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99% Invisible, 99% Invisible-06- 99% Symbolic

99% Invisible-06- 99% Symbolic

Roman Mars (RM): This is 99% Invisible.

I'm Roman Mars. The five basic principles of flag design

RM:According to the North American Vexillological Association.

Vexillological!

Ted Kaye (TK): Vexillology is the study of flags

Number One.

Keep it simple.

The flag should be so simple that a child can draw it from memory

RM: Before I moved to Chicago in 2005, I didn't even know cities had their own flags. TK:most larger cities have flags.

well I didn't know that. That's Ted Kaye, by the way. TK: Hello!

Rm: Flag expert.

Totally awesome guy.

TK: I'm the editor of a scholarly journal on flags called Raven: A Journal of Vexillology. RM: And that first city flag I discoverd in Chicago is a beaut.

A white field, two light blue horizontal stripes, and four six-pointed red stars across the middle.

Number two

TK: The blue stripes represent the water: the lake and the rivers.

Use meaningful symbolism

TK: The red stars represent significant events in Chicagos history

RM: The design of the Chicago flag has complete buy-in, from an entire cross-section of the city.

It's everywhere. Every municipal building flies the flag.

Every 20-year-old's messenger bag and hoodie has one. It's a distinct symbol of Chicago's pride. TK: When a police officer or firefighter dies in Chicago, it's not a United States flag on the casket- it's the city of Chicago's flag. That's how deeply it's gotten into the city's civic imagery. RM: And it's not just that people love Chicago and therefore love the flag. I also think that people love Chicago more, because the flag is so cool.

TK: A positive feedback loop there between great symbolism and civic pride.

RM: So when I moved back to San Fransisco in 2008, I researched its flag.

Because I had never seen it before in the previous 8 years I lived here.

And I found, I'm sorry to say, sadly lacking. TK: Well let me start at the top.

Number One

TK: Keeping it simple.

So simple that a child can draw it from memory.

TK: It's a relatively complex flag. RM: The main component of the San Francsico flag is a phoenix, representing our rising from the ashes after the great fires of the 1850s.

TK: A powerful symbol for San Francisco.

RM: Design-wise I really don't dig the phoenix. It has too many details and too many colors and it doesnt really work at a distance.

But having deep meaning puts that element in the “plus” column.

Behind the large phoenix, the background is mainly white.

The flag also has a substantial gold border around it.

TK: which is a very attractive design element

RM: It does look pretty good.

But here come the bi no-no's in flag design. No lettering or seals.

Never use writing of any kind.

RM: Underneath the phoenix, there's a motto on a ribbon that translates to “Gold in peace, iron in war.” Plus-and this is the big problem- it says San Francisco across the bottom! TK: If you need to write the name of what you're representing on your flag, your symbolism has failed. RM: The United States Flag doesn't say ‘USA' across the front. But the good news is, this name thing might not be completely our fault.

TK: A city flag, in a state that has its own name on the state flag, would tend to echo that.

RM: Yep.

The California bear flag says ‘California Republic' on it. So maybe we can blame this all on our capital city, Sacremento.

Which is awesome, because I love blaming Sacremento for things.

TK: I like to say that in every bad flag, there's a good flag trying to get out. Well the way to make San Francisco's flag a good flag would be to take the motto off, because you can't read that at a distance. I would take the name off.

The border might even be made thicker, so that it's more a part of the flag, and I would just simple take the phoenix and make it a great big element in the middle of the flag. RM: But the current phoenix has got to go.

TK: I would simplify or stylize the phoenix- depict a big, wide-winged bird, coming out of flame.

Emphasize the flame.

RM: So the next time you find yourself with a vexillologist- I am never going to say that right- a flag expert, park yourself there.

You're in for a good time. By the North American Vexillologicaahaha!

RM: It's not just me! RM: 99% Invisible was produced by me, Roman Mars, with support from Lunar.

It's a project of KALW, the American Insitute of Architects in San Francisco, and the Center for Architecture and Design. To look at pictures of flags and a guide on how to design a good one, go to 99% Invisible.org.

99% Invisible-06- 99% Symbolic 99% Invisible-06- 99% Simbólico 99% Invisible-06- 99% シンボリック 99% Invisível-06- 99% Simbólico 99% Невидимые-06- 99% Символические 99% Invisible-06- 99% Symbolic 99% 隐形-06- 99% 象征性

Roman Mars (RM): This is 99% Invisible.

I'm Roman Mars. The five basic principles of flag design

RM:According to the North American Vexillological Association.

Vexillological!

Ted Kaye (TK): Vexillology is the study of flags

Number One.

Keep it simple.

The flag should be so simple that a child can draw it from memory

RM: Before I moved to Chicago in 2005, I didn't even know cities had their own flags. TK:most larger cities have flags.

well I didn't know that. That's Ted Kaye, by the way. TK: Hello!

Rm: Flag expert.

Totally awesome guy.

TK: I'm the editor of a scholarly journal on flags called Raven: A Journal of Vexillology. RM: And that first city flag I discoverd in Chicago is a beaut.

A white field, two light blue horizontal stripes, and four six-pointed red stars across the middle.

Number two

TK: The blue stripes represent the water: the lake and the rivers.

Use meaningful symbolism Используйте осмысленный символизм

TK: The red stars represent significant events in Chicagos history ТК: Красные звезды обозначают важные события в истории Чикаго.

RM: The design of the Chicago flag has complete buy-in, from an entire cross-section of the city.

It's everywhere. Every municipal building flies the flag.

Every 20-year-old's messenger bag and hoodie has one. Сумка и толстовка с капюшоном есть у каждого 20-летнего парня. It's a distinct symbol of Chicago's pride. TK: When a police officer or firefighter dies in Chicago, it's not a United States flag on the casket- it's the city of Chicago's flag. ТК: Когда в Чикаго умирает полицейский или пожарный, на гробе не флаг Соединенных Штатов, а флаг города Чикаго. That's how deeply it's gotten into the city's civic imagery. RM: And it's not just that people love Chicago and therefore love the flag. I also think that people love Chicago more, because the flag is so cool.

TK: A positive feedback loop there between great symbolism and civic pride. ТК: Между великим символизмом и гражданской гордостью существует положительная обратная связь.

RM: So when I moved back to San Fransisco in 2008, I researched its flag.

Because I had never seen it before in the previous 8 years I lived here.

And I found, I'm sorry to say, sadly lacking. И я нашел, к сожалению, недостающее. TK: Well let me start at the top.

Number One

TK: Keeping it simple.

So simple that a child can draw it from memory.

TK: It's a relatively complex flag. RM: The main component of the San Francsico flag is a phoenix, representing our rising from the ashes after the great fires of the 1850s. |||||||||||||||||ceneri|||||||

TK: A powerful symbol for San Francisco.

RM: Design-wise I really don't dig the phoenix. РМ: С точки зрения дизайна я действительно не в восторге от феникса. It has too many details and too many colors and it doesnt really work at a distance.

But having deep meaning puts that element in the “plus” column.

Behind the large phoenix, the background is mainly white.

The flag also has a substantial gold border around it.

TK: which is a very attractive design element

RM: It does look pretty good.

But here come the bi no-no's in flag design. Но вот и би-нет-нет в дизайне флага. No lettering or seals. Без надписей и печатей.

Never use writing of any kind.

RM: Underneath the phoenix, there's a motto on a ribbon that translates to “Gold in peace, iron in war.” Plus-and this is the big problem- it says San Francisco across the bottom! TK: If you need to write the name of what you're representing on your flag, your symbolism has failed. RM: The United States Flag doesn't say ‘USA' across the front. But the good news is, this name thing might not be completely our fault.

TK: A city flag, in a state that has its own name on the state flag, would tend to echo that.

RM: Yep.

The California bear flag says ‘California Republic' on it. So maybe we can blame this all on our capital city, Sacremento. ||||dare la colpa|||||||

Which is awesome, because I love blaming Sacremento for things.

TK: I like to say that in every bad flag, there's a good flag trying to get out. Well the way to make San Francisco's flag a good flag would be to take the motto off, because you can't read that at a distance. I would take the name off.

The border might even be made thicker, so that it's more a part of the flag, and I would just simple take the phoenix and make it a great big element in the middle of the flag. ||||||più spesso|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| RM: But the current phoenix has got to go.

TK: I would simplify or stylize the phoenix- depict a big, wide-winged bird, coming out of flame. ||||||||rappresentare|||||||||

Emphasize the flame.

RM: So the next time you find yourself with a vexillologist- I am never going to say that right- a flag expert, park yourself there.

You're in for a good time. By the North American Vexillologicaahaha!

RM: It's not just me! RM: 99% Invisible was produced by me, Roman Mars, with support from Lunar.

It's a project of KALW, the American Insitute of Architects in San Francisco, and the Center for Architecture and Design. To look at pictures of flags and a guide on how to design a good one, go to 99% Invisible.org.