As the athletes of the 31st Olympiad walk into the stadium bearing their nation's flags, I've thought about the elements of good flags, and my attempts to design good flags according to these principles. I do a lot of worldbuilding, which includes designing flags and other symbols for the cultures of my stories. As far as flags go, this is probably my best. It follows every good design principle.
- It's simple enough that a child can draw it from memory, and even get the exact proportions right.
- It has meaningful symbolism. The black and white represent the absolutes of mathematics, science, and logic, which are held in high regard among Kitiliks. The colors also represent neutrality, which Kitilika consistently exorcises in international affairs. The rectangles are "reasonable" geometric shapes and represent reason. Rectangles are regularly used by Kitiliks in design, and mark a strong visual component of their culture. It bears similarity to the rectangles in an old Kitilik tactical board game, and it's also evocative of the rectangular spectacles worn by most Kitiliks. Rectangles are regularly evoked by Kitilik designers in general.
- It sticks to two basic colors, and those colors are strongly associated with the Kitilik culture.
- It doesn't use letters or complicated seals. If something has to put writing on it use the conventions of another art form with its own separate function, then you have failed as a flag.
- It is a distinctive flag that can't be mistaken for any other flag.
- It looks good in motion and at a distance, and even when viewed as a static image, it looks dynamic.
- It's recognizable in and can be adapted for non-flag contexts.
It isn't perfect. I've encountered people who don't like the flag. Still, it's the one that I'm the most satisfied with, and I think that it fulfills all of the functions of a flag. Just as the the American flag is completely evocative of America, and the Japanese Japanese flag is completely evocative of Japan, I think that this flag is completely and quintessentially evocative of Kitilika.
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