Heraldic design is a very complicated art form. A coat of arms, or achievement, consists of the shield (or arms, hence the name), the helm and crest (placed on top of the shield), the mantling which flows from the top of the helm, and the manteau or background cloth. Supporters, torse (twisted two-coloured cloth), a motto in black text on a white background, and often a background tincture complete the coat of arms (often confusingly referred to as a crest), the supporters holding the shield in place. The general rule of heraldic design is that the things that are different will stand out. Strong and distinguishable colours are used, and many shields are simple, with only one tincture and one metal (gold or silver) being used. A tincture should not be placed on another tincture, and a metal should not be placed on another metal. It is important to also consider the colours’ qualities, with warmer colours being put further forward and cooler colours often being used as a background.
The only necessary part of a coat of arms is the shield. Virtually all coats of arms also have a crest, however, and many people are more aware of their crest than they are of their shield. The entire coat of arms should be compact, with the shield being roughly one half the height of the overall achievement. The shield may be one of a wide variety of shapes, although the classics are heater and French (the elements page uses heater-shaped shields). Fur patterns are also common in heraldry, such as Ermine (black tails on white). Charges can adopt a number of attitudes and positions, but the most common may be the fighting position rampant. There are many complicated elements in heraldry, but not all of them are in common use. Some are pictured on the Elements page.