of heralds disliked the over all design.  In general (in the East
anyway), most heralds tried very hard to approve devices that were
submitted when at all possible and conflicts didn't exist and to work with
submittors to overcome objections.  And very few of the checking heralds
knew anything about the submittor.

>Heraldry is not just a method of identifying a shield accross a distance,
>for most people in the SCA it is a form of personal iconography.
>
Again, in period heraldry developed as a method for identifying people
across the field, at court, etc.  That is why it must be recognizable over
distance.  And if we are recreating the middle ages, our heraldry should
hold up to the same test.

>-Michael

Baroness Clarissa
(a still very much herald at heart)