The heraldic colors remain predominantly the bright primary ones: silver (now platinum) or white, and gold or yellow, called metals; black, blue, green, and red, called colors. Less-used colors are orange, purple, brown, and "flesh tone". Taken together, colors and metals are referred to as tinctures. Anything described as "proper" is shown in its normal coloring. Only two of the numerous traditional heraldic "furs" are in Imperial use, ermine (white with black spots) and counter-ermine (black with white spots). As a rule, metal should not be placed on metal or color on color, although exceptions--mostly in the case of charges described as "proper"--do occur. As in traditional heraldry, the field is described first, by color and any divisions, with the color on the bearer's right or at the shield's top mentioned first. Left and right, in all cases, refer to the point of view of the person supposedly carrying the shield. Traditional description English description Party per pale Divided vertically Party per fess Divided horizontally Party per bend Divided by right diagonal Party per bend sinister Divided by left diagonal Party per saltire Divided by both diagonals Party per chevron Divided by a chevron Quarterly Quarterly Checky Checked Tierced per fess Three-part horizontally Tierced per pale Three-part vertically Gyronny Divided by gyron Gurgy (and variants) Spiraled Charges may be (and usually are) placed on the field, and cover any divisions. The major geometric charges (ordinaries) are mentioned first, if any appear. They generally take up approximately a third of the shield, though this proportion may vary if other charges appear, or they have other charges upon them. Note that the vertical and horizontal bars should not be confused with the three-part fields. Traditional description English description Chief Chief Fess Horizontal bar Pale Vertical bar Bend Right-diagonal bar Bend sinister Left-diagonal bar Chevron Chevron Chevron reversed Reversed chevron Cross Cross Saltire Double diagonal Pile Wedge Quarter Quarter Pall Y-fork Flanches Flanches