Author Topic: Jade Falcon Unit Insignia (Read 26665 times)

Bren · « **on:** 29 October 2015, 07:49:09 »

Trying to scrape off some rust ... figured I'd try to interpret some of the descriptions of Clan insignia. If anyone has any input I'd love to hear it.

I plan to keep adding to the lot as time goes on.


1st Falcon Striker Cluster	305th Assault Cluster	12th Falcon Regulars Cluster

4th Falcon Velites Cluster	3rd Talon Cluster	94th Striker Cluster

2nd Falcon Jaegers	124th Striker Cluster	5th Battle Cluster

Turkina Keshik		7th Falcon Regulars Cluster

Bren · « **Reply #1 on:** 29 October 2015, 07:53:33 »

1st Falcon Striker Cluster; 'a peregrine in full pursuit of a larger flying reptile'

305th Assault Cluster; 'a swooping red falcon trailing a ring of blood around a shadowed green world'

12th Falcon Regulars Cluster; 'a jade talon gripping a blue world shadowed by ice'

Flieger · « **Reply #2 on:** 30 October 2015, 13:00:13 »

Very nice. :)

DarkSpade · « **Reply #3 on:** 30 October 2015, 17:51:28 »

My thoughts:

#1 This one looks great on its own. As a Jade Falcon emblem, The colors just seem wrong for the bird.

#2 I still like the planet, the bird, and the trail. It's the background blob that just doesn't work. Leave that out and I think it's perfect.

#3 Tone back the ice a little(but not too much), and maybe detail the planet a bit. Check out pics of Neptune. I don't think it fits the idea of "shadowed by ice," but that sounds silly anyway. I like your idea better.

Takiro · « **Reply #4 on:** 30 October 2015, 19:02:34 »

Nice job!

Bren · « **Reply #5 on:** 30 October 2015, 22:16:09 »

For the 1st Strikers - I did struggle with the colours a bit, but I'm not sure what other direction to try.

The 'blobs' aren't really part of the insignia, just a backdrop. Sort of like a patch. I'll try dropping them.

I like the bold levels of ice for the 12th Regulars, myself - but I agree that there might be too much. The planet underneath doesn't read as much as it could, I think. I'll definitely look into giving all of the planets another pass later to see if some more details work better.

4th Falcon Velites Cluster: 'a swooping arctic gyrfalcon trailing a white ring around a shadowed blue world'

3rd Talon Cluster: 'a jade-coloured claymore driven diagonally through a shadowed white world'

94th Striker Cluster: 'a swooping black falcon trailing a black ring around a shadowed blood-red world'

Doy · « **Reply #6 on:** 03 November 2015, 08:19:47 »

Nice work O0

By the 4th Falcon Velites Cluster i would made icicle like the blod drops.
And by 3rd Talon Cluster: i would made smoke clouds obscure the green world 8) this sure have a great look than.

Insert in the 305th Assault Cluster whire by te blood drops
Example:

The 12th Falcon Regulars Cluster can you add white to made the ice more shining like ice but this is my faforit art from you it looks so cool

94th Striker Cluster can you add more motion lines on the wings and 1 by the eye who show the red lightning from the birds eyes and the blood planet can get more texture

Your Arts looks like simple versions to paint them easyer on a Mech but for shoing them in a book they need more ditails
I hope my well-intentioned criticism helps you.
All in all, this is good work.

Bren · « **Reply #7 on:** 04 November 2015, 00:59:19 »

Quote from: Doy on 03 November 2015, 08:19:47

Nice work O0

Great idea with the ice ring - I'll definitely experiment with the look and see how it goes. I'm always trying out little details like you suggested for the 94th's black falcon, most of the time it doesn't look right to me - but it's always worth a look.

I don't quite understand what you mean in your suggestions for the 3rd Talon and 305th Assault images.

Adding some 'shine' to the ice for the 12th Regulars is a good idea, but as you noticed I'm really going for a simple, spartan look. I feel the Clans (the Falcons, anyway) wouldn't go for lavish, ornate, heraldry for their units and to this end I'm always looking to cut out extra detail and colours.

In that vein I'm actually considering getting rid of the blood dripping effect for the 305th's ring in order to match the other three. Something still doesn't sit well with me about the look - I'm just not pulling it off.

The following are my interpretations of the Falcon Revival Galaxy insignias as described. These are essentially what I pictured in my head from the original sourcebook - before the versions were drawn up in later material. I think that before the Field Manual series, the authors of the original books intended that all galaxies had the same look, and just had greek letter and/or colour changes.

Gamma 'Jade Falcon' Galaxy: 'a diving jade falcon set against a shadowed white world'

Delta 'Gyrfalcon' Galaxy: 'a diving white falcon set against a shadowed blue world'

Vau 'Peregrine' Galaxy: 'a diving ash-blue falcon set against a blue-black world'

Bren · « **Reply #8 on:** 04 November 2015, 03:12:10 »

2nd Falcon Jaegers: 'the Galaxy insignia set against a white snowflake'

124th Striker Cluster: 'a swooping peregrine trailing a blue ring around a shadowed blue-black world'

Takiro · « **Reply #9 on:** 04 November 2015, 06:18:22 »

Very nice!

Bren · « **Reply #10 on:** 07 November 2015, 15:17:41 »

I really liked how the galaxy design turned out so I developed it a bit:

EDIT:
Added a new version of Epsilon Galaxy emblem which has no basis in canon:

Epsilon 'Lanner' Galaxy: 'a diving dark-grey falcon set against a red-brown world'

My thinking is that, unlike most other Clans, the Jade Falcons have a uniform type of insignia for their front-line Galaxies. Other Clans use a standardized emblem for their garrison Galaxies, and unique emblems for units with more prestige.

Now that there is finally a front-line replacement Galaxy for the void left by Vau Galaxy; Epsilon has 'graduated' to front-line status, been given a proper title, and has adopted the new insignia ... in a version of events in my head, anyway.

Trajan Helmer · « **Reply #11 on:** 08 November 2015, 23:34:46 »

I love this! The standardization you've done looks so much better than the cartoonish canon insignia. For me, it looks easier on the eye and makes identification faster.

Bren · « **Reply #12 on:** 09 November 2015, 02:49:08 »

Quote from: Trajan Helmer on 08 November 2015, 23:34:46

I love this! The standardization you've done looks so much better than the cartoonish canon insignia. For me, it looks easier on the eye and makes identification faster.

Thanks, most BattleTech art puts a big smile on my face, but a lot of the unit insignia art really looks like a half-assed effort, don't match their descriptions or are just 'wrong'.

A Tiger tank for the Star Adder's Alpha Galaxy immediately comes to mind. Christoffer Trossen must be spinning in his ~~grave~~ office chair.

Bren · « **Reply #13 on:** 06 December 2015, 23:09:17 »

Trying some photoshop mumbo jumbo on the 2nd Jaegers insignia.

OK for a first go. Maybe tighter 'stitching', a border of some sort, some wording ... might be worth trying again. I should look up some existing patches for ideas - was just wingin it with this one.

Ascension · « **Reply #14 on:** 07 December 2015, 12:34:28 »

That's a neat idea, and it turned out really well for a first attempt! I do think, though, that giving it borders would go a long way toward making it look more "real." As far as I know, insignia like that are usually patches, rather than being embroidered directly onto uniforms, and those typically have thick borders.

Random example. (Random, but it does have a bird on it!)

Bren · « **Reply #15 on:** 07 December 2015, 13:42:01 »

Relatively easy one:

3rd Battle Cluster; 'the Jade Falcon insignia within a golden ring'

However! I can't decide which attitude of golden ring makes the most sense. Any thoughts?

Takiro · « **Reply #16 on:** 07 December 2015, 23:11:26 »

I like the fourth or diagonal one the best.

Ascension · « **Reply #17 on:** 07 December 2015, 23:19:17 »

Agreed, the fourth one looks best. And I'd say the vertical ring is the runner-up. (It was good enough for the Hat-in-the-Ring Squadron, it's good enough for the Falcons!)

Rtifs · « **Reply #18 on:** 08 December 2015, 09:07:15 »

I like the first one best, and the last one second best.

Can I request a 1st Falcon Striker insignia? I'd like to print it for use on my minis.

Bren · « **Reply #19 on:** 08 December 2015, 21:17:12 »

Quote from: Rtifs on 08 December 2015, 09:07:15

Can I request a 1st Falcon Striker insignia? I'd like to print it for use on my minis.

An attempt at the 1st Strikers is on the first post.

Black_Knyght · « **Reply #20 on:** 30 March 2016, 23:52:53 »

Quote from: Bren on 07 December 2015, 13:42:01

Relatively easy one:

3rd Battle Cluster; 'the Jade Falcon insignia within a golden ring'

However! I can't decide which attitude of golden ring makes the most sense. Any thoughts?

To my eyes the emblem option in the upper right corner looks best with that description, as it gets the point across without obscuring anything. Damn nice job there!

Bren · « **Reply #21 on:** 01 January 2017, 05:28:07 »

Haven't had time to work toward finalizing these (and others), but figured I'd post some sketches anyway.

The Turkina Keshik insignias we have seen have never particularly stirred my Falcon pride, I always pictured something much more aggressive from the original description; "A plummeting Jade Falcon in full cry clutching a golden sword set against a shadowed blue world."

Diane Anu's killer 5th Battle Cluster; "Golden talons gripping a dead wolf set against a black shield below a gold 'V'."

Zeta Galaxy is more of a 'punch-up' of the original version seen in the books. Really digging the hard-luck, can't-catch-a-break Zetas since losing the Homeworlds for the Falcons. "A soaring jade falcon carrying a shield, on which is emblazoned a daggarstar."

Flieger · « **Reply #22 on:** 01 January 2017, 15:14:56 »

Wonderful! Can't wait for the finished ones. Good to see the thread continues, too. :)

Takiro · « **Reply #23 on:** 01 January 2017, 23:12:11 »

Here, here!

Can't wait to see some more!

Bren · « **Reply #24 on:** 11 January 2017, 03:09:43 »

A few more sketches:

9th Talon Cluster; "a peregrine perched on a golden shield, which is emblazoned with the silhouette of a lance and the number '9' in blue."

8th Falcon Regulars; "a Death-like figure bearing a scythe dripping blood." The 'dripping blood' bit is only mentioned in the original description. Perhaps this was a bit of flair added by the commander at the time (as Aidan did with the Guards insignia), who left the unit after it was nearly destroyed in the Refusal War.

Jade Falcon Guards; "a swooping black falcon with luminescent green eyes, wings outstretched, descending, clutching a silver katana." I moved away from what was depicted in the Jade Falcon Sourcebook because that rendition didn't quite fit the description in previous books ('wings outstretched, descending' and 'eyes').

Takiro · « **Reply #25 on:** 11 January 2017, 06:12:14 »

Very cool sketches!

marauder648 · « **Reply #26 on:** 12 January 2017, 09:02:24 »

Very awesome stuff! :)

jj.kelley.ptk@gmail.com · « **Reply #27 on:** 22 February 2017, 23:17:24 »

I really like your deigns and sketches. They are really cool!

jjm1 · « **Reply #28 on:** 17 June 2018, 06:22:05 »

I used your design for the 5th Battle Cluster Insignia here:
https://user000000000001.deviantart.com/art/MWO-Turkina-Jade-Falcon-Epsilon-Galaxy-750161590

Your draft is a really good design. I couldn't find an official insignia in time so just did a quick coloring in job on it, and its really small. Hope you don't mind.

ThePW · « **Reply #29 on:** 17 June 2018, 08:06:35 »

Quote from: Bren on 07 December 2015, 13:42:01

Relatively easy one:

3rd Battle Cluster; 'the Jade Falcon insignia within a golden ring'

However! I can't decide which attitude of golden ring makes the most sense. Any thoughts?

peps could very easily use ALL of them, each one to represent an individual Trinary... :D

Takiro · « **Reply #30 on:** 01 July 2018, 18:10:13 »

Hey everyone, hope this is ok with Bren but since he hasn't finished his 5th Battle Cluster insignia (i.e. colorized) and I am looking for one for a fan project I took his below and did my best. What do you think?

Quote from: Bren on 01 January 2017, 05:28:07

Diane Anu's killer 5th Battle Cluster; "Golden talons gripping a dead wolf set against a black shield below a gold 'V'."

Bren · « **Reply #31 on:** 26 May 2019, 03:43:08 »

Lookin' good Takiro. I'll put the 5th Battle Cluster near the top to finish off - though for the size you needed everything seems OK.

Made some new sketches ... couple of non-Falcon ones to break from the script!

Clan Hell's Horses - 11th Mechanized Cavalry - a hexagonal shield, bisected diagonally, with a red upper-left half and white lower-left. Centred on the shield is a black, stylized, rearing horse.

Clan Jade Falcon - 5th Falcon Regulars - a Puma OmniMech standing before a silver daggerstar.

Clan Steel Viper - 4th Viper Guards - two fangs dripping venom.

Takiro · « **Reply #32 on:** 26 May 2019, 22:57:55 »

Thanks Bren, liking your new sketches too. Good to see you posting again!

marauder648 · « **Reply #33 on:** 27 May 2019, 14:12:14 »

THese are all great :D

Bren · « **Reply #34 on:** 02 June 2019, 01:19:19 »

Well I tried the patch thing again. Different method this time ... didn't quite work out as I hoped, but better than my last go at it.

Takiro · « **Reply #35 on:** 02 June 2019, 21:11:50 »

Quote from: Bren on 02 June 2019, 01:19:19

Well I tried the patch thing again. Different method this time ... didn't quite work out as I hoped, but better than my last go at it.

Wow, looks great!

I went with Jade green on the outer pipping to denote the Clan of course but gold works well.

The first picture looks like an actual real patch. And in both the wolf is much more defined. Very nice!

To be a bit of a pain in the butt is there an easy way to get a white background that the patch is set against? I had planned on it for the fanfic art. ;)

marauder648 · « **Reply #36 on:** 09 June 2019, 09:19:26 »

This looks amazing!

Doy · « **Reply #37 on:** 08 December 2019, 11:20:37 »

@ Bren how you would paint the Jade Wolf Clan Insignia ?

Vengeant · « **Reply #38 on:** 22 September 2021, 19:23:16 »

I know this is a 'necro' but I just need to say... this is fantastic. I can do words, not pictures, so I love that there are people in this world with the tools that can make stuff like this.

For what it's worth, I run MegaMek campaigns for my friends, and have for about 10 years now -- this stuff is so valuable!

Takiro · « **Reply #39 on:** 23 September 2021, 19:24:21 »

These are very awesome Clan unit insignias, still hoping that Bren is working on finishing a few of those sketches. :thumbsup:

Hellraiser · « **Reply #40 on:** 23 September 2021, 19:28:43 »

Random thought, but, for all those same images w/ the Falcon swooping around a world.
They appear to have Front Line themed names attached, but, I'd change that.
I'd assign those to the "Garrison" Clusters & have each world be an image of where they are stationed.
I don't recall what the Falcons use for 2nd Line names if its anything different from Front Line but if it is, that's how I'd do it.

Bren · « **Reply #41 on:** 25 September 2021, 05:07:00 »

Have I been slacking on this or what ...

Doy: Since Jade Wolf was a political manoeuvre that didn't last until coffee break, I never really considered it 'real'. If anything they would only have had time to maybe recolour the Wolf crest green or simply just paint over it entirely.

Hellraiser: I get where you're coming from but all of the descriptions I'm going by are straight from the sourcebooks. The Provisional Garrison Clusters are the ones that don't have their own insignia, and just have a number below the Galaxy crest. eg: the 6th Provisional Garrison Cluster is a number '6' underneath their Galaxy's insignia.

Couldn't post again without adding to the bunch -- refined the insignia sketch for the Cluster:

As I posted above, the Turkina Keshik insignias we have seen have never particularly stirred my Falcon pride, I always pictured something much more aggressive from the original description; "A plummeting Jade Falcon in full cry clutching a golden sword set against a shadowed blue world."

Takiro · « **Reply #42 on:** 25 September 2021, 08:18:19 »

Very awesome Bren!

I'd agree that PGCs get minimal insignias as their importance is low. Over time that could change if so desired or impacted by the story.

marauder648 · « **Reply #43 on:** 25 September 2021, 08:51:42 »

These are brilliant :)

Bren · « **Reply #44 on:** 02 October 2021, 15:15:18 »

In light of recent Falcon events I figured the 7th Regulars would be a fitting addition.

7th Falcon Regulars Cluster: 'A Scottish piper playing a bagpipe on a knoll, silhouetted against a jade moon.'

Also during a recent Wikipedia rabbit hole I by chance came across the archaic Greek letter digamma ( F ) -- and the fact that the original name for this character was vau/wau/waw. I think changing my representation to stick with the Greek theme is the way to go.

worktroll · « **Reply #45 on:** 02 October 2021, 15:54:05 »

Quote from: Bren on 25 September 2021, 05:07:00

Doy: Since Jade Wolf was a political manoeuvre that didn't last until coffee break, I never really considered it 'real'. If anything they would only have had time to maybe recolour the Wolf crest green or simply just paint over it entirely.

That's exactly what the one piece of canon art shows: a Falcon-shaped patch of primer, and a green wolf logo. On one of the book covers.

Takiro · « **Reply #46 on:** 02 October 2021, 20:49:50 »

Quote from: Bren on 02 October 2021, 15:15:18

In light of recent Falcon events I figured the 7th Regulars would be a fitting addition.

7th Falcon Regulars Cluster: 'A Scottish piper playing a bagpipe on a knoll, silhouetted against a jade moon.'

Another great job of bringing the Jade Falcon Sourcebook to life, bravo sir!

More Cluster insignias please!!

BlackAdderIII · « **Reply #47 on:** 11 October 2021, 17:19:32 »

I used your insignia for the 2nd Falcon Jaegers for this art of me a friend did. I really like your designs keep it up!

Cache · « **Reply #48 on:** 12 October 2021, 06:50:30 »

Quote from: worktroll on 02 October 2021, 15:54:05

That's exactly what the one piece of canon art shows: a Falcon-shaped patch of primer, and a green wolf logo. On one of the book covers.

You sure?

worktroll · « **Reply #49 on:** 13 October 2021, 01:58:00 »

Looks like I misremembered.

Hellraiser · « **Reply #50 on:** 15 October 2021, 18:05:53 »

I thought the one time they showed it was in the Falcon/Wolf Scenario book.
Or maybe its just in the novel.
I thought it was basically a Clan Wolf symbol in Jade/Green.

Cache · « **Reply #51 on:** 15 October 2021, 19:03:22 »

Quote from: Hellraiser on 15 October 2021, 18:05:53

I thought the one time they showed it was in the Falcon/Wolf Scenario book.
Or maybe its just in the novel.
I thought it was basically a Clan Wolf symbol in Jade/Green.

Haven't search for text, so there may be descriptions of it in the books.

The only other image I can find that may be it is the belt buckle of the female on p. 47 of The Falcon and the Wolf (attached). Obviously it's not in color as there are no color images inside the book, just Natasha getting BBQ'd on the cover.

It's more likely that people just remember wrong, or saw some fan art that they remember as being canon, like with the "gray wolf" Wolf in Exile logo that some still think is canon.

JAMES_PRYDE · « **Reply #52 on:** 07 February 2024, 08:45:29 »

Hey, just found this thread, looks great !

Can I make a request for the "First Falcon Jaegers" please

(When MW5: Clans comes out, gonna make a play on words with Jaegers to Jaguar, as they are on loan to them to help out haha)

Takiro · « **Reply #53 on:** 07 February 2024, 14:53:04 »

Oh darn, I thought there was new insignias by Bren up here. Love the work!

Doy · « **Reply #54 on:** 19 July 2024, 02:47:54 »

Bren i have take a look after a long time and i'm impressed how you painted the Phantom for the 5th Falcon Regulars
By the Falcon with the Ring i perfer 2 and 4

Takiro · « **Reply #55 on:** 19 July 2024, 06:24:09 »

I'm still pulling number 4 myself Doy and hoping to see more great art from Bren.