Heraldic creation methodology

While writing and illustrating «The book of the coat of arms of the Wolves Sable and the Unicorns Argent», I established the foundation for a work process that has now become my signature methodology in heraldic creation. Recognizing the importance of a methodological approach to consistently produce quality artwork, I continue to refine it with the experience I accumulate.

My methodology can be summarized as a 3-phase process, each containing 3 distinct activities, with the flexibility to revisit any phase for continual improvement.

The diligent execution of these nine activities ensures that the final product meets the expectations of the future bearer of the heraldic coat of arms.

The three phases are as follows:

• Conception, which encompasses: elicitation and ideation, heraldic research and critique, creation of a preliminary coat of arms sketch.
• Plastic execution, which includes: layout and tincture application, ornamentation and detailing, lighting effects and final artwork production.
• Completion and fulfillment, which involves: heraldic editing, final review and artwork delivery, documentation and archival closure.

Baron of Valdeolivos Emblematic Chair, of the Fernando el Catolico Institution, of the Centre of Scientific Research (C. S. I. C.) and of the Government of Zaragoza, «Emblemata», Volume 4^th, Emblemata Aragonese Magazine about Emblems (E. R. A. E.), 450 pages, 135 pictures, ISSN 1137-1056, Legal deposit Z.3.937 1996, printed by the Cooperativa de Artes Gráficas Librería General, Zaragoza, 1998.

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Bibliographical reference of century XX.

Classification: Magazine and Castilian language.

Author: Cátedra de Emblemática Barón de Valdeolivos.

External resource:

• Abstract in the Fernando el Catolico Institution.

I classify the coats of arms that I interpret or create depending on the field of the bearer of these armories and I do so within one of the following six categories:

• Personal heraldry.
• Governance heraldry.
• Military heraldry.
• Religious heraldry.
• Socioeconomic heraldry.
• Imaginary heraldry.

With their similarities and differences, there are many classifications within heraldry, some of which come from recognized authors. This specific classification, presented here, does not aim to be more than my personal way of classifying and organizing the coats of arms that I interpret or create.

As with any classification structure within a varied and rich universe of occurrences, as is the case with heraldry, there are always specific instances that belong or may belong to 2 or more classes, in these cases, I include the coat of arms in the one that seems most reasonable and provides the quickest and most logical location.

It could be suggested that this classification corresponds to the human being, in personal heraldry, and to their four most characteristic ways of organizing from a heraldic perspective: a) political and governance structures, b) military, c) spiritual and religious, and d) those of an economic or social nature. Allowing, in a sixth and final section of imaginary heraldry, for those creations of impossible ownership, on the border of heraldry and which, despite this, we do not want to exclude. The appeal of imaginary heraldry is that it is like a blank canvas on which we can create a coat of arms for someone or something with more freedom than in the other classes.

Imaginary coat of arms that encompasses the 6 classes of heraldry.

The quartered in saltire shield that illustrates this article symbolizes these 6 classes of heraldry:

• In the escutcheon of Or, a heart Gules symbolizes personal heraldry, the nobility of people, the love of family, and the blood of lineage.
• The 1^st of Purpure and the crown Or represent political and governance structures and their heraldry, with Purpure being a color associated with power since Roman times.
• The 2^nd of Vert and the sword point upwards Or, in open field, a vert battlefield, symbolizes military heraldry.
• The 3^rd of Azure, the color of the sky, and the crozier Or is the representation of religious heraldry.
• The 4^th of Sable, reminiscent of an industrial or mining ground, and a bezant, always Or, representing currency and money, symbolizes socioeconomic heraldry.
• The bordure Argent, as an outer border, frontier, or blank canvas, is the proper domain of imaginary heraldry.

Reflections on governance heraldry

In my approach to heraldry, I choose to unify political and civic heraldry under the broader concept of «governance heraldry». While modern terminology often distinguishes «civic heraldry» as a separate entity, with professionals focusing specifically on municipal arms, I see a deeper connection. Historically, the heraldry of kingdoms and kings was frequently intertwined; the arms of regions or realms were quartered to create the arms of united kingdoms. These kingdoms were often divided into regions and provinces, with cities frequently founded by royal orders and granted certain privileges.

Thus, I bring all of these elements together under the concept of «governance heraldry», in Castilian «heráldica política». Although in English this is often translated as «civic heraldry» to align with contemporary usage, a more precise term might be «political and civic heraldry». However, this combination does not fully convey the interconnectedness of all forms of heraldic expression related to governance, whether at the level of a kingdom, region, or municipality.

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Category: Criterion.

Within personal heraldry, I classify the arms of individuals, their families, or lineages.

When a coat of arms representing a person, such as in the case of a king, is also used to represent something else, such as their kingdom, I classify it as personal heraldry, prioritizing the representation of the individual over other possible uses, as this is the origin of heraldry.

The historical arms of Carlos de la Cerda or the current ones of Austin Charles Berry and of Stephan Urs Breu are examples of personal heraldry.

In Spanish, I use the name given by [Cadenas y Vicent, V. de; 1975; page 53] and in English «personal heraldry», which is the most commonly accepted term.

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Categories: Criterion and Personal.

Within governance heraldry, I classify the arms of states, as political structures, and those of their powers, their governing and administrative institutions, and their organizational substructures, such as regions, provinces, municipalities, etc.

The arms of Bosnia and Herzegovina, of Bunyoro-Kitara, and of Ceuta are examples of political heraldry.

This class partially coincides with what [Cadenas y Vicent, V. de; 1975; page 87] refers to as «institutional heraldry».

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Categories: Criterion and Civic.

Within military heraldry, I classify the arms of individuals, institutions, orders, military corps, and entities.

Although the military is an institution of the state, I dedicate a separate category to it in recognition of its special characteristics and history, as well as its particular functions of cohesion and identification, which are rooted in heraldry for the battlefield. The coat of arms of the Central Military Region and the Artillery Combat School of the Swedish Army are examples of military heraldry.

[Cadenas y Vicent, V. de; 1975; page 88] includes military heraldry within his «institutional heraldry».

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Categories: Criterion and Military.

Within religious heraldry, I classify the arms of individuals, offices, dignitaries, institutions, communities, orders, and religious entities, primarily, by tradition, those of the Church.

The arms of the Order of Mercy and those of the Oratorio de San Felipe Neri are examples of religious heraldry.

Being more general, this category encompasses what [Cadenas y Vicent, V. de; 1975; page 59] refers to as «ecclesiastical heraldry».

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Categories: Criterion and Religious.

Within socioeconomic heraldry, I classify the arms of all collectives not included in the previous categories, such as, for example, commercial societies, which may represent companies, their brands, and products, sports clubs and federations, associations, professional colleges, educational institutions, arms granted or assumed collectively, etc.

For example, the coats of arms of universities, both private and public, belong to this category, the former naturally and the latter considering their appropriate autonomy from state powers. In this way, the coat of arms of the IESE, as a business school, is an example of socioeconomic heraldry.

Also included are the coats of arms of associations, like the Norsk Heraldisk Forening, and of companies, such as the arms of Alea Capital.

This category partially coincides with what [Cadenas y Vicent, V. de; 1975; page 119] refers to as «representative heraldry».

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Categories: Criterion and Socioeconomic.

Continue with: Imaginary heraldry.