Hand-Drawn and Painted 

Coats of Arms & Family Trees 

Our Selection of Painting & Drawing Techniques

At OAL, we create family trees in various formats, including digital versions, but our passion lies in artistic and traditional expressions. We specialize in hand-painted and hand-drawn family trees and coats of arms, crafted with care using four distinct painting and drawing techniques to deliver a personal and timeless masterpiece.

Guide to Choosing the Right Painting Technique

The first step when commissioning your coat of arms or family tree is deciding whether you prefer a coloured, painted version or a black-and-white drawing. Both approaches have their own distinct character and aesthetic, and the choice ultimately depends on your personal style and how you envision the artwork displayed in your home. While equally refined, the two expressions are fundamentally different in mood and presence.

The next decision is to choose between pencil and ink for black-and-white drawings, or between watercolour and acrylic for coloured paintings.

When it comes to heraldic artwork such as coats of arms, we generally recommend a coloured version. Colour is an essential part of heraldry and follows specific rules that make it just as important as the symbols and figures themselves. Colours add depth, identity, and often symbolic meaning, making your coat of arms both distinctive and unmistakable. A coloured version also gives you and your family greater flexibility in how the coat of arms can be used and displayed.

Coats of Arms as Watercolour or Acrylic Paintings

We master both watercolour and acrylic techniques for heraldic paintings, as each offers unique strengths and applications.

Watercolour Painting

Watercolour offers a refined balance of lightness, elegance, and versatility. The technique allows for both transparent and opaque colour layers, giving the artist freedom to create everything from soft transitions to richly detailed areas. While watercolour is often associated with a light and airy expression, it can also achieve colour intensity approaching that of acrylic.

This makes watercolour particularly well suited for heraldic artwork used in family trees and genealogical charts, where precision and a classical artistic style are essential. The transparent layers and subtle detailing create an organic, living expression that gives the coat of arms a timeless elegance.

Acrylic Painting

Acrylic is ideal if you are seeking a bold, saturated expression with depth and intensity. This technique is especially effective for coats of arms with strong shapes and high contrast, where colour strength enhances authority and visual impact.

Acrylic paint is known for its excellent coverage and colour permanence, allowing artists to work over darker areas with ease. This makes it well suited for adjustments during the process. However, once acrylic paint has dried, it becomes permanent — meaning that even small errors may require restarting the painting. By contrast, watercolour is generally more forgiving, as corrections are often possible even after the paint has dried.

Both techniques deliver impressive results. The choice ultimately depends on which style best represents you and your heritage. The intended size of the artwork also plays a role: acrylic is generally preferred for larger paintings, as watercolour can appear less flattering on very large surfaces.

As a standard recommendation, we suggest A3 size for coats of arms. For family trees, which often contain many fine details and individual elements, we typically favour watercolour. The technique allows for greater precision and finesse compared to acrylic, which is crucial for highlighting intricate details in both coats of arms and genealogical artwork.

Pencil or Ink Drawings

When choosing between pencil and ink for your family tree or coat of arms, the decision centres on the expression that best aligns with your vision.

Pencil Drawing

Pencil offers a soft, classical, and highly detailed expression. It is ideal if you prefer a subtle and nuanced style, where shading and gentle transitions enhance fine details and create depth. The flexibility of pencil makes it particularly well suited for motifs that require precision combined with an organic, hand-crafted feel.

Ink Drawing

Ink provides a sharp, graphic, and timeless expression. Clean lines and strong contrast emphasise structure and form. This technique demands precision and confidence, as corrections are nearly impossible without leaving visible marks.

For this reason, it is essential that the digital layout is thoroughly reviewed before the drawing process begins. This ensures that all details — such as lettering, numbers, and symbols — are accurate and correctly positioned from the outset. Ink drawing is especially suited for those seeking a refined, authoritative, and traditional presentation of their family tree or coat of arms.

Your choice between pencil and ink depends on whether you are drawn to the soft elegance of pencil or the crisp precision of ink. Both techniques have distinct strengths and can be tailored to meet your preferences.

Choosing the Right Size

Selecting the appropriate size for your coat of arms or family tree depends on both your vision and the desired visual impact. As a standard, we recommend A3 for coats of arms, as this size highlights detail while maintaining a balanced presence suitable for display.

For a more striking and exclusive expression, A2 is an excellent choice, offering strong visual impact and a commanding presence on the wall.

We also offer full flexibility and can create your coat of arms in almost any size and on a wide range of surfaces — including large-scale wall or ceiling murals that integrate the design directly into the architectural space.

For family trees, the number of individuals and symbols plays a significant role in determining size. The more names and details involved, the larger the format should be to ensure readability and aesthetic balance. We are happy to advise you in finding the solution that best suits both your needs and your space.

Choosing the Right Paper

The choice of paper plays a crucial role in both the appearance and longevity of your coat of arms or family tree. The right paper enhances details, colours, and textures while ensuring your artwork remains beautiful for many years to come. We offer several carefully selected paper types, each with unique properties:

1. Handmade Parchment

Parchment is an exclusive and historically authentic medium made from calf or goatskin. It provides a classical and noble expression that reinforces the tradition and value behind a coat of arms or family tree. Choosing parchment involves an additional cost, which we always calculate and communicate before confirming your order.

Parchment is a specialist material that must be pre-ordered, which may affect delivery time. It is ideal for those seeking a timeless, medieval-inspired appearance reminiscent of historic heraldic documents. Parchment works particularly well for pencil and ink drawings as well as watercolour paintings.

Formats up to approximately DIN A3 are usually manageable, while larger sizes become increasingly demanding and costly due to the complexity of executing fine details. For larger formats, we are happy to discuss both practical and financial considerations with you.

2. Acid-Free Fine Art Paper

Designed to preserve colour and detail without yellowing or degradation over time, this paper features a smooth surface ideal for detailed ink drawings and acrylic painting. It delivers a modern, professional finish.

3. Watercolour Paper

Specially manufactured to absorb water-based media, watercolour paper enables vibrant colours and smooth transitions. Its textured surface creates an organic look well suited for detailed heraldic artwork.

4. Canvas Paper

For a more robust and textured surface reminiscent of traditional oil paintings, canvas paper is an excellent choice. It is particularly well suited for acrylic painting and gives your coat of arms a powerful and exclusive appearance.

5. White Drawing Paper

White drawing paper offers high contrast between line and background, making it ideal for pencil and ink drawings where clarity and sharpness are essential. It also enhances colour vibrancy in heraldic paintings.

This paper is especially suitable for digital applications, such as private logos, printed publications, or web design. The clean white background provides a modern and professional expression that adapts easily across formats.

Tailored Guidance

If you are uncertain which technique, size, or paper type best suits your project, we are here to guide you. Together, we will find the solution that best highlights your coat of arms or family tree — creating a unique work of art you can be proud to display.