The International Association of Amateur Heralds

My badge pre-dates my arms by almost 3 years. When I took up the endeavor of designing my own arms for assumption, the badge came quite naturally and took only a few months to design and ‘fridge test, as did the crest (which underwent only minor modifications before being assumed). The shield, however, took the full three years and several major redesigns before it was done.

I would say that a respectable number of the badges that I’ve seen have nothing to do with the arms themselves.

Chris Green wrote:My own badge, the College of Arms grant for which post-dates the grant of arms by 27 years, is based on a red cross, which does not feature in my CoA. The College was very happy with my proposal. (Can't show you yet as the LP, though signed and sealed, has not yet been delivered.)

I can't wait to see it!

I can't wait to see it!

Nor can I. But I must try to be patient until mid-September when my wife and I will fly to London and visit the College of Arms. They could have couriered the LP but the opportunity of visiting the College of Arms was too good to miss.

But enough of me. Back to the badge design in hand.

If the badge does not have to have some connection to the arms, then what you all suggest as a place to start for a badge? I am not throwing out the ideas that have been discussed up to this point, I just would like to be able to have some idea for criterion for the creation of a badge. Arbitrarily choosing something to use as a badge seems a little...I don't know...silly?

Chris Green wrote:

I can't wait to see it!

Nor can I. But I must try to be patient until mid-September when my wife and I will fly to London and visit the College of Arms. They could have couriered the LP but the opportunity of visiting the College of Arms was too good to miss.

But enough of me. Back to the badge design in hand.

I can't wait to see this either! Please as soon as you can.

I'm starting to design a badge as well and some ideas have nothing to do with my arms so it's good to know that it's possible to have something completely different.

If the badge does not have to have some connection to the arms, then what you all suggest as a place to start for a badge?

Why not choose as a starting point something that is either important to you or with which you have a close connection. I chose a cross and a particular sort of flower (sorry to keep harping on about my own badge, but I have just been through the whole process from wondering what I could possibly use to a final design). The world is your oyster.

Agree the criterion of a badge do not include being related to your arms. And there are some fine badges without this. However, I've always been quite fond of badges that are an extension of the arms. Even if just in tincture.

Chris Green wrote:

If the badge does not have to have some connection to the arms, then what you all suggest as a place to start for a badge?

Why not choose as a starting point something that is either important to you or with which you have a close connection.

Good idea. The coat of arms is shared with the rest of your family, but the badge is yours alone. It only has to represent you, not your family as a whole. It can be related to the arms, or not, as you please.

If you do still want a reference to the arms, there's also the crest which IIRC is a demi-sun Gules. A demi-sun, or a whole sun, charged with something could have possibilities.

Since our last discussion, I have been working on something for the badge that I have really come to like. Let me know what you all think!!

Thanks for all the help!!

Thoughts? Impressions? Feedback??

Cheers!!

might look good as a crest, too

steven harris wrote:might look good as a crest, too

Agreed. It's very nice.