Book Of Traceable Heraldic Art

References: Defaults | Proper | SFCPs | Problematic | Unregistrable

Proper Tinctures

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SENA section A.3.B.1. provides the following definition:

Proper is a term used for a charge in its "natural" or "standard" tincture. ... A list of proper tinctures is found in the Glossary of Terms. ... In general, charges that do not have a heraldically defined proper may be described as proper when a normal person would be able to color them appropriately from knowing only the sort of item with no further color description.

Field Divisions

Per Chevron: Green leaves, brown trunk

Ordinaries

Bend: Or

Shapes & Symbols

Cinquefoil (Shape): One lobe to chief
Cross (Charge): Brown wood
Quatrefoil (Shape): One lobe to chief (Quatrefoil (Shape)); crosswise (Quatrefoil (Shape) Voided)

The World & Heavens

Flame: Alternating tongues of gules and Or
Mount: Vert
Mountain: Vert

Plants

Acanthus: Green
Acorn: Brown (Two Acorns Slips Conjoined Issuant from a Trimount, Acorn); brown nut, green leaves (Acorn Slipped & Leaved)
Aloe Vera: Green
Ash: Brown wood and green leaves
Aspen: Green leaves
Banana: Or
Beech: Brown wood, green leaves
Belladona: Purple flowers, green leaves
Birch: Green leaves
Branch: Brown wood
Broom: Vert
Bush: Brown wood, green leaves
Cattail: Green stem and leaves, brown head
Cherry: Red fruit, green stem and leaves
Chrysanthemum: Green
Clove: Brown
Columbine: Blue petals, green stem
Créquier: Brown wood, green leaves
Cucumber: Vert
Daffodil: Yellow bloom, green stem
Daisy: Argent seeded Or
Dandelion: Or slipped vert
Elder: Brown wood, green leaves; berries are typically purple or blue, but some varieties are red or white
Elderflower: Brown wood, green leaves; berries are typically purple or blue, but some varieties are red or white
Fig: Green (Fig Leaf); brown wood, green leaves; figs come in many colors so the tincture of the fruit must be explicitly blazoned (Fig Sprig Fructed)
Firewood: Brown
Flax: Blue or purple flowers, green leaves and stems
Garlic: Bulb argent, stem and leaves vert
Gentian: Azure flowers, green leaves
Gillyflower: Green leaves, with a red bloom
Ginkgo: Green
Grape: Green leaves
Hazel: Brown nuts and stems, green leaves
Heather: Green leaves and stems, flowers may be white, pink, or purple
Hemp: Vert (Hemp Leaf); green leaves (Sprig of Hemp)
Holly: Green leaves, red fruit (Three Holly Leaves In Pall); green (Holly Leaf)
Hop: Green
Ivy: Green leaves, brown wood (Wreath Of Ivy, Ivy Vine, Wreath of Ivy); green leaves (Ivy Leaf)
Juniper: Green stem and leaves, blue berries
Lady's Mantle: Green leaves
Laurel: Green
Lavender: Purple flowers, green stem
Leek: Bulb argent, stem and leaves vert
Lemon: Gold fruit, green leaf
Lettuce: Vert
Lilac: Purple flowers, green stem and leaves
Linden: Green leaves (Linden Branch, Linden Leaf Inverted Slipped to Base, Linden Leaf Inverted, Linden Branch of Three Leaves Throughout Bendwise, Linden Branch Twined on Itself, Linden Leaf, Linden Tree Eradicated); green leaves, brown trunk (Linden Tree Issuant from Base, Linden Tree, Linden Leaf Issuant from a Ragged Staff, Linden Tree Eradicated); green (Three Linden Leaves Conjoined In Pall)
Mallow: Green leaves and stems, flowers purple or white
Mandrake: Green plant, pink or argent skin
Maple: Green leaves, brown wood (Sprig of Maple Leaves, Maple Leaf); green leaves (Maple Leaf)
Mistletoe: Green foliage, red berries
Nettle: Green
Nopal: Green with red or purple flowers and fruit
Oak: Brown wood, green leaves, brown acorns (Oak Sprig, Oak Sprig Fructed, Oak Tree Fructed, Oak Tree, Oak Tree Eradicated, Oak Tree Fructed and Eradicated); green leaves (Six Oak Leaves In Annulo, Oak Leaf)
Olive: Brown wood, green leaves, green fruit (Olive Tree, Olive Branch Fructed); green (Olive Slipped and Leaved, Olive)
Onion: Bulb explicitly blazoned, stem and leaves vert
Orange: Brown wood, green leaves, orange fruit
Palm: Brown wood, green leaves
Pea: Green
Pear: Brown wood, green leaves
Pine: Brown wood, green leaves
Plane: Brown wood, green leaves
Poplar: Green leaves, brown stems
Quince: Gold with green stem and leaves
Rose: Gules, barbed vert, seeded Or
Rowan: Green leaves and stem (Rowan Leaf); brown wood, red berries (Cluster of Rowan Berries); green leaves, brown wood, red berries (Rowan Tree Eradicated, Rowan Tree)
Rue: Green leaves and stem
Sprig: Green
Strawberry: Green leaves (Strawberry Leaf, 3 Strawberry Leaves); red fruit, green stem (Strawberry); green leaves, red fruit (Strawberry Plant)
Sunflower: Yellow petals, brown or black seeds, green leaves and stem
Tabacco: Green leaves, flower color varies
Thistle: Green leaves and ball, with a purple (or sometimes red) bloom
Thorn: Brown wood
Tree: Brown wood, green leaves (Tree Issuant From A Mount, Tree Fructed, Tree Eradicated Roots and Branches Nowed, Hurst of Trees Issuant from a Mount, Tree Eradicated, Hurst of Trees Couped, Tree); brown wood (Tree Trunk Eradicated, Tree Blasted and Eradicated, Tree Stump Eradicated, Tree Blasted)
Turnip: Green leaves, root purple on top and white below
Willow: Brown wood, green leaves
Wreath: Green

Invertebrates

Bee: Body Or with sable stripes, wings argent
Ladybird: Gules marked sable
Wasp: Unstated, but may follow that of the bee, body Or with sable stripes, wings argent

Fishes

Dolphin: Green with red fins (Winged Dolphin, Dolphin, Dolphin Haurient); gray (Natural Dolphin)

Reptiles

Caduceus: Brown wooden staff, green serpents

Birds

Auk: Sable with argent belly
Crow: Sable
Dove: Argent, with gules (or pink) feet and beak
Falcon: Brown
Flamingo: Pink or red
Magpie: Sable, with argent belly and wing tips
Moorcock: Black with white markings
Owl: Brown, unless owl is blazoned as a type with distinctive coloration (e
Peacock: Blue and green (Peacock One Leg Raised, Peacock In His Pride, Peacock); azure and vert (Peacock Sword Feather, Peacock Feather)
Penguin: Black body, white belly and markings
Poppinjay: Green with red beak and details
Puffin: Belly argent, wings sable, beak and legs Or
Raven: Sable
Wing: Body Or with sable stripes, wings argent

Beasts

Bear: Brown fur
Beaver: Brown
Boar: Brown
Doe: Brown
Elephant: Argent, or gray with white tusks
Elk: Brown
Fox: Gules, with sable feet and argent tail tip
Lamb: Argent, haloed Or, bearing a banner argent marked with a cross gules
Lion: Or
Mole: Brown
Otter: Brown, perhaps; best to blazon explicitly
Porcupine: Brown
Rabbit: Brown
Reindeer: Brown
Skunk: Sable marked argent
Stag: Brown

Arm: Only if skin tone is blazoned (Arm In Armor Fesswise Embowed Brandishing A Sword, Arm Couped Maintaining a Dagger, Arm Vested Fesswise, Two Arms Issuant with Hands Clasped, Arm in Armor Embowed, Arm Vested Fesswise Maintaining a Gemmed Ring, Arm Vested Fesswise With A Hand Of Benediction, Arm Couped with Fingers Extended, Cubit Arm with Fingers Extended, Cubit Arm in Armor, Arm Couped and Vested Maintaining a Dagger, Pair of Arms Vested, Pair of Arms Vested Maintaining an Annulet, Arm Couped Maintaining a Torch, Arm Couped, Arm Embowed Maintaining a Scimitar, Cubit Arm, Two Arms Vested Issuant with Hands Clasped, Arm Fesswise Maintaining A Club, Arm Fesswise Couped Maintaining A Scarf, Arm Embowed); only if skin tone is blazoned; clothing must be explicitly blazoned (Arm Vested, Cubit Arm Vested)
Bone: Argent
Foot: Only if skin tone is blazoned
Hand: Only if skin tone is blazoned
Leg: Only if skin tone is blazoned
Skeleton: Argent
Skull: Argent
Tail: Or
Tongue: Gules
Tusk: Brown (Boar's Tusk); argent, or gray with white tusks (Elephant's Tusk)

People

Angel: Only if skin tone is blazoned
Breast: Only if skin tone is blazoned, goutes explicitly blazoned
Child: Only if skin tone is blazoned, sable hair
Crucifix: Brown wood; human figure must be blazoned
Fist: Only if skin tone is blazoned
Fool: Only if skin tone is blazoned, costume blazoned separately
Gorgon: Only if skin tone is blazoned, serpents blazoned separately
Hercules: Only if skin tone is blazoned, sable hair, golden lion, brown wooden club
Janus: Only if skin tone is blazoned
Man: Only if skin tone is blazoned, sable hair (Man Seated Upon a Throne, Armed Demi-Man Drawing a Bow, Man Vested and Maintaining a Scythe, Nude Man, Man's Head Cabossed, Armed Man, Man Hooded and Robed with Arms Extended, Man Robed, Man In A Boat Holding Arrows Inverted, Hooded Man Maintaining a Bowl and Staff, Demi-Man Vested, Man Vested); only if skin tone is blazoned (Hooded Man's Head Couped at the Shoulders, Man's Head Couped Maintaining a Crown, Man's Head Couped, Man's Head Wearing a Hat Issuant from Base, Man's Head Couped at the Shoulders Wearing a Hat, Man's Head Couped Maintaining a Hat); skin brown, sable hair (Moor's Head Couped at the Shoulders); only if skin tone is blazoned, leaves vert (Savage's Head Affronty); only if skin tone is blazoned, sable sable (Man's Head Couped at the Shoulders)
Melusine: Tail green; human portion only if skin tone is blazoned
Mermaid: Tail green; human portion only if skin tone is blazoned (Mermaid Maintaining a Harp, Mermaid in Her Modesty, Mermaid In Her Vanity, Mermaid); human half only if skin tone is blazoned, tail vert (Mermaid)
Merman: Tail green; human portion only if skin tone is blazoned
Monk: Only if skin tone is blazoned, sable hair
Moor: Skin brown, sable hair
Saracen: Only if skin tone is blazoned, sable hair
Savage: Only if skin tone is blazoned, leaves vert
Seraph: Only if skin tone is blazoned; red hair, and rainbow-colored wings
Tooth: Argent
Viking: Only if skin tone is blazoned, hair yellow
Woman: Only if skin tone is blazoned (Nude Woman, Woman's Head Couped Maintaining a Fillet and Veil, Woman's Head Couped Maintaining a Crown and Veil, Nude Woman's Head Couped at the Shoulders, Woman's Head Couped and Hooded Facing Dexter, Woman Mounted on a Bear Passant, Woman Cloaked and Hooded, Woman's Head Couped at the Shoulders, Woman's Head Couped, Woman Issuant from Base, Woman); only if skin tone is blazoned, sable hair (Woman's Head Coifed and Couped at the Shoulders); only if skin tone is blazoned, costume blazoned separately (Woman's Head Couped at the Shoulders)
Wound: Gules

Food

Barrel: Brown wood
Bread: Brown
Churn: Brown wood
Cleaver: Blade argent, handle Or or brown wood
Cornucopia: Brown, with fruits in their natural colors
Kettle Hook: Black iron
Knife: Blade argent, handle Or or brown wood
Pretzel: Brown
Scoop: Brown wood
Trammel Hook: Black iron

Clothing

Boot: Brown leather
Needle: Brown wood
Shoe: Brown leather
Shuttle: Brown wood
Spindle: Brown wood, thread blazoned separately
Wool Comb: Brown wood

Tools

Board: Brown wood
Hammer: Sable head and brown wood handle
Hod: Brown wood
Mallet: Sable head and brown wood handle

Buildings

Arch: Argent stone (Arch Stooped, Pair of Arches, Arch); argent stone, brown wood (Arch with Open Doors, Arch Stooped with Open Doors)
Boardwalk: Brown wood
Castle: Gray or argent stone
Chair: Brown wood
Chest: Brown wood
Drawbridge: Brown wood
Fountain: Gray or argent stone
Keystone: Grey stone
Obelisk: Argent stone
Sepulcher Stone: Argent stone
Siege Tower: Argent or gray
Stool: Brown wood
Table: Brown wood
Tower: Argent or gray
Wall: Gray or argent stone
Well: Gray or argent stone

Arts & Sciences

Bauble: Brown wood, argent or pink face, explicitly-blazoned vestments
Book: Argent pages, brown leather cover
Drum: Brown wood, argent skin
Drumstick: Brown wood
Frame: Brown wood
Hautboy: Brown wood
Paintbrush: Brown wood handle, sable bristles
Thyrsus: Brown wood, wreathed vert

Farming

Bucket: Brown wood
Carriage Frame: Brown wood
Gate: Brown wood
Hayfork: Brown wood
Mill: Gray or argent stone
Pitchfork: Brown wood
Rake: Brown wood
Saddle: Brown leather
Shovel: Brown wood
Spade: Brown wood
Tub: Brown wood
Wagon: Brown wood

Ships & Fishing

Caravel: Brown wood
Drakkar: Brown wood, sails blazoned separately
Hulk: Brown wood
Lymphad: Brown wood
Oar: Brown wood
Trireme: Brown wood, sails blazoned separately

Military

Armor Stand: Brown wood
Catapult: Brown wood
Claymore: Blade argent, hilt Or
Club: Brown wood
Cutlass: Blade argent, hilt Or
Dagger: Blade argent, hilt Or
Grenade: Sphere sable, flames alternately or and gules
Handgun: Brown wood, black metal
Rapier: Blade argent, hilt Or
Scimitar: Blade argent, hilt Or
Sword: Blade argent, hilt Or
War Hammer: Sable head and brown wood handle
War Wagon: Brown wood
Zulfikar: Blade argent, hilt Or

Assorted Objects

Firebrand: Brown wood, flames alternating gules and Or
Rod: Brown wood
Smoking Pipe: Brown wood
Staff: Brown wood
Wheel: Brown wood