Assorted Lessons in SCA Heraldry

Edited By Jaelle of Armida. (mka Judy Gerjuoy)

Rule of Tincture.

Simply, the Rule of Tincture says that "good contrast" must exist between the field and the charges upon it, or between a charge and the charges on it. Good contrast exists between:

  1. A metal and a color
  2. An element equally divided of a color and a metal and any other element, provided identifiability is maintained
  3. A color and a charge blazoned proper that is predominantly light
  4. A metal and a charge blazoned proper that is predominantly dark

Some Definitions...

  • Metals are argent and Or .
  • Colors are azure, gules, purpure, sable, and vert .
  • Ermine and erminois (gold with black spots) are counted as metals.
  • Counter ermine and pean are counted as colors (black with silver/gold spots respectively).
  • Vair and its variants are equally divided of a color and a metal.
  • "Neutral" means "equally divided of a color and a metal".

So much for definitions...

On the right side are all of the standard field divisions and the ordinary that corresponds to that line division. How do you apply the rule of tincture to determine what tincture combinations are legal? In a divided field, neither portion lies over the other; they are next to each other. For this reason, it is not necessary for there to be good contrast between the parts of a divided field, so long as the field is divided into two parts, quarterly, or per saltire. A field divided into three parts (Per pall and Per pall inverted) must have good contrast between two of the parts. Any other field division must have good contrast between the parts.

Now for some examples:

Per chevron gules and sable... is OK. Gules, a chevron sable... is not. The black chevron does not stand out against the red field.

Per bend argent and purpure... is OK. Argent, a bend purpure... is also OK.

Per pall sable, purpure, and gules... is not OK. Per pall sable, purpure, and Or... is OK.

Quarterly argent and Or... is OK. Argent, a cross Or... is not. The gold cross is difficult to see against the white field.

Per fess ermine and erminois... is OK. Ermine, a fess erminois... is not; the predominantly gold fess does not show up against the predominantly white field.

Per fess vert and argent, a fess Or... is OK. The field is neutral, and the fess is neither of the tinctures of the field.

Per bend gules and Or, a bend Or... is not OK. The portion of the bend on the Or field is invisible.

On the field "Per chevron inverted purpure and Or..." you can place any tincture except Or and purpure (remember that erminois is functionally Or, also).

Try your hand at some exercises.

Which of the following obey the law of tincture?
[write down your answers, and check them by clicking the link below.]

1. Per fess argent and Or.
2. Per pall inverted sable, gules, and vert.
3. Per saltire purpure and azure.
4. Quarterly gules and azure, a cross vert.
5. Per chevron azure and argent, a fess gules.
6. Per bend sinister purpure and sable, a bend argent.
7. Per pale argent and Or, a pale erminois.
8. Per bend azure and gules, a cross sable.
9. Per pall ermine, erminois, and sable.
10. Per chevron inverted Or and sable, a pale argent.
11. Per saltire azure and erminois, a saltire argent.
12. Per fess argent and Or, a fess sable.
13. Per pale sable and argent, a fess gules.
14. Per chevron gules and azure, a chevron argent.
15. Per bend purpure and vert, a bend vair.
16. Quarterly vair and ermine, a cross argent.
17. Per pall gules, vair, and sable, a pall argent.
18. Per pall inverted Or, argent, and ermine, a pall inverted sable.
19. Per bend sinister sable and argent, a bend sinister counter ermine.
20. Per saltire Or and argent.

Standard field divisions and corresponding ordinary.

Per fess...
 A fess...
Per pale...
 A pale...
Per bend..
 A bend...
Per bend sinister...
 A bend sinister...
Quarterly...
 A cross...
Per saltire...
 A saltire...
Per chevron...
 A chevron...
Per chevron inverted...
 A chevron inverted...
Per pall...
 A pall...
Per pall inverted...
 A pall inverted...

Click Here to check your Answers

Credits:
 Armory content written by Herveus d'Ormonde (mka Michael Houghton)
Name content written by Jaelle of Armida (mka Judy Gerjuoy)
Web layout, design, and additional editing by Frederic Badger (mka Brander Roullett)