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Flag Design
Back in 2016, there was a referendum put in place in New Zealand that centred not around politics, but around design, highlighting just how important design can be in influencing our lives.
The study of flags is called vexillology and designing them is far more difficult and complicated than you could ever imagine, filled with strict rules and yet a lot of room for flexibility, especially when it comes to symbolism and national identity. A flag should be simple yet distinct, make use of symbolism but be inclusive, be rectangular; unless you’re Switzerland or Nepal. For example, it is believed that a flag should make use of a maximum of just 3 colours, however, the South African flag uses 6, due to its ties to African Congress as well as Dutch and British colonialism. A flag may be represented as a tiny pin badge, so lettering is a big no-no. And yet many flags feature tiny intricacies such as the Mexican flag – its central emblem depicts a golden eagle devouring a snake on top of a cactus – an important Aztec legend. I think one of the greatest design rules to adhere to in making a national flag is thus: ‘A flag is so simple that a child can draw it from memory and have it be identifiable’. This is an excellent rule and a good test for all flags, as they should be memorable and instantly recognisable, even when drawn crudely, perhaps with some elements missing.
A flag design is rarely ever seen in flattened out in real-life situations so a design must be transferrable for a range of functions. Flapping about on a windy day, the design will become distorted, while on a calm day, it will fall downward and individual elements will be difficult to distinguish. This is why canton part of the flag, as seen in the USA’s stars and New Zealand’s union jack, must always be on the left hand side- this side is towards the flag pole and so will be the least distorted part. A flag will also be printed through both sides, so much be recognisable when flipped around.
Widely regarded as one of the greatest flag designs is the Japanese flag. It obeys every single rule in the book and so simple it’s beautiful. Clear, bold colours represent the rising sun, an important symbol in Japan. It’s honest with no pretenses, but is uniquely stylish. It’s quite stereotypical of the Japanese to hit every nail on the head when it comes to design rules, but there we are.
The flag of the New Zealand referendum was beautiful and striking, comprising of all the established key elements but maintaining a unique flair in the form of the national symbol of a fern leaf. It separated the country from its similarities to Australia, its colonial roots and paid homage to the native Maori population. In spite of this, the people of New Zealand elected to retain their current design. Of this result, chief vexillologist at the Flag Institute, was quoted:
"There's often a fundamental misunderstanding of flags by politicians. It isn't the design but what it shows about their history and means to them. Saying you like a flag because of its design is like saying you like your family because they are all handsome or beautiful. You love them because of who they are, unconditionally. Flags are a bit like that."
So maybe the greatness of flag design doesn’t come from the design itself, but rather the meaning that we attach to it. The old New Zealand flag isn’t the best design, but it’s the only one the people of New Zealand have ever known and have ever identified with. Perhaps, some designs are created great, and others, like our flags, have greatness thrust upon them.