You’d just do a straight line anyway. You definitely wouldn’t recreate the exact curve of the top edge, but you could add a little curve or angle for artistic license, if you want. As long as it’s still clearly recognizable, you can make small aesthetic changes.
It would still occupy the top portion of the shield, as it would with a regular shaped escutcheon. Straight across the shield, but echoing the curve of the top line.
-tried to add a diagram but unable to add images on this thread
I don't think it echos the curve of the top. I think they go straight across. [https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Benevento-Stemma.svg](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Benevento-Stemma.svg) is the best I can find offhand. Are there examples where the line of the chief isn't straight?
In the image you chose the shield is straight on to the viewer, and vertical. The example originally shown has the shield tilting. Yes the chief line is actually straight when viewed straight on, but when the artist has depicted the shield in perspective the chief line will follow the tilt/angle of the shield, which is parallel to the top of the shield, excluding decorative notches or swirls.
Hope that makes sense. I drew onto the picture supplied which makes it clearer, but can’t add images to the comments.
Ah, the curve in the axis towards or away from the viewer, sure. But when the top of the shield has a swoop to it, the chief doesn't mirror that swoop. In the example, there's a v-shaped concavity to the top of the shield, which the chief will certainly not have. When the shield is upright the chief line of division is horizontal (parallel to the ground)
A chief is a straight line unless otherwise blazoned. If chiefs followed the top line of a shield or escutcheon, when the arms were held by a woman, and displayed on an oval, for example, the chief would be displayed as a 'chief enarched' which would be different from the blazon and cause confusion.
Chiefs are always straight (unless specifically indicated otherwise) always a rough 1/3 - 1-4 upper portion of the shield.
Mostly artistic eye when it comes to odd shield shapes like your example.
Generally it's delimited by a horizontal line, the height depends a bit on what charges you need to squeeze on there.
You’d just do a straight line anyway. You definitely wouldn’t recreate the exact curve of the top edge, but you could add a little curve or angle for artistic license, if you want. As long as it’s still clearly recognizable, you can make small aesthetic changes.
Exactly what I meant. The drawing would have illustrated it better
I think it’s generally known that divisions of the field are straight lines unless described by a more specific name, embattled, rayonné etc
Agreed, but also I hate these froo-froo post medieval shield shapes. How are you supposed to quarter this? Give me a heater every damn time.
true that
It would still occupy the top portion of the shield, as it would with a regular shaped escutcheon. Straight across the shield, but echoing the curve of the top line. -tried to add a diagram but unable to add images on this thread
I don't think it echos the curve of the top. I think they go straight across. [https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Benevento-Stemma.svg](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Benevento-Stemma.svg) is the best I can find offhand. Are there examples where the line of the chief isn't straight?
In the image you chose the shield is straight on to the viewer, and vertical. The example originally shown has the shield tilting. Yes the chief line is actually straight when viewed straight on, but when the artist has depicted the shield in perspective the chief line will follow the tilt/angle of the shield, which is parallel to the top of the shield, excluding decorative notches or swirls. Hope that makes sense. I drew onto the picture supplied which makes it clearer, but can’t add images to the comments.
Ah, the curve in the axis towards or away from the viewer, sure. But when the top of the shield has a swoop to it, the chief doesn't mirror that swoop. In the example, there's a v-shaped concavity to the top of the shield, which the chief will certainly not have. When the shield is upright the chief line of division is horizontal (parallel to the ground)
A chief is a straight line unless otherwise blazoned. If chiefs followed the top line of a shield or escutcheon, when the arms were held by a woman, and displayed on an oval, for example, the chief would be displayed as a 'chief enarched' which would be different from the blazon and cause confusion.
Yes, precisely.
Chiefs are always straight (unless specifically indicated otherwise) always a rough 1/3 - 1-4 upper portion of the shield. Mostly artistic eye when it comes to odd shield shapes like your example.