A Shield and Beast

[Bugbear]

A while back, in my heraldic beasts thread, Mike_Oettle and I discussed a zebra on a shield as used by a South African commando unit that has now been disbanded.
I had been looking for a zebra to use as my avatar, zebras are symbolically special to me, and Mike said he had this picture.
He has changed the background from red to blue, which serendipitously is exactly what I would have wanted.

I don't know that this would be seen as arms, that's not really my intention, but I suppose it is a sort of heraldry.
Much thinks to Mike, and I'm relying on you all's comments; it is my understanding this is the head of a zebra on the blue shield.
My only suggestion might be, as a symbol, to ad a patch of brown color to the bottom of the shield below the zebra as the ground or earth.

So what do you all think?

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

If it can be blazoned-- it's heraldry:

azure, issuing from the sinister side of the shield a zebra's head couped at the shoulder, proper.

So there. Advance it on shield and banner without the let or hindrance of any manner of man or men, whatsoever.

If you are thinking of adding a mound to the base of the shield, I'd suggest that you have the zebra forcene (that is rearing up on it's hind legs) on it, as this will add better balance to the over-all design.

[Bugbear]

If it can be blazoned-- it's heraldry:

azure, issuing from the sinister side of the shield a zebra's head couped at the shoulder, proper.

So there. Advance it on shield and banner without the let or hindrance of any manner of man or men, whatsoever.

If you are thinking of adding a mound to the base of the shield, I'd suggest that you have the zebra forcene (that is rearing up on it's hind legs) on it, as this will add better balance to the over-all design.

Thank you, MacMillan of Rathdown.

The Rearing zebra was what I had originally envisioned, as you have described, and I did attempt to make a ceramic tile depicting this a long time back. It had flaws in the prospective and proportions.

I'll see if I can dig up the picture.

[YoungMan]

Maybe something like this:

[Bugbear]

This should be the picture of the tile I made back before I joined the forum, and the pin Moosedog sent me later on.

[Bugbear]

Maybe something like this:

Thanks, I have saved the picture.

What do you all think?

[sydnie7]

Maybe it's just me, but the idea of putting a "mound of brown" beneath the rearing zebra instantly brought another scenario to mind. . . guess that means I should go join MacLowlife in the gutter LOL

[Bugbear]

Maybe it's just me, but the idea of putting a "mound of brown" beneath the rearing zebra instantly brought another scenario to mind. . . guess that means I should go join MacLowlife in the gutter LOL

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

Maybe it's just me, but the idea of putting a "mound of brown" beneath the rearing zebra instantly brought another scenario to mind. . . guess that means I should go join MacLowlife in the gutter LOL

While the visual might be, uh, subject to interpretation, the blazon would read, azure upon a mound of earth in base proper a zebra forcene, also proper.

Perhaps with the motto: I've earned my stripes.

[Bugbear]

While the visual might be, uh, subject to interpretation, the blazon would read, azure upon a mound of earth in base proper a zebra forcene, also proper.

Perhaps with the motto: I've earned my stripes.

Thank you for writing out the blazon.

And yes, the stripes are important, but so is the sky and ground.