Deconstructing Your Flag Design

COLOUR PARAGRAPH Key things you need to talk about… 1.WHAT COLOURS have you used in your flag? 1.WHY have you used those specific COLOURS? 2.HOW does this represent the contemporary Australian identity.

COLOUR Black often represents determination, ethnic heritage, and/or defeating one's enemies. Blue often represents freedom, vigilance, perseverance, justice, prosperity, peace, and/or patriotism. Green can symbolize the Earth, agriculture, fertility.

COLOUR Continued… Red often represents courage, revolution, hardiness, blood, and/or valor. White often represents peace, purity, mountain snow, and/or innocence. A simple white flag represents surrender. Yellow often represents the sun, wealth, and/or justice.

Final note on Colour… Limit the number of colours on the flag to three, which contrast well and come from the standard color set. The basic flag colours are Red, Blue, Green, Black, Yellow, and White. Separate dark colours with a light colour, and Light colors with a dark color, to help them create effective contrast.

SYMBOLS Symbolism can be in the form of the “main graphic element”, in the colors used, or sometimes even in the shapes or layout of the parts of the flag. Usually a single primary symbol is best—AVOID those that are less likely to be representative or unique. GOODBAD Canada One symbol reflects the Canadian Maple leaf. Navajo Nation (USA) Over 20 graphic elements overwhelm the viewer and none are large enough to be seen easily.

Symbol Paragraph Key things you need to talk about… 1.WHAT SYMBOLS have been used in your flag? 1.WHY have you used these certain SYMBOLS? 1.HOW do these SYMBOLS represent the contemporary Australian identity.

SHAPE AND PLACEMENT A rectangle is the standard flag shape. SHAPES used- Stars, squares, circles, and rectangles. By keeping a rectangular shape- avoid placing symbols at the fly end. GOOD BAD

Shape and Placement Paragraph Key things you need to talk about… 1.WHAT SHAPES have been used in your flag? 2.WHY have you PLACED (symbols, colour and shapes) in certain places? 3.HOW does this represent the contemporary Australian identity.

The End! What colours, symbols, shapes and placement will you use on your flag to represent contemporary Australia?