Project: Your own coat of arms

Materials:

• A3 cardboard piece
• 1 or more drawings for each field
• Material such as aluminium foil, cotton, plasticine, etc, depending on the colours you want to use.
• Glue or blue tack.
• Scissors
• Loads of creativity

Objetives:

• Approach to the specific vocabulary of heraldry
• Create an unique coat of arms
• Create a story for the coat of arms.

Process:

1st Step: The shape

Depending on the period there are different shapes for the shields. Here you have some of them and the period in which they were used. So, select an historic moment for your emblem.

2nd Step: The division of the field

The fields are different parts in which the emblem is divided. These ones are the most usual ones. You can use the net if you want to search for others.

3rd Step. The tinctures

The tinctures are the colours and metals used in the coat of arm and each one has a meaning. Of course, there are some rules: metal should not be on metal, and colour should not be on colour. Here you have a table that can help you to decide:

	Type	Symbolise	At service of
Metal	Or (gold)	Nobility, Charity, Generosity	King
	Argent (silver)	Faith, obedience, honesty	King (sailors)
Colours	Azure (blue)	Loyalty and Justice	King and helpless
	Gules (red)	Fortitude, bravery, honour	King and people (battle)
	Sable (black)	Prudence, modesty, discretion	King (diplomacy and politics
	Vert (green)	Hope, friendship, Respect	King (trade) and peasantry
	Purpure (purple)	Sincerity, justice, wisdom	Clergy

4th step. The figures

The animals have 3 types of positions, as the picture below shows.

Note: Be careful with the animal or natural element you choose, because each one has a meaning. For instance, hills mean stability and firmness while laurel means victory and bravery.

5th Step: The story

Create a story for your coat of arms. Use the specific vocabulary for colours, animal’s position and, of course, be creative! You have the opportunity of imagine your own heroic medieval story. What do you want your shield tells about you?

6th Step: Create your shield
It's time to elaborate your emblem. cut the cardboard with the selected shape and divide the field with your different tinctures. Put your animal, symbol or plant. And there it is: your medieval shield!

If you want to search for the meaning of the animals', plants' figures you can use the following links:

- Significado heráldico
- Heráldica simbólica

Bibliography:

Diseño Heráldico (S.F.) In Heraldia, Heráldica y Genealogía Hispana, Retrieved 21:30, January, 21, 2016, from http://www.heraldaria.com/disenoH.php 

Gavira Tomas Ignacio, (2003, November, 26), Breve introducción a la Heráldica in Heráldica Hispánica, Retrieved 20:15, January 21, 2016, from http://www.heraldicahispanica.com/IntroH.htm 

Heraldry. (2016, January 10). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 20:27, January 21, 2016, from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Heraldry&oldid=699149091