New Arminger

New personal coat of arms for a dear friend.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

Now that Congress is over I have a little more time to pursue a few projects that I had shelved for some time.  One important project that I wanted to complete straightaway was to render digital emblazonments of arms for a close friend.  We jointly designed the arms back during the Summer '23 and it was time to get this off my list--and I'm thrilled that I can actually do this work digitally now too.

The blazon for these new arms:  

Arms: Sable, on a pile reversed argent a fir tree proper issuant from flames Gules in base, charged with a guitar pick Argent point to base with a chevron rendered as a carpenter’s square Gules.

Crest: On a torse Argent and Sable, a stag salient guardant proper incensed Gules, holding a six-string acoustic guitar proper.

Motto: Ich Geb Bestes, German for “I’ll try my best”

A quick bit about the design rationale.  The arminger was born and lives in Richmond, Virginia. The new arminger is both a musician and a carpenter. In the days following the Christmas holiday, the arminger likes to collect the dead or dying Christmas trees for a ceremonial burning party--actually a nice get together of friends to celebrate the end of the holiday season. The fir tree engulfed in flames makes this reference clear.

New crest.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

Charging the tree with a guitar pick alludes to the arminger's passion for playing and writing music on the guitar. The addition of the chevron on the guitar pick, rendered as a carpenter's square, illustrates the arminger's profession.

Draft badge idea for the new arminger.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

Personal banner of arms, private arminger.  Left the field on this pure black.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

I seen examples of using a faded black whenever the field is Sable (black) to avoid an otherwise stark heaviness.  I tried this with the arms and then left the field on the flag pure black to show the difference.  I'm waiting to see which the new arminger prefers.  I love this simple design.

36th International Congress of Genealogical and Heraldic Sciences

What an incredible week in Boston!  Attending the 36th International Congress of Genealogical and Heraldic Sciences was truly special--the first time this gathering has been held in the US.  The action took place inside Old South Church on Boylston Street in the heart of the Back Bay area.

And there were so many highlights.

First and foremost, meeting colleagues for the first time in person was truly memorable.  It is astonishing how one can write, share, and collaborate with others while never having met in person.  Whether from Facebook, Discord, or even Instagram, it was awesome to put actual faces to usernames. I actually believe, now, that having met so many folks in person has enriched those professional relationships while giving me an even great depth of appreciation for who they are and their contributions to our field.

I was able to connect with fellow board members from the American Heraldry Society as well as the College of Arms of Foundation.

Title slide from my presentation.

Secondly, it was a high honor to have been selected to present a portion of my research on Pierre de Chaignon la Rose (1872-1941) during the Congress.  To say I felt pressure to give la Rose the appreciation he deserves--especially in his adopted hometown of Boston--would be an understatement.  

Slide showing la Rose's breakdown via frequency distribution for his heraldic work in the Episcopal Church. Click to enlarge.

I spent a lot of time, perhaps too much, in creating all the digital emblazonments for the presentation.  I wanted everything to be streamlined and in full color so that audience participants could visually understand la Rose's methods.  In exactly 30-minutes, I think I was able to do justice for the American heraldic designer without belaboring any minute point which I may have felt critical for understanding.  

Example of how la Rose used the ancestral arms of the Dominican Order
to create new identities for US-based Dominican institutions.  Click to enlarge.

Now as the Congress winds down today, I will write my article to be published in the Congress journal in 2025--another extraordinary opportunity to make a meaningful contribution for la Rose!  

A Proper House At Last

The coat of arms of the College of Guardians of the Holy House of Walsingham.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

As proof of my growth in vector graphics, I am thrilled to present my heraldic version of the Holy House of Walsingham.  This charge--of all charges--has been a thorn in my side for some time...

My heraldic version of the Holy House of Walsingham.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

For background information on the arms assigned to the College of Guardians of the Holy House of Walsingham which were designed and granted by the College of Arms, please click here to read my prior post on the subject.

The coat of arms of the College of Guardians of the Holy House of Walsingham.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

Lovely!  I am chuffed to finally see a properly rendered Holy House for these arms as it simply completes the otherwise beautiful simplicity.

Banner of arms laid out for a 3ft x 5ft flag.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

I've also gone ahead and designed the banner of arms for a 3ft x 5ft flag which I will commission soon.  Simply cannot wait to see these arms flying.  Onwards!

A New Monogram

A new monogram for the blog!

I easily get bored with certain things and it was time to update the blog's masthead.  I had an idea!  Using the crown of Dogwood flowers and lilies--created by Quentin Peacock for my badge--and joining the letter W together for the blog's name...voila.  As I continue to become more proficient with Adobe Illustrator I'll surely tinker with more design ideas.