Supporters

Supporters are things placed either side of the shield, or behind it and are intended (not always successfully) to appear to be holding it up.

Supporters can be any charges, if they are both the same then sinister version is automatically reversed.

There can be from one to three supporters, introduced by the word supporters, followed by an optional location and then followed a normal description of a charge.

A simple example, with the same charge either side is:

supporters two lions gules

It is also possible to have different supporters either side, using the following words:

supporters to the dexter (a charge) to the sinister (a charge)

Again the charge on the sinister side will be automatically reversed.

To place a charge behind the shield use the location as follows:

supporter in the centre (a charge)

(You can also use of the middle or behind which mean the same thing). With supporters behind the shield it is highly likely you will need to adjust both the size and location of the shield itself using the artist hints, for example:

azure a bend or supporter in the center a garter gules the shield shown much smaller and much higher

Charges may have all their usual features and may also be charged with additional charges and have Artist Hints applied.