Feather Flag Nation
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Designing a Custom Flag
Flags are a great way to represent a group, idea, or cause. But they can be tough to design. Following these steps can help make creating feather flags easier.
Purpose
First, you have to ask yourself what the flag is for. This will have a huge impact on the design. If you're designing a flag that stands for a group of people, you want a compelling design that the members of that group will love. If you're designing a flag for a cause, business, or idea, you have to represent that concept in your flag design.
Size and Shape
Before you consider the design of the flag, consider the size and shape of it. Flags are usually 1.5 to 2 times as wide as they are tall. There are many different shapes a flag can come in but you should generally stick to the simple rectangle. If you have a symbolic reason for making a flag that isn't a rectangle that's completely acceptable. But, keep in mind that using more unique shapes will affect other elements of the flag's design.
Color Scheme
Next, consider the color scheme. You should generally keep it simple, using only a few colors. Make sure the colors have a good contrast. The colors shouldn't be an eyesore. Combinations like yellow and white should be avoided. Those colors hurt to look at side by side. Combinations like red and blue don't contrast enough and just make the flag look awful. When choosing colors, try to think symbolically. What does each color usually represent?
Design
The most important part of a flag, its design, is actually one of the last things you should think about because the shape and color of the flag will influence the potential design. Keep the design simple. It should be simple enough for children to draw from memory. It also needs to be big enough to be seen from a distance. Designs should be reversible since people may also see the design from the back. And, you have to consider where on the flag the design will be placed. The best places to put it are in the center and in the top left quadrant.
What to Avoid
When creating feather flags, there are also several things you should avoid. Don't ever put text or seals on a flag. Text is hard to read from the back side of a flag. It's also hard to see when the flag is moving in the wind. Seals are made to be seen close up, not far away like flags are. And finally, don't make your flag too generic. Keeping it simple doesn't mean you can't find a way to make it unique.