need advice on creating new chapter insignia.

[Dark_Angel_Dragon85]

Hey Guys

As I write up the back story of my custom chapter, I'm seeking advice on how to create a insignia for my custom chapter, what tools or deigns sites are there I can use to make my chapter insignia 


Cheers.

[Xenith]

What's the eventual goal? 3d print, make your own transfers, or just make the design to freehand it? I think the desired end product will influence the method needed. 

[apologist]

Whether you intend to use transfers, modelled icons or freehand, I recommend something that's clear and simple. To help ensure something is distinguishable at a distance, I'd also advise that you take some notes from some rules of traditional heraldry, namely:

• The majority of components should be large, simple and composed of as few colours as possible.
• The main design should cover the majority of the space available on the pauldron (or other area).

Looking for existing designs or combinations of design on transfer sheets is a good place to find inspiration. Many of the campaign/insignia badges of the big Chapter sheets would be lovely as Chapter insignia.

[NovemberIX]

Application wise, I'd suggest using Inkscape, it's an open-source vector graphics editor. This'll help future proof you in case you want to later print or otherwise scale your insignia. It will also allow you to trace bitmaps and convert a raster graphic into a (usually rough) vector one. I'd say take a look around at clip art sites as you might find element you want to work into your own insignia.

[Firedrake Cordova]

I second the suggestion of using a vector graphic editor (it means retaining quality whilst scaling is easier).

 

For inspiration, these might help:

Loyalist Legions (A-L): https://warhammer40k.fandom.com/wiki/Pictorial_List_of_Space_Marine_Chapters_(A-L)

Loyalist Legions (M-Z): https://warhammer40k.fandom.com/wiki/Pictorial_List_of_Space_Marine_Chapters_(M-Z)

Edited March 19, 2021 by Firedrake Cordova

[NiceGuyAdi]

Vector graphic editor again from here. You want to be able to scale it really big (for vehicles) or really small (pauldrons) without losing quality.

 

My chapter's insignia went through at least eight iterations before I settled. Knowing the back story can help inform the insignia; my marines are cruel, bordering on sadistic, and full of a sense of their own superiority. They're organised into a pair of brotherhoods, so a paired ouroboros (serpent eating its own tail) seemed to fit in an abstract way:

 

 

I found the icon through a long Google Images search, then used Adobe Illustrator to trace, reassemble into a pair and colour it.

[Inquisitor_Lensoven]

Knowing the name and a brief background would help us help you.

My chapter Angels de Mari or Angels of the Sea uses a trident for their chapter symbol, they come from a world mostly made up of water with lots of archipelagos and relatively small continents (which are still largely swamps) as an example.

Edited March 26, 2021 by Inquisitor_Lensoven