Personal Coat of Arms

The goal of this project was to create a professional crest or coat of arms and applied to the business card, bags, or other promotional items. The inspiration for this unique heraldic design came from the story of my husband and me. We are the first generation who came from China and immigrate to Canada. The elements in this design have different meanings. The twisting Chinese concentric knots and floating ribbons on the sides of the ornate shield were created to reflect infinite love. The letters of the logo on the plain type of the shield were the initials of my husband and me. The symbolic knot connected two letters emphasized that love was fundamental to a stable and harmonious family. Meantime, the bold white logo placed against the black shield created a visual contrast that could easily be seen from a distance. The symbols of the horse and the dog were the shield supporters came from the Chinese zodiac of my husband and me. They represented intellect, courage, and loyalty. The component of the crest and mantle were an old ship, wave, and leaves, which virtually illustrated the identity of immigration and gave the vibes of the historical background of the family story. The compartment was a field of art nouveau leaves that support supporters and the shield. The family motto “No Pain, no gain” was written on a banner over the compartment. The top of the coat of arms was more modernistic and the bottom of the coat of arms was more traditionalist. The combination of two styles emphasized the long-term orientation for the family would be respecting tradition and adapting to the changes in circumstances in the future. The symmetrical layout could portray a feeling of stability, calmness, and dignity. I used Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, and Adobe Capture in the process.

2021

Branding Illustration Iconography

Adobe Illustrator Adobe Photoshop Adobe Capture

Challenge:

The main challenge of this project was to design the icons that represent the identity, history and faith and explain the story behind them.

Target Audience:

People who are family and friends.

Inspiration:

My inspiration came from my early works -- pattern and invitation card design. I used the part of shapes and patterns to design the coat of arms.

Background:

The Chinese concentric knots and floating ribbons symbolized infinite and true love.

The Chinese zodiac, or sheng xiao, refers to the circle of 12 animals. Signs of animals are determined by the lunar year in which you were born. My husband was born in the year of the horse, and I was a dog year baby.