Guide To Making Your Own Medieval Shields

Guide To Making Your Own Medieval Shields

Given below are few simple ways in which the medieval shields were made. You can make one for yourself in the traditional method.

Static: The symbol of Blazon means a family living on a land. After the death of the family head, the oldest son would take over the land and the family weapons. A sense of stability, infinity and eternity is symbolized by the coat of arms. According to the people of the Middle Ages, all things and people have a particular position on earth and they believe that these things should not be altered. You will not find recommendations for alterations and movements on the shields of the middle Ages.

Symbolic: All the pictures that were on the shields represented some thing. These symbols were more than mere symbols. Let’s look at an illustration. An eagle or a lion symbolizes bravery. Such a picture was made in order to make the people understand what it meant and it wasn’t necessary that the picture have to appear like an actual eagle.

Stylized: All the things and animals that were drawn on the shields were stylized and they were made in such a way that people would identify them easily. Logic didn’t govern the creation of such pictures, rules did. Most of the time, the pictures were made in such a way that they displayed their essential distinctness properly like a unicorn’s horn or a lion’s mane. They were drawn from the front and not from side ways. Such a practice made sure that the description of the shield or the blazon would appear the same even though different artists made them.

Flat: The pictures that were on the shields were made without shading and in pure flat shades. Certain things were drawn in a bigger size not because they appeared bigger but because they were essential. The images were not drawn in perspective and neither were they made in the actual sizes. The castle and the horse may be of the same size because they were of equal significance and not because the horse was nearer to the onlooker.