Flags and other visual elements

[Valles]

Yes, I have been working on this.

Since we're in a lull, I thought I'd show my work, so to speak.

My initial thought had been a tricolor of some sort, but I didn't want to imitate or come too close to a real flag, and the color elements I needed - red, green, and yellow - had already been adopted in both vertical and horizontal layouts. So that was out.

What I eventually settled on for sketching out was...



The idea of this is to symbolize the design of Roanoke - the ring shaped curtain wall and the 'bridges' of the original residential wards.



Filling the lines in so that they crossed and everything was more or less just a noodling, but it didn't go badly. I wanted to see if I could get three colors by sealing the sections off, but that ended up way too radiation sign.



Since the previous versions were too busy, I simplified. Problem is, the shape of the flag makes the vertical element too easy to miss.



This is better, but looks like a stylized sunrise over a mountain peak. That'd be a really neat design for a flag, but not what I was looking for.



This crop circle layout is the first one I really liked.



Somehow, this feels too peace sign.



This, though, holds the possibility of letting me go back to a three-tone color scheme.

Once I'd settled on a fairly rough layout, I started adding color, thus.











There isn't that much to say about these individually, beyond wanting to get input on what people like the most.

[Desertfox]

I think the one with the red circle is really nice, it stands out which is what flags should do. I would suggest making the red and yellow lines thicker.

[Carthaginian]

OK... metal should not be put on metal, nor colour on colour! ;) I have to go with the first one- the rest of them, well, the farther down you go the more meh they feel to me. Green, red and gold aren't exactly my favorite colors, either.

Interesting thought- can't wait to see where they lead.

[Valles]

The six-rayed design, Carth, or the crop circle? I'll admit that the latter is my own favorite so far.

[Carthaginian]

The six-rayed design is far preferable to the 'crop circle.'

Also, adding some 'metal' (gold [yellow], silver or copper [dark orange]) to the edges of the red circle would make it contrast better with the green background- just don't put the 'metals' against another 'metal.'. Outlining in black is one of the worst ways to make the objects visible, unless they are much lighter colors on a white background. For a dark color like the forest green, the black just makes the edges look a bit blurry.

[Valles]

I honestly don't care for the six-rayed design at all, personally. It feels lacking - uninteresting and indistinct.

But I've been developing it anyway, along with others.

[Carthaginian]

Of these, I have to say I like the second one best.
I might try and make the diagonal 'rays' come form the hoist-side corners, just to make them larger and more prominent... but other than that, it's a very original and interesting design.

[Carthaginian]

I'm generally all for simple flags like the ones that you are posting, but for this go-round, I've decided to try something a bit more difficult and complicated. These are some of the more complex ideas I've attempted.

Any opinions?



Personally, I'm partial to F, myself.

[Valles]

F works, but my own 'favored' approach would be to take D and then turn either the border or the Maltese crosses orange/copper.

Just for the additional chaos factor of no element getting repeated, so to speak.

Even if you don't do that, I like the 'five crosses' aspect, it seems like a unifying element somehow.

[Carthaginian]

Even if you don't do that, I like the 'five crosses' aspect, it seems like a unifying element somehow.

I will admit to cribbing that from the crest of the Kingdom of Jerusalem, a cross potent (or) on a field (argent), surrounded by four Greek crosses (or).
Instead of silver (argent), I chose to use sky blue for the field color in order to avoid breaking the rule of tinctures. I thought it a decent substitute- both in spirit as it would represent the Heavens, and in practicality as it would increase the visibility of the charges.

[Valles]

Heh. Well, I won't contest your favorite, then - it's both a workable/distinctive design and one with the medieval flair I think you're going for, so.

And, as can be seen, I've made my own choice.

[Carthaginian]

OH, I wasn't discounting your suggestion- and added it to my selection.
I must say, I do like the the effect of the copper color on the large central cross... it's quickly becoming, if not a new favorite, a strong contender. It comes out to be one of the most attractive of the ideas.

[Valles]

I think that the choice between H and I depends on whether you want to put the central cross in the 'foreground' or the 'background'... The white makes it pop out in front as a dominating element, but with the orange it seems more subdued. Personally, I favor H, because the white subcrosses on the black background feels a bit too obviously Prussian.

[Carthaginian]

The white Maltese Cross on the black field was a reference to the original uniform of the Hospitallers:

I didn't mean it to look that Prussian- though as the Teutonic Knights used the reverse as their coat of arms, it's a strong resemblance.