▁of ▁the ▁shield ▁from ▁left ▁to ▁right , ▁above ▁the ▁honour ▁point ; ▁de xter ▁fl ank ▁and ▁sin ister ▁fl ank , ▁on ▁the ▁sides ▁approximately ▁level ▁with ▁f ess ▁point ; ▁and ▁de xter ▁base , ▁middle ▁base , ▁and ▁sin ister ▁base ▁along ▁the ▁lower ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁shield , ▁below ▁the ▁nombr il ▁point . ▁ ▁T inct ures ▁ ▁One ▁of ▁the ▁most ▁distinct ive ▁qual ities ▁of ▁her ald ry ▁is ▁the ▁use ▁of ▁a ▁limited ▁p alette ▁of ▁colours ▁and ▁patterns , ▁usually ▁referred ▁to ▁as ▁t inct ures . ▁ ▁These ▁are ▁divided ▁into ▁three ▁categories , ▁known ▁as ▁met als , ▁colours , ▁and ▁f urs . ▁ ▁The ▁met als ▁are ▁or ▁and ▁argent , ▁representing ▁gold ▁and ▁silver , ▁respectively , ▁although ▁in ▁practice ▁they ▁are ▁usually ▁dep icted ▁as ▁yellow ▁and ▁white . ▁ ▁Five ▁colours ▁are ▁univers ally ▁recognized : ▁g ules , ▁or ▁red ; ▁s able , ▁or ▁black ; ▁azure , ▁or ▁blue ; ▁vert , ▁or ▁green ; ▁and ▁pur p ure , ▁or ▁pur ple ; ▁and ▁most ▁her ald ic ▁authorities ▁also ▁admit ▁two ▁additional ▁colours , ▁known ▁as ▁s angu ine ▁or ▁mur rey , ▁a ▁dark ▁red ▁or ▁mul berry ▁colour ▁between ▁g ules ▁and ▁pur p ure , ▁and ▁t enn é , ▁an ▁orange ▁or ▁dark ▁yellow ▁to ▁brown ▁colour . ▁ ▁These ▁last ▁two ▁are ▁quite ▁rare , ▁and ▁are ▁often ▁referred ▁to ▁as ▁st ains , ▁from ▁the