[ANSTHRLD] Two wolves yin-yanged

[HerrDetlef]

Your Excellency, I know I couldn't say it any better than you just did.

One point that might be worth remembering is the way in which medieval
heraldry (armory, specifically) originated. These designs were created so
that warriors on a battlefield could recognize their allies and enemies at a
distance through a narrow slit in a helmet while said allies and enemies
were also covered head to toe in armor. For that reason, the rules that
evolved for creating coats of arms demanded a nigh-primitive simplicity to
aid in rapid recognition of who was carrying what shield or wearing what
tabard.

When I saw the design, I thought of another possible design: "Per pale sable
and argent, a wolf sejant guardant to sinister counterchanged." A device
like that would incorporate the black-and-white contrast and the
wolf-as-primary-charge while conforming to the conventions of classical
medieval armory. Try drawing that one up as an example with which to compare
your client's design.

I can't think of ever seeing the Chinese yin-yang motif in any western
European medieval art, and even less so in any medieval heraldic devices.
What we've got here is a beautiful modern design incorporating Chinese (the
yin-yang) and Nordic (the runes) elements. I just can't imagine that it's
period.

Detlef
Tir Medoin

On Fri, Apr 15, 2011 at 6:50 PM, Jay Rudin <rudin at peoplepc.com> wrote:

> >I have a client that wants an unusual device. Looking at it have have two
> >questions right of the bat. First being, is this even legal. The next
> being if
> >it is legal then how do I blazon it. I know that two wolves yin-yanged is
> not
> >going to fly. Below is a link to an image of the device.
> >
> >
> http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/216387_1808286899607_1612997228_1742285_4735414_n.jpg
> >
> >The client is going for EARLY Norse.
>
> Well, there's your hook for explaining it to him.  This is a design no
> early Norse society (or medieval herald) would have produced.
>
> What he needs to understand is that heraldry is an art style. It has
> several characteristics, including being reproducible from the blazon, and
> being created in layers.  Also, repeated charges are either identical or
> reversed.
>
> The two wolves are each the layer on top of the other one.  This is a
> modern motif not used in period heraldry.
>
> Please explain to him that he has drawn a striking example of using runes
> and wolves in a modern design.  Compliment him for his excellent use of
> modern design elements, and see if you can challenge him to look at lots of
> heraldry and use his design skills within that art style.
>
> The crucial thing to get across is that he isn't in violation of an
> arbitrary rule; he just hasn't begun to design in heraldic (or Norse) art
> yet.
>
> Robin of Gilwell / Jay Rudin
>
>
>
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