Fleur de Lys Symbols

Fleur de Lys Symbols — decorative symbols from Green Stuff World

The heraldic lily is one of the most widespread European symbols: shields, banners, gateways and interior decoration all carry it, and in a fantasy setting it has become the badge of knightly orders. This set holds small castings of the lily that are glued onto a finished surface — onto a figure's shield, onto a door, onto a base or onto the backdrop of a diorama. It is therefore not a decal to be soaked in water, and not a paint; it is a three-dimensional element that creates real relief once glued on and casts a shadow of its own.

How the symbols are fitted

• First sand and degrease the surface the symbol is going onto — on a greasy or dusty surface the joint will not hold.
• Glue with super glue applied in a minimal amount; an excess is squeezed out around the symbol and then shows under the paint.
• Pick the small parts up with tweezers or a moistened toothpick, not with your fingers.
• Try the arrangement out dry first, especially if the symbol is to sit in the middle of a shield or on the axis of a door.
• Once it has dried, apply a primer so that the paint holds equally on the symbol and on the base.

Painting

Relief shows to advantage when the base is darker than the symbol. A base coat works well, then restrained drybrushing or a metallic shade on the edges of the lily, and finally a thin wash that runs around the outline and sets the symbol apart optically from the surface. The symbol does not have to be flawless — worn and tarnished heraldry looks better on a figure than new.

Who it is for

• Modelers of figures and of fantasy knightly units.
• Makers of dioramas with historical or sacred architecture.
• Tabletop gamers who bring the insignia of a whole army into line.

Glue, primer and paints are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise. Small parts do not belong in the hands of small children; super glue holds on skin as well.