A custom flag is an excellent way to draw attention to your company, group, or event. To maximize the effectiveness of your flag, we suggest the following 3 tips.
1. Choose a Color Combo
Flags should have bold, complementary, or triadic color combinations. An easy way to make a quality color palette is by using the Coolors.io interactive tool at https://coolors.co/generate. Colorbook.io features a generator as well at https://www.colorbook.io/pages/colorschemegenerator.
Colors should complement each other on a custom flag, with the text and background being in contrast, making it easier to read (and retain). Consider the background of your flag design carefully. Do not use anything that will make it difficult for someone to focus on what the text on your design is trying to communicate. For example, the use of bright yellow in a design may distract people from the intended message. Dark colors such as black contrast well with light colors such as pale blue. If the color of the flag will be dark, use light color text or graphics.
These are the five most readable color combinations for flags:
- Black on Yellow
- Black on White
- Yellow on Black
- White on Blue
- Green on White
If complementary colors are mixed, they cancel each other out, producing a grayscale color like white or place. If complementary colors are placed next to each other, they create the most dramatic contrasts. In the color wheel, complementary colors are opposite to each other. Examples are green and red, orange and blue, and so on. You can see the same color patterns employed by some of your favorite teams and colleges. Â
The triadic color scheme consists of three evenly distributed colors on the color wheel. Primary colors are red, blue, and yellow, and secondary colors are orange, purple, and green. Designing custom flags using these guidelines is an excellent way to make something aesthetically pleasing.
2. Choose Easy to Read FontsÂ
You will want to use sans-serif fonts for flags that will be seen from a distance and/or while waving. Serif fonts have small tails at the end of letters, while sans-serif fonts do not. Popular sans serif fonts include Helvetica, Avant-Garde, Arial, and Geneva. Serif fonts include Times Roman, Courier, New Century Schoolbook, and Palatino.
When Choosing a sans-serif font, here are a few things to keep in mind:
- Several marketing studies suggest that sans-serif fonts are easier to read. Pick a simple typeface over one that’s fussy and difficult to read at a glance.
- Avoid using more than 2 font styles. Opt for two fonts that complement each other can make your message stand out.
- Choose fonts that are easily readable from a distance and avoid fonts with elegant, thin strokes.
3. Limit Text
Less is more. A mix of upper- and lower-case letters makes the word easier to read than words made up entirely of capital letters. Professional billboard designers recommend no more than seven words per billboard, and that same principle can be applied to flags. As viewers have only a few seconds to absorb your message, reduce the use of capital letters.
A visual hierarchy is created using the corresponding text size. The most prominent type would be the primary message you’d like to convey so that you would focus on this first and then take on the subsequent messages based on their size and placement. It is important to remember that most people read left to right from top to bottom. This means that making your top line the largest and working your size down from there can be a great way to communicate the importance of the information on your custom flag.
