Principals of Good Flag Design

As a Vexillologist and the inventor of Vexillolinguistics, I have learned that designing flags is simply a practiced skill, shaped by an endless combination of stars, stripes, colors, diagonals, animals, weapons, symbols, glyphs, and even bits, bytes, and QR codes. Despite the availability of nearly endless creativity, and even artificial intelligence, it’s essential to follow The Principles of Good Flag Design.

North American Vexillological Association (NAVA) has defined Five Principals of Good Flag Design.

The Five Principles are:

No Lettering or Seals. Never use writing of any kind or an organization’s seal.
Keep It Simple. The flag should be so simple that a child can draw it from memory.
Use Meaningful Symbolism. The flag’s images, colors, or patterns should relate to what it symbolizes.
Use 2 or 3 Basic Colors. Limit the number of colors on the flag to three which contrast well and come from the standard color set.
Be Distinctive or Be Related. Avoid duplicating other flags, but use similarities to show connections.

I have pragmatically reordered the list of Five Principals of Good Flag Design such that no lettering or seals is first. Of course there are exceptions to every rule, but depart from these five principles only with caution and purpose.

“If you must break the law, do it to seize power: in all other cases observe it.”

Julius Ceasar

Does [group] have a “Bad” flag design?

If you have to ask, the answer is usually yes.

Can I Pretty Please Break Only One Itty Bitty Rule for My Really Really Good Idea?

Absolutely. See The First Navy Jack (P.S. They still replaced it)

A child DID draw it from memory, and the text, “DONT TREAD ON ME,” breaks the rules for all the right reasons: GOOD FLAG.

“1. No Lettering or Seals” and yet the Flag of the State of Florida has both and more, including Hawaiian Flowers and Spanish Colonial Settler Riverboats(??). Without the seal its the Flag of the State of Alabama. BAD FLAG! REPLACE IMMEDIATELY!!