Glagolitic script, Coats of arms and Croatian braiding ornament

The works that I enjoy immensely, are those that combine calligraphy, heraldry and symbolism – they excite me the most because of their complexity – I will present you several works with these similar design elements, to show You what I mean.

Croatian braiding ornament is a beautiful design element. Demanding and complicated to make, one of the national pride symbols of the Croatian people, in our national colours – red, white and blue.

The Croatian people are also proud of our national alphabet, which dates back to the 9th century – it is the Glagolitic alphabet, which, along with Latin and Croatian Cyrillic scripts, was in use until the 19th century.

So, I think that one’s name in Glagolitic script, surrounded with the Croatian braiding ornament AND with coats of arms is simply – a perfect combination!

My first such work, which combines these elements, was a gift for a host, where my friend was staying in Armenia, during a student exchange a few years ago. She came up with a symbolic gift of friendship, which I enthusiastically made –

- so it contains the name of the host in Glagolitic script. The surrounding edge is a braiding pattern in Croatian colors, intertwined with a braiding ornament in the colors of the Armenian flag. I also inserted an Armenian star below. Although I haven’t saved any better photos, I can happily say the gift was a real hit!

Next, similar commission came as a gift from a Wife of an immigrant from Croatia, from the City of Rijeka, for Her husband. Luckily, I have more good pictures from this work, so I’m putting them here.

It was requested that the work contains: a family name in Glagolitic script, a Croatian braiding ornament on the edge – in Croatian colors, combined with the colors of the City of Rijeka. And to insert the mountain, the sea and the boat. In the upper edge, the coat of arms of the City of Rijeka, in the lower, the ideal element – the coat of arms of the Primorje-Gorski County.

I enjoyed all the parts of the making, and I am glad to say that my clients enjoy their order 🙂

I am adding another calligraphy- heraldy jewell here – the first coat of arms, that is ordered with the Croatian braiding ornament surrounding it. On the banner above writes the family name in Glagolitic. It turned out wonderful, and my client is very happy!

What follows is the most demanding combination I’ve made so far – detailed work, made as a gift for the jubilee, 40th birthday. 

Design elements were agreed, a sketch was approved, after which I started making it. I drew the sketch carefully, because once you start painting that braided ornament with a brush, it’s easy to get tangled. Who does not believe, let him try ;-).

It is a gift for a son – His name in Glagolitic script, bordered with a Croatian braiding ornament in national colours. Above is the historical coat of arms of Croatia, and below are the coats of arms of the municipalities of St Jana and Klis.

This is the first layer of paint ...
And this is after a few of them 🙂
I further complicated things, by not only painting with the braids acrylic, but also additionally edging them with thick antique inks that are quite difficult to apply. I completed the overall impression with my trademark, the golden Winsor & Newton ink.

It’s hard to catch all those details and shine with a mobile phone, but I hope You got at least a small impression, and maybe an idea for Yourself or someone dear to You :-).

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