Vexillology: The Art of Flag Design

Feature Post

By 8th-Grade Blogger Max Pretorius

Whether it be a flag of a state, nation, town, or a school, flags are used everywhere. Having a flag lets your community be represented in a recognizable banner. Though making a flag seems simple, it is very complicated, and making a good flag can take a very long time. To help with this, vexillologists and designers have created certain guidelines for making flags. The main guidelines were made in a collaboration between the North American Vexillological Association and the UK’s Flag Institute and can be found in “The Commissioner’s Report on the Guiding Principles of Flag Design”  (https://www.flaginstitute.org/pdfs/Flag_Design_Commission_Report.pdf). These guidelines can help you make an amazing flag of your own!

Rule 1: Keep It Simple

One of the most important things about flag design is simplicity. Your flag should be easy enough for a child to draw. You have to remember that flags are seen from a distance, so they must be simple. The line between flags that are too complex and not too complex would be something like the United States’ flag. Simplicity is important in flags because, again, you are likely looking at them from a distance. Complexity could muddy up what you’re seeing. You should not have seals on a flag, as they are far too complex and minute to be seen.

Rule 2: No Text

One of the most important, yet commonly broken rules, is that there should be no text on a flag. A flag is not an essay. A flag is NOT a note card. A flag is a design, a design that lets you convey messages and ideas through it. Text completely ruins the point of having a flag and is far too complicated to be seen from a distance.

Rule 3: Use Symbolism

Flags should have meaning. You don’t just want to make a flag with a couple colors you like; flags should represent something symbolic about its people. Symbolism on a flag should represent the entirety of the community it represents, as opposed to specific parts of it. Symbolism could be anything from a symbol, to a shape, to a color.

Rule 4: Be Careful with Colors

This is similar to the idea of not being too complex; flags need to not have too many colors. Too many colors can make flags complicated and expensive. When you use colors, you should try to contrast dark and light colors, so that if you were to create a grayscale image, they would still contrast.

Rule 5: Be Distinct

When designing your flag, being distinct is very important. If you have a flag that’s similar to other flags, it can hinder your flag’s meaning and symbolism. And, people might not recognize it. However, you can make your flag similar to another flag if it is relevant to the symbolism of your flag. For example, Liberia, a country in Africa, has a flag very similar to the flag of the United States. This choice was intentional as the country was founded by former slaves from the United States.

Rule 6: Flags Go on Flag Poles

When you make a flag, you need to recognize that it will be flown on a pole. This means that it needs to be distinct as said before, but it also needs to be distinct when there isn’t any wind. Try to avoid similar flags, especially on the right edges of the flag. A great example of a flag that recognizes this is that of Tennessee. Tennessee’s flag had a blue stripe on the right that helps it be distinct when flown on a pole, especially when the wind stops.

The Exceptions

Just because these guidelines exist, doesn’t mean that you have to follow all of them. Sometimes, not listening to the guidelines can make your flag better. Usually, when you make a flag that doesn’t follow the guidelines, it’s to enhance a different part of the flag. Some flags might be very complicated but make themselves distinct to enhance their symbolism. 

Overall, flags are great ways to represent a community and a people, and I hope you feel excited to learn more about the amazing world of Vexillology.