Vexillography

The flag of Nepal is the only country flag in the world that is not rectangular in shape.

Vexillography (/ˌvɛksɪˈlɒɡrəfi/ VEK-sih-LOG-rə-fee) is the art and practice of designing flags; a person who designs flags is a vexillographer. Vexillography is allied with vexillology, the scholarly study of flags, but is not synonymous with that discipline.[1]

Background of flag design

Flag designs exhibit a number of regularities, arising from a variety of practical concerns, historical circumstances, and cultural prescriptions that have shaped and continue to shape their evolution.

Vexillographers face the necessity for the design to be manufactured (and often mass-produced) into or onto a piece of cloth, which will subsequently be hoisted aloft in the outdoors to represent an organization, individual, idea, or group. In this respect, flag design departs considerably from logo design: logos are predominantly still images suitable for reading off a page, screen, or billboard; while flags are alternately draped and fluttering images - visible from a variety of distances and angles (including the reverse). The prevalence of simple bold colors and shapes in flag design attests to these practical issues.

Flag design has a history, and new designs often refer back to previous designs, effectively quoting, elaborating, or commenting upon them. Families of current flags may derive from a few common ancestors - as in the cases of the Pan-African colours, the Pan-Arab colors, the Pan-Slavic colors, the Nordic Cross flag and the Ottoman flag.

Certain cultures prescribe the proper design of their own flags, through heraldic or other authoritative systems. Prescription may be based on religious principles: see, for example, Islamic flags. Vexillographers have begun to articulate design principles, such as those jointly published by the North American Vexillological Association and the Flag Institute in their Guiding Principles of Flag Design.[2]

Principles of design

In 2006, the North American Vexillological Association published a booklet titled “Good” Flag, “Bad” Flag to aid those wishing to design or re-design a flag. Taking a minimalist approach, the booklet lists five basic flag design principles which have become a standard reference in the vexillographer community.[3] In 2014, the North American Vexillological Association, alongside the Flag Institute created an updated booklet titled The Commission's Report on the Guiding Principles of Flag Design, which addresses issues present in “Good” Flag, “Bad” Flag, and goes more in-depth on the ideas laid forth in the aforementioned booklet.[2] The guidelines in this booklet can be summarized as follows:

Basics

  1. Keep in mind the physics of a flag in flight when designing a flag
  2. Simple designs are more easily remembered while complex ones are harder to recall and recreate
  3. Flags should have distinctive designs that separate them from others
  4. Designs and trends should be avoided if there is a possibility that they can date quickly

Color

  1. Using fewer colors keeps designs simple and bold (2-3 colors are strongly recommended)
  2. Contrast is important; use light on dark and dark on light
  3. Modern printing techniques have made more shades of color available than previously, and this can be used advantageously
  4. Designs should make the edge of a flag be well-defined so as to not get visually lost in the background of where it is flying
  5. Gradient on flags (Like the Flag of Guatemala ) make it look too computer generated, and make it difficult to sew/draw. Try to avoid gradients

Structure

  1. Charges are best placed in the canton, hoist, or center of a design as these are the most visually prominent areas
  2. Flag designs are usually longer than they are tall
  3. Having different designs on the obverse and reverse of a flag undermines recognition and increase cost of production

Devices

  1. A single device should be used in a prominent position to ensure that people can recognize the flag whether it is in flight or at rest
  2. When multiple devices are included, different background colors can be used to "anchor" the devices into the overall design
  3. Devices should be stylized graphical representations as opposed to realistic drawings, so the flag can easily be recreated and recognized by anyone
  4. Avoid text on flags; it is difficult to read while the flag is in flight and will appear backwards on the flag's reverse
  5. Charges with directionality traditionally face towards the hoist, or flagpole
  6. Seals, coats of arms, or logos are usually too complex to be used effectively on a flag, although exceptions exist

Symbolism

  1. Symbols should be both distinct and representative
  2. A flag should represent the totality of any given community as opposed to its individual parts
  3. A flag should emphasize its own identity over higher-level groupings, otherwise distinctiveness is lost
  4. Symbolism relating to other entities should only be used if there is a clear, direct relevance
  5. Designers should avoid representing any particular reference in multiple ways, and instead try to make a single definitive reference

Prominent vexillographers

Notes

  1. ^ Smith, Whitney. Flag Bulletin XL:202 (2001).
  2. ^ a b "Flag Design" (PDF). North American Vexillological Association / Association nord-américaine de vexillologie. Retrieved 2016-08-21.
  3. ^ "Good Flag, Bad Flag: How to Design a Great Flag" (PDF). North American Vexillological Association / Association nord-américaine de vexillologie. Retrieved 2020-05-15.