The basic rule in using colors and metals is that a color cannot
go on top of another color and a metal cannot go on top of another
metal. The rule may be ignored if an object is laying equally on top of
two tinctures, one a color, one a metal and there is contrast between all
three tinctures. Try to choose bright colors in standard shades.
For furs, do not put a fur whose major background tincture is a
metal on top of another metal and do not put a fur whose major background
tincture is a color on top of another color. This rule may be ignored if
the fur is equally color and metal and there is good contrast with any
objects placed on or under it.
The two most common furs are Ermine and Vair.
Ermine started
out as white ermine fur with black tail tips sewn on it. Common
variations include Ermines (also called Counter-ermine),
Erminois, and Pean. For those who couldn't afford ermine,
Vair started as interlocking squirrel hides. Click on the furs for
a full shield.
A term you will often come across in heraldry is
Counterchanged. It occurs when two areas of different tinctures
are next to each other with a charge covering both of them. The part of
the charge over the first tincture is the color of the second tincture
and vice versa.
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