Custom Medieval Shield Commissions
Bring me a coat of arms, historical reference, sketch, photograph or simply an idea, and I will work with you to turn it into an individually made shield — from its shape and curvature to its heraldry, fittings and finish.
A Custom Commission is a shield built around your brief rather than a predetermined historical reconstruction. Every piece is handmade in my Białystok workshop, from raw plywood, linen and leather up through the finished heraldic surface — not a printed graphic applied to a shield-shaped blank. Your idea leads the project: a personal coat of arms, a fictional or original design, a colour scheme, a set of dimensions, or a reference image you already have. I contribute the construction knowledge, historical context and technical judgement needed to turn that idea into a real, usable shield. Historical accuracy is available whenever you want it, but it is never assumed by default — if strict evidence-led accuracy or HEMA training performance is what you actually need, I will point you to the category built for that.
Previous Custom Commissions
Real, completed shields, each one built around a client's own idea and linked to its full story and specification.
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Lord of Leipa Shield
Leipa heraldic device
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Azure Unicorn Shield
Azure unicorn heraldry
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Red Lion Shield
Red lion heraldry
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Lord of Semaine Shield
Oak branch heraldry
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Raven Shield
Raven heraldry
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Apothecary Guild Shield
Apothecary guild device
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Matthias Corvinus Raven Shield
Corvinus raven heraldry
Every shield shown here is a completed Shieldwright commission — nothing here is a stock render or mockup.
What Can You Commission?
A wide range of heater-shield-based projects, assessed individually rather than sold off a fixed menu.
- Heraldic shields
- Personal coat-of-arms shields
- Historical-person-inspired designs
- Custom heater shields
- Early or transitional heater forms
- Photographic and display shields
- Commemorative shields
- Club and team shields
- Original artistic concepts
- Historically inspired shields with your own choice of heraldry
I don’t currently build Viking round shields, cavalry or tournament targes, or pavises. Unusual or borderline projects are assessed individually — ask me.
From an Idea to a Finished Shield
Five stages from your first message to a serial-numbered shield in your hands.
Send a description, heraldry, sketch, reference image, dimensions or intended use — you don't need a complete technical specification to start.
Together we settle the shield form, dimensions, curvature, construction, edge treatment, rear configuration, straps and heraldic layout.
You receive the agreed specification, price, shipping basis, expected timeline and deposit terms before any construction begins.
Your shield is individually built to the agreed specification in my Białystok workshop. Progress can be shared on request.
Your shield receives its own Shieldwright serial number, linked to my authenticity verification lookup.
How Custom Can It Be?
If you're unsure whether your idea is possible, this is what's actually adjustable.
Shield Form
Heater shields and related early or transitional forms are what I build. I will help you choose the shape that suits your idea and its practical construction limits.
Dimensions
Height and width are discussed against your intended use, any historical reference, and what the construction can support — not fixed to a single template.
Curvature
Curvature is a real technical specification here, not a visual effect — every finished shield has a recorded curvature, like the 8.8 cm curvature on the Red Lion Shield.
Heraldry & Artwork
Historically documented arms, your own family or club heraldry, an original design, artwork you supply, or something we develop together.
Colour & Finish
Clean and crisp, deliberately aged, restrained, or built for photography — tell me the character you want and I will match the finish to it.
Edge
Edge construction follows the shield’s classification and intended use — a leather-bound HEMA edge, for instance, is a functional choice, not a claim that a custom design is a Historical Reconstruction.
Reverse, Straps & Fittings
The back of the shield is part of the commission: grip, arm strap, shoulder strap where wanted, padding, hardware and rear finish are all specified to your build.
Historical Accuracy: You Choose the Goal
A “medieval shield” can mean reconstruction, inspiration, or something entirely your own — here's how I split them.
Evidence-Led
Historical Reconstruction
For the strongest evidence-led reconstruction I can build. Surviving evidence drives the design and construction decisions.
Historical Reconstruction →Rooted, Not Rigid
Historically Inspired
For a shield rooted in medieval visual and material culture, with room for your own interpretation.
Historically Inspired →You Are Here
Custom Commission
Your design or requested outcome comes first. I can still tell you what’s historical, plausible, or purely creative along the way.
This PageTraining-First
HEMA
If you intend to train or fight with the shield, practical HEMA requirements take priority over decoration.
HEMA Shields →Heraldry and Personal Designs
I can work from documented evidence, your own artwork, or a design we develop together.
I can source heraldry and personal designs from:
- a blazon
- a coat-of-arms image
- a seal or manuscript reference
- a family emblem
- a club emblem
- your own drawing
- digital artwork
- a verbal description of what you want
I don’t describe a modern family crest or an online coat-of-arms image as historically authentic simply because it uses heraldic visual language. If you want documented historical heraldry, I research the person, date and source separately, and keep documented evidence clearly distinct from later attribution.
If your supplied artwork needs to be redrawn or adapted to sit correctly on a curved shield face, that redrawing is part of the commission — I don’t assume artwork you send me is production-ready as it stands.
Built as a Real Shield
A commission is not a design printed onto a shield-shaped object. The shield itself is the project.
- Core and its thickness
- Dimensions and curvature
- Covering, ground and finish
- Edge treatment
- Rear surface, grip and forearm straps
- Shoulder strap and padding where wanted
- Fittings, heraldic composition and final surface character
Cost, Lead Time & Shipping
What Does It Cost?
Price depends on size, construction, finish, heraldry or artwork, research and any unusual requirements — I don’t quote one fixed price for every custom shield.
Configure a specification for an instant estimate, or send me a brief and I’ll quote it directly.
How Long Does It Take?
Lead time depends on my current workload and your project’s complexity. I confirm a specific timeline as part of your proposal, before any work begins.
Commissioning for an event, film shoot or a specific date? Mention it in your first message so I can plan around it.
Do You Ship Internationally?
Yes, where practical. Shipping is calculated for your destination and package, and oversized or unusually shaped commissions are arranged individually.
See Shipping & Delivery for the full picture. Final cost is confirmed before your order is finalized.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you make a shield from my own design?
Yes. Send me a description, sketch, reference image or anything else you have — you don't need a finished technical specification. I'll help develop it into a build-ready design.
Can you reproduce my coat of arms on a shield?
Yes — send me a clear image, blazon or description and I will paint it onto your shield. Some artwork needs adapting to sit correctly on a curved shield face; that redrawing is part of the commission.
Can you make a historically accurate custom shield?
A Custom Commission doesn’t assume historical accuracy by default — your idea leads. If evidence-led accuracy is actually what you want, that’s the Historical Reconstruction category, and I can steer your project there instead.
What shield shapes can I commission?
Heater shields and related early or transitional forms are my focus. I don’t currently build Viking round shields, cavalry or tournament targes, or pavises.
Can I choose the dimensions and curvature?
Yes — both are discussed against your intended use and recorded as part of the finished specification, the same way they are on every shield in the catalogue.
Can you help me design the heraldry?
Yes. If you don’t have finished artwork, I can help develop a design from a blazon, description or reference — see Heraldry and Personal Designs below.
Can I commission a shield from a photograph or drawing?
Yes — a photograph, film reference, manuscript image or your own drawing all work as a starting point.
Can you make a shield for HEMA?
Yes — every shield I build, including custom commissions, is HEMA-ready. If practical training or fighting performance is your main requirement, the HEMA Shields category covers the construction priorities that come first for that use.
How much does a custom medieval shield cost?
It depends on size, construction, finish, heraldry and any unusual requirements. Configure a specification in the commission builder for an instant estimate, or send me a brief for a direct quote.
How long does a commission take?
It depends on my current workload and your project's complexity. I confirm a specific timeline in your proposal before work begins.
Do you ship custom shields internationally?
Yes, where practical. Shipping is calculated per destination — see Shipping & Delivery for details.
Will my shield receive a serial number?
Yes. Every commission receives its own Shieldwright serial number, which you can look up through my authenticity verification page.
Can you make a shield as a gift?
Yes — mention that it's a gift, and any relevant date, in your first message and I'll plan the build around it.
Can you make a shield for photography or film?
Yes — display and photographic commissions are a normal part of my work. Tell me how it will be used and I'll build accordingly.
What happens if my idea is not historically accurate?
Nothing — that's exactly what the Custom Commission category is for. I'll tell you plainly what's historical, historically informed, or purely creative about your design, without turning it into a problem.