The following links are to pages that contain images that you can use to help design your armory -- specifically for images that can be used to design your field (background).

Instructions (please read):
If you want to use this for your heraldic submission, or print it for any reason, click on the 'PDF File' link -- a new browser window will open, and you can print from there.

• When you print the PDF file, make sure that the option "Fit to page" is not selected, otherwise it may print the charges larger than expected.
• These should be sized to be close to the submission forms, and you can trace over them directly onto your form(s). For straight lines you might want to use a ruler to help.
• For charges that do not depend on the field for their shape the PDF contains multiple sizes of individual charges to assist in getting something close to what you might need for your armory. For charges that depend on the field (the heater/shield shape) for their shape, only one size is given.

Note that printing the GIF Files may not provide images that are the correct size for the heraldic submission forms.

Descriptions:
The descriptions of the charges below are taken from A Dictionary of Heraldry¹ or The Pictorial Dictionary of Heraldry ...², and some descriptions are just simply Hirsch making a note if nothing could be found in those two sources. Some further notations by Owen ap Morgan have been added as well, in an attempt to clarify some of the items in the "Field Treatments, Furs and Semés" section ... Most of the text from the two books noted are footnoted here. Note that not all of the detail in these books has been included in the text given ...

Field Divisions or Field Partitions
Many of these field divisions (partitions) can be altered by using the various line patterns called Lines of Partition. Per Pale is shown on this section of the website to give the longest line for any field division (you can trace over any line using this), and Per Chevron is shown with all of them because it's hard to draw the top corner of the chevron line properly for most of these lines ... To see lines of partition, click on the link here:

Lines of Partition

Also note that some of these field divisions or field partitions (different terms for the same thing) do not use the lines of partition, or in some cases have specific options that others don't have.

Note that there are two images available for most of the following -- the first is just to show what the field division looks like (for the purpose of just perusing options). The second image ("Traceable Image") is an Adobe Acrobat (PDF) file, that can be printed to give an image close to the correct size for the West Kingdom Submission Forms, with the idea being that you can trace over the lines onto your forms as needed. To see/print the PDF Files you need Adobe Acrobat Reader installed (free software).

Barry		Multiple per fess divisions (6). Barry denotes that the field is horizontally dividied into a certain even number of equal parts. If the number of divisions were odd the same tincture would appear in chief and in base, and the pieces of the other tincture would be so many bars or barrulets. 1
		Barry gules and argent		PDF File
Bendy		Multiple per bend divisions (6). Said of a field or charge divided bendwise into an even number of equal parts; or, as it may be otherwise described, as a field bearing a series of diagonal stripes of alternate tinctures (and liable to the same variations of the edges as the bend), but so that there is an equal number of each. 1
		Bendy gules and argent		PDF File
Bendy Sinister		Multiple per bend sinister divisions (6). See bend for a definition.
		Bendy sinister gules and argent		PDF File
Chapé		Chapé (French for "mantled") is a Continental partition of the field, formed by two lines drawn from the center chief to the sides of the shield. The partition thus strongly resembles a pile inverted, or a field party per chevron; and it will conflict with either, all other things being the same. But chapé differs from these others in one respect: In normal usage, only the central part of the field is charged; the mantled portion of the field remains uncharged.      The standard chapé uses straight lines; there is a variant, chapé ployé, with arched lines.
		Argent chapé gules		PDF File
		Argent chapé ployé gules		PDF File
Chaussé		Chaussé (French for "shod") is a Continental partition of the field, formed by two lines drawn from the corners of the chief to the base point. The partition thus strongly resembles a pile, or a field party per chevron inverted; and it will conflict with either, all other things being the same. But chaussé differs from others in one respect: In normal usage, only the central part of the field is charged; the shod portion of the field remains uncharged.      The standard chaussé uses straight lines; there is a varient, chaussé ployé, with arched lines.
		Argent chaussé gules		PDF File
		Argent chaussé ployé gules		PDF File
Checky (Chequey)		Term[s] applied to a field or charge divided by perpendicular and horizontal lines, into small squares of metal and colour alternately. ... There should be at least 20 squares in the shield. 1 [I am not sure if the SCA's College of Arms has any preference on this.]
		Checky gules and argent		PDF File
Chevronelly (Chevronny)		Chevronny is used when the field is divided into an even number of equal portions chevronwise. 1
		Chevronny gules and argent		PDF File
Gyronny		The field divided into eight alternating wedges, as if per saltire and quarterly were used on the field. When using a Gyronny of 6, you must specify the blazon more carefully. Per saltire and per fess looks very different from per saltire and per pale. These are always two tinctures alternating, the first section in the upper left is what is started with in the blazon (i.e., gyronny argent and azure).
		Gyronny (of eight) gules and argent		PDF File
		(Gyronny of Six) Per Fess and Per Saltire gules and argent		PDF File
		(Gyronny of Six) Per Pale and Per Saltire gules and argent		PDF File
Lozengy		... entirely covered with lozenges of alternating tinctures. The lines are variously drawn, but as a rule they should produce lozenges narrower in breadth in proportion to their length ... 1
		Lozengy gules and argent		PDF File
Paly		... when the field is divided by perpendicular lines into an event number of equal parts ... An uneven number would be blazoned as so many pales. 1
		Paly gules and argent		PDF File
Per Bend		Diagonal, upper left to lower right, divides the field in two parts.
		Per bend gules and argent		PDF File
Per Bend Sinister		Diagonal, upper right to lower left, divides the field in two parts.
		Per bend sinister gules and argent		PDF File
Per Chevron		Angled division like a chevron, divides the field in two parts.
		Per chevron gules and argent		PDF File
Per Chevron Inverted		Inverted per chevron.
		Per chevron inverted gules and argent		PDF File
Per Fess		Horizontal division, divides the field in two parts.
		Per fess gules and argent		PDF File
Per Pale		Vertical division, divides the field in two parts.
		Per pale gules and argent		PDF File
Per Pall		Divides the field into three parts in a 'Y' shape.
		Per pall gules, argent and azure.		PDF File
Per Pall Inverted		As per pall but upside down.
		Per pall inverted gules, azure and argent		PDF File
Per Saltire		Divides the field in four parts in an 'X' shape. You could think of it as per bend and per bend sinister.
		Per saltire gules and argent		PDF File
Pily		... a division of the field into a certain even number of parts by piles placed perpendicularly and counterposed. The number of traits, i.e. pieces, should be mentioned, and both the pile and the interval are reckoned in the counting.      In pily the piles are ordinarily drawn throughout, unless blazoned otherwise ... 1
		Pily gules and argent		PDF File
Quarterly		Divides the field in four parts in a cross shape.
		Quarterly gules and argent		PDF File
Vétu		Vétu (French for "vested") is a Continental partition of the field, formed by two lines from center chief and two lines from the base point, connecting at the sides of the shield. The partition thus strongly resembles a lozenge throughout; and it will conflict with a lozenge, all other things being the same. But vétu differs from this in one respect; In normal usage, only the central part of the field is charged, the vested portions of the field remain uncharged.      The standard vétu uses straight lines; there is also a variant, vétu ployé, with arched lines.
		Argent vétu gules		PDF File
		Argent vétu ployé gules		PDF File

Field Treatments, Furs and Semés
This category is a bit blurry as to what is what sometimes ...

• A field treatment is a regular pattern, done in a contrasting tincture on a field, and considered part of it. Treatments may also be applied to the tincture of a charge. "Of the items shown below, only masoned and scaly are always field treatments." -- Owen ap Morgan
• A fur is an heraldic representation of a natural fur. These may be neutral with respect to the tinctures placed on top of them, but may not, depending on the fur. Furs may be used on charges as well as fields.
• A semé is a 'strewing' or 'powdering' of the field with many small, identical charges. These are often displayed in a pattern, sometimes displayed 'randomly' as if just tossed onto the field. Charges may be charged with a semé. A semé follows the standard rule of tincture with the field tincture being what must be contrasted against for difference. The ones listed here have specific names, but you can often have a semé of other charges, check with the heralds. A semé can always be blazoned as a semé of [chargename] ...

  When discussing charges and charge groups: "Strewn charges of all sorts are charge groups on the field." -- Owen ap Morgan

  Artistic note: There are several ways semé can be drawn -- the drawings here are relatively standard, in that they are actually in a pattern -- this is common. You may wish to place them more randomly, but this is less commonly done in mundane and SCA armory. The other thing to note is that the drawings here show charges trunctated at the edges of the shield -- some artists do this, some leave out the parts that are truncated -- this is very much a style issue, and neither is wrong.

Annuletty		Semé of annulets
				PDF File
Billety		Semé of billets
				PDF File
Crusily		Semé of cross crosslets
				PDF File
Ermine		Fur -- An ermine spot is a highly stylized charge, meant to represent the tail of the ermine beast and the pin(s) used to attach the tail to the fur; it is also sometimes blazoned a muskatour ... Ermine comes in several different tincture combinations: Ermine - standard, white (argent) field with black (sable) ermine tails or ermine spots Counter-ermine - black (sable) field with white (argent) ermine spots Erminois - gold (Or) field with black (sable) ermine spots Pean -- black (sable) field with gold (Or) ermine spots In addition, one may use other tinctures for an ermine field, the tinctures must be "specifically blazoned (e.g., 'argent ermined gules'.)". -- Owen ap Morgan
				PDF File
		Alternate Ermine Spot Styles: The SCA tends to use the ermine field as shown above as the default. However, any text on heraldry is likely to show that there are many ermine spot styles. The caveat is that when drawing your armory you should always use a single style within one coat of arms or badge -- combining ermine spot styles is not correct, and is likely to get a submission rejected by the College of Arms. The alternate spots shown below are a direct scan from Friar3.
		Alternate Ermine Spots 3		PDF File
Estoily		Semé of estoiles
				PDF File
Estencelé		Semé of sparks
				PDF File
Fleuretty (floretty) Semi-de-lys		Semé of fleur-de-lys -- also called semi-de-lis or semi-de-lys. Note that the style of fleur-de-lys used here is one of several different styles. It appears that SCA usage is such that the term fleuretty is not used for a semi-de-lys field, instead the term that is used is semi-de-lys. Do not use fleuretty to describe this field.
				PDF File
Goutty (goutté)		Semé of gouttes (drops). There are specific terms that may be used for different tinctures of gouttes: goutty d'eux -- argent goutty d'huile -- vert goutty des larmes -- azure goutty d'or -- Or goutty de sang -- gules goutty de poix -- sable
				PDF File
Masoned		Field treatment -- like bricks and mortar
				PDF File
Mullety		Semé of mullets (stars) -- default is five-pointed stars, if you desire more points, then the blazon must specify that, as in: a semé of mullets of six points.
				PDF File
Plumetty		May be a Field Division or a Field Treatment -- like feathers. "The one shown below (suggesting feathers in alternating tinctures) is a field division, blazoned 'plumetty X and Y'. The other has feathers all one tincture outlined in the other (very similar in appearance to scaly) and is blazoned 'X plumetty Y' where X is the feather tincture and Y the outlining." -- Owen ap Morgan
				PDF File
Potenty		Fur -- This is a squared off version of the vair-bell pattern (see vair below). By default potent is blue (azure) and white (argent) -- if you use potent in a different color combination you must specify both tinctures (i.e., potenty gules and Or)
		Potent Field		PDF File
		Counter-Potent		PDF File
		Potent en Pointe		PDF File
Scaly		Field treatment -- like scales. Note that there are two versions of this shown, the first is sometimes called Papelloné, the second is Scaly.
		Papelloné		PDF File
		Scaly		PDF File
Semé of Roundels		Semé of roundels. There are specific terms for different tinctures of these: bezanty -- bezants (roundels Or) hurty -- hurts (roundels azure) pellety -- pellets (roundels sable) platy -- plates (roundels argent) pommety -- pommes (roundels vert)
				PDF File
Vairy		Fur -- a geometric pattern based on squirrel fur. The pattern created with vair is based on alternating the backs of grey (blue/azure) squirrels with their bellies (white/argent), creating a pattern similar to that used in the heraldic vair bell pattern. By default vair is blue (azure) and white (argent) -- if you use vair in a different color combination you must specify both tinctures (i.e., vairy gules and Or)
		Vair		PDF File
		Counter-Vair		PDF File
		Vair en Pointe		PDF File
		Vair in Pale		PDF File

Footnotes:
¹ A Glossary of Terms Used in Heraldry, James Parker, Tuttle, 1970, ISBN: 0-8048-0715-9

² The Pictorial Dictionary of Heraldry as Used in the Society for Creative Anachronism, Inc., 2nd Edition, Bruce Draconarius of Mistholme and Akagawa Yoshio, 1992, self-published.

³ A Dictionary of Heraldry, Stephen Friar, Harmony Books, 1987, ISBN: 0-517-56665-6

Some of the text is from Hirsch von Henford, just to fill in the blanks ... a few notes added from Owen ap Morgan to clarify some of the items on this page.

Disclaimer: All of these drawings are intended for use in the Society for Creative Anachronism, Inc., specifically for heraldic purposes. However, these pages do not delineate SCA College of Arms or West Kingdom College of Heralds policy. All attempts are made when describing or portraying the elements of armory used in these pages to be as accurate to both medieval and SCA usage as possible, but if you are not sure, you should check with the College of Arms or the College of Heralds. You may use these drawings "as is" for the purpose of designing heraldry for use within the SCA with this understanding. All decisions by the West Kingdom College of Heraldry and/or the SCA's College of Arms regarding the depictions used on your submission forms supercedes anything found here.

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