Heraldic creation methodology

While writing and illustrating «The book of the coat of arms of the Wolves Sable and the Unicorns Argent», I established the foundation for a work process that has now become my signature methodology in heraldic creation. Recognizing the importance of a methodological approach to consistently produce quality artwork, I continue to refine it with the experience I accumulate.

My methodology can be summarized as a 3-phase process, each containing 3 distinct activities, with the flexibility to revisit any phase for continual improvement.

The diligent execution of these nine activities ensures that the final product meets the expectations of the future bearer of the heraldic coat of arms.

The three phases are as follows:

• Conception, which encompasses: elicitation and ideation, heraldic research and critique, creation of a preliminary coat of arms sketch.
• Plastic execution, which includes: layout and tincture application, ornamentation and detailing, lighting effects and final artwork production.
• Completion and fulfillment, which involves: heraldic editing, final review and artwork delivery, documentation and archival closure.

Baron of Valdeolivos Emblematic Chair, of the Fernando el Catolico Institution, of the Centre of Scientific Research (C. S. I. C.) and of the Government of Zaragoza, «Emblemata», Volume 4^th, Emblemata Aragonese Magazine about Emblems (E. R. A. E.), 450 pages, 135 pictures, ISSN 1137-1056, Legal deposit Z.3.937 1996, printed by the Cooperativa de Artes Gráficas Librería General, Zaragoza, 1998.

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Bibliographical reference of century XX.

Classification: Magazine and Castilian language.

The author is Cátedra de Emblemática Barón de Valdeolivos.

External resource:

• Abstract in the Fernando el Catolico Institution.

Alfonso X of Castile, The Wise, «The Seven-Part Code», its estimated completion year is 1265.

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This is the copy I can consult, as it is available in the Hispanic Digital Library, it is a manuscript measuring 42 by 30 centimeters that once belonged to Álvaro de Zúñiga y Guzmán, first Duke of Arévalo, which later came into the possession of the Catholic Monarchs, initially Queen Isabella I of Castile, and after her death, King Ferdinand reclaimed it for the price of 5,251 maravedis. The original is housed in the National Library, in display case 4/6.

This copy, in addition to its numerous capital letters, has 8 illustrated pages, which according to its subsequent hand-numbering in pencil are:

• Page 6, among its illustrations can be seen 2 coats of arms of the Zúñiga family «Argent, a bend Sable, over all, a chain in orle Or», in this case formed by 16 links, 8 round and 8 more elongated placed in profile.
• Pages 106 and 191, on the latter can be seen a curious bishop-lizard climbing.
• Pages 294 and 331, on the 2^nd at the bottom, a maiden is seen walking a monkey to relieve itself and to her right a fight of men with beast bodies.
• Page 379 and on its previous unnumbered page, and finally, on page 415 which begins with a tournament where the 2^nd knight bears the ancient arms of France «Azure, semy of fleurs de lis Or».

The coat of arms that illustrates this bibliographic reference is that of Álvaro de Zúñiga y Guzmán. For the creation of his chain, I followed the illustration of his 2 coats of arms on the already mentioned page 6 of this manuscript.

It is one of my favorite manuscripts and, perhaps, the one with which I have created the most things.

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Bibliographical reference of century XIII.

Classification: Castilian language, Manuscript and In color.

Author: Alfonso X of Castile.

External links:

• National Library of Spain.
• Indirect access to the Library of Congress of the United States of America.
• Direct access to the Library of Congress of the United States of America.

Internal resources: AlfonsoXDeCastilla1265.7Partidas.10642.pdf.

Coriolano Guimera López, «El Conde de Mora y la Heráldica», Hidalguía Magazine, numbers 202 and 203, Ediciones Hidalguía, Madrid, 1987.

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Bibliographical reference of century XX.

The author is Guimera López, Coriolano.

External link:

• Ediciones Hidalguia.

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Luis Valero de Bernabé y Martín de Eugenio, «Análisis de las características generales de la heráldica gentilicia española y de las singularidades heráldicas existentes entre los diversos territorios históricos hispanos», doctoral dissertation, Faculty of Geography and History, Complutense University of Madrid, thesis supervised by Ana Belén Sánchez Prieto, ISBN 978-84-669-3028-4, Madrid, 2007.

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Bibliographical reference of century XXI.

Author: Valero de Bernabé y Martín de Eugenio, Luis.

External resource:

• Complutense University of Madrid.

Internal resources: ValeroBernabeL2007.Tesis.30274.pdf.

Luis Valero de Bernabé y Martín de Eugenio, «Los Castillos en la Heráldica Española», 2009.

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I received this article directly from the author, to whom I am grateful for his kind submission. I consider it a preliminary and preparatory work for the article [Valero de Bernabé, L.; 2009b; pages 32-34] published later.

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Bibliographical reference of century XXI.

The author is Valero de Bernabé y Martín de Eugenio, Luis.

Bibliographic reference mentioned in the following articles:

• Castilian castle
• Edward IV of England; 1461

Internal resources: ValeroBernabeL2009.ElCastilloEnLaHeraldicaEspañola.pdf.

Sigue por: Valero de Bernabé, L.; 2010.