June 2024 – Techniques of Digital Heraldry

Agenda for the Heraldic Technology Roundtable

[Update July 1:] I’ve written up some fairly-detailed notes from this weekend’s discussion.

A couple of months ago I posted a proposal for a panel discussion of SCA heraldic software development, which will take place this weekend at KWHSS 2024 (June 29 at 3:30 PM).

I’ve put together the below agenda to help focus the discussion, although of course we’ll play it by ear during the session depending on who shows up and what folks think are productive topics for conversation

All of the Field Only Armory

The publication of this year’s updates to the Field Only Armoury Project are as good reason as any to point people towards this fabulous resource.

Vémundr Syvursson of An Tir has illustrated all 270 field-only badges and devices in the SCA’s heraldic database — all of the armory that consists only of a divided or decorated field, often with various complex lines, treatments, and furs, but without any heraldic charges arranged on top.

Enhanced Readability for the CoA Website

As part of an ongoing effort to update the SCA’s heraldry website, I spent some time this afternoon working on a set of proposed changes to improve the site’s readability.

The existing design hasn’t been significantly updated since it was rolled out more than a decade ago, which leaves it out of synch with two significant changes in computing equipment that occurred over the intervening years:

On the desktop, pixel resolutions increased faster than screen sizes, with the result that many displays moved from 72dpi to 96dpi, and a line of text that is 16 pixels high now appears smaller than it used to.
Mobile devices have moved from the margins to play a key role of the information ecosystem, and it’s entirely commonplace for a website to be viewed on a screen that’s only three inches wide.

As a result, the current CoA website can be difficult to read in both circumstances:

Traceable Art Summer Update

I’ve been remiss in not posting updates about the Traceable Heraldic Art collection lately, with the last announcement having been almost nine months ago, but new material has been quietly added in fits and starts throughout that period, with over 250 new images uploaded since September.

That pace wouldn’t be possible without the kind contributors who agree to share their lovely illustrations with the heraldic community. The biggest single batch arrived from Iago ab Adam, who created vector versions of two dozen images from John Guillim’s original 1610 manuscript for A Display of Heraldry. I am also grateful to Malyss Makneile, who traced images from multiple sources to create a portfolio that I am still working through.

Making a Sheet Wall Panel for East Kingdom Royal at Pennsic

For local branches in the East Kingdom, the royal encampment at Pennsic provides a lovely opportunity for heraldic display. Traditionally, each barony, province, shire, canton and riding is invited to create a fabric panel displaying their arms, and the collection is hung side-by-side around the edge of the camp to represent the populace while providing a modicum of security and privacy.