Hatching (Heraldry)

Definition: Hatching, also referred to by the French term hachure, is a standardized method of representing heraldic tinctures (colors) in monochrome formats. Instead of using actual pigments, this system utilizes specific arrangements of dots and lines to signify which color a particular area of a coat of arms should be.

Purpose and Application

This technique is primarily utilized when the reproduction of full color is either impractical, too expensive, or aesthetically undesirable. Common applications include:

Print Media: Specifically woodcuts and engravings.
Numismatics: The design of coins.
Sigillography: The creation of seals.

Historical Evolution

During the Renaissance, various systems were devised to solve the problem of monochrome heraldry. Before hatching became the standard, a method known as tricking was used. ~~Tricking was the primary method~~, but it relied on written abbreviations placed directly on the design.

The modern system we recognize today was formalized in the 1630s through the work of Silvester Petra Sancta and Marcus Vulson de la Colombière. While other early attempts at hatching existed, they failed to achieve widespread adoption.

Comparison of Methods

The relationship between the two primary monochrome systems can be visualized as follows:

Conventional Hatching Systems

The following table outlines the relationship between the tincture and its corresponding visual pattern across different standards.

Tincture Category	Tincture	Modern System	Extended Conventional	Unicode Charts
Metals	Argent (White)	Plain/White	Plain/White	Plain/White
	Or (Gold)	Dots	Dots	Dots
Colours	Gules (Red)	Vertical lines $\vert$	Vertical lines $\vert$	Vertical lines $\vert$
	Sable (Black)	Cross-hatched $\times$	Cross-hatched $\times$	Solid Black
	Azure (Blue)	Horizontal lines $\text{---}$	Horizontal lines $\text{---}$	Horizontal lines $\text{---}$
	Vert (Green)	Diagonal (Right) $45^\circ$	Diagonal (Right) $45^\circ$	Diagonal (Right) $45^\circ$
	Purpure (Purple)	Diagonal (Left) $-45^\circ$	Diagonal (Left) $-45^\circ$	Diagonal (Left) $-45^\circ$
Stains	Murrey (Mulberry)	Complex $\times$ + $\vert$	Complex $\times$ + $\vert$	N/A
	Sanguine (Blood)	Complex $\times$ + $\text{---}$	Complex $\times$ + $\text{---}$	N/A
	Tenné (Tawny)	Complex $\times$ + $45^\circ$	Complex $\times$ + $45^\circ$	N/A
	Orange	N/A	Complex $\times$ + $90^\circ$	N/A
	Rose (Pink)	N/A	Complex $\times$ + $0^\circ$	N/A
	Bleu celeste	N/A	Complex $\times$ + $45^\circ$	N/A

Technical Implementation

In modern digital rendering, these patterns are often simulated using CSS gradients. For example, a vertical line pattern for Gules might be represented as:

.gules-hatching {
  background-image: repeating-linear-gradient(
    90deg, 
    white 0, 
    white 4px, 
    black 4px, 
    black 5px
  );
}

Current Status and Gaps

While the system is comprehensive, some heraldic elements remain undocumented in standard hatching guides.

Identify and document the hatch patterns for cindrée.