Do a Google image search on “county seals” and you’ll see that they (and state seals) are usually poorly designed. I would venture to guess that most were thrown together over lunch by some of the folks in the back office. Every now and then one stands out, either because it uses legitimate heraldry or because the efforts of a graphic designer shine through. Denver’s county seal straddles the two categories, for a nice effect.
As government grows in complexity and professionalism, bad designs are bound to fall by the wayside. Allan Showalter has been fighting the good fight in McHenry County, Illinois. Here are two of his entries:
- How To Create An Official Seal – Part 1: The Mechanics
- How To Create An Official Seal – Part 2: Credentials
Update Jan. 11, 2019: These links have been deleted by the owner. Too bad.