The CBB

Thrice Xandvii wrote:I don't mean to come across rude, but that flag violates rule #4 of good flag design: Don't use text or seals.

Unfortunately, since that's all that's on it, I can't really suggest merely removing it or any improvements.

Wait, what's wrong with seals? What else are you going to charge on a flag? Or are you drawing some sort of distinction between a seal and an emblem?

The Θ is okay in my book. It's just a single letter and a fairly simple shape. But the text below is superfluous. If you have to put the name of your country on the flag, it isn't relevant enough to have a flag.

clawgrip wrote:Wait, what's wrong with seals? What else are you going to charge on a flag? Or are you drawing some sort of distinction between a seal and an emblem?

I believe the proscription is usually against unmodified/minimally modified seals (or coats-of-arms). They're usually small and highly detailed with even smaller writing on them. None of that can be easily reproduced from memory or appreciated on a flag flapping in the wind. So it's preferable to choose one or two distinctive features from a seal, then blow them up and stylize the heck out of them.

Qxentio wrote:The Θ is okay in my book. It's just a single letter and a fairly simple shape. But the text below is superfluous. If you have to put the name of your country on the flag, it isn't relevant enough to have a flag.

It's not the country's (actually empire's) name. The Symbolism is that of the letter theta, standing for "Theos", meaning "God" being above "Mikhu Stefanos" "Mikhon's crown" which is a metaphor for the ruling house.
Maybe something more symbolic would be better, but as said above, the letters are authentic to the period.

Shemtov wrote:

Qxentio wrote:The Θ is okay in my book. It's just a single letter and a fairly simple shape. But the text below is superfluous. If you have to put the name of your country on the flag, it isn't relevant enough to have a flag.

It's not the country's (actually empire's) name. The Symbolism is that of the letter theta, standing for "Theos", meaning "God" being above "Mikhu Stefanos" "Mikhon's crown" which is a metaphor for the ruling house.
Maybe something more symbolic would be better, but as said above, the letters are authentic to the period.

The Theta could be better positioned, though.

clawgrip wrote:

Thrice Xandvii wrote:I don't mean to come across rude, but that flag violates rule #4 of good flag design: Don't use text or seals.

Unfortunately, since that's all that's on it, I can't really suggest merely removing it or any improvements.

Wait, what's wrong with seals? What else are you going to charge on a flag? Or are you drawing some sort of distinction between a seal and an emblem?

Seals, as Dormouse pointed out, are generally crammed full of tiny details, usually slogans, etc.

There is a gulf of difference between some of the older flags of Germany and the current flag of Spain in my opinion. (Also lots of US state flags are nothing but an unmodified seal on a blue background.)

http://www.onlinestores.com/flagdetecti ... ate-hi.jpg

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/ ... in.svg.png

Shemtov wrote:

Qxentio wrote:The Θ is okay in my book. It's just a single letter and a fairly simple shape. But the text below is superfluous. If you have to put the name of your country on the flag, it isn't relevant enough to have a flag.

It's not the country's (actually empire's) name. The Symbolism is that of the letter theta, standing for "Theos", meaning "God" being above "Mikhu Stefanos" "Mikhon's crown" which is a metaphor for the ruling house.
Maybe something more symbolic would be better, but as said above, the letters are authentic to the period.

A more symbolic option may be to literally place a crown toward the bottom with either a theta as you suggested, or possibly some other symbol of the deity floating above it. Easily recognizable and easily reproducible even by folks who can't read or write.

Thrice Xandvii wrote:Maybe something more symbolic would be better, but as said above, the letters are authentic to the period.

A more symbolic option may be to literally place a crown toward the bottom with either a theta as you suggested, or possibly some other symbol of the deity floating above it. Easily recognizable and easily reproducible even by folks who can't read or write.[/quote]
How about a crown above the theta, or a crown in place of the little bar in the center?

Qxentio wrote: How about a crown above the theta, or a crown in place of the little bar in the center?

The crown needs to be below the Theta, as it symbolizes Theos being over the Crown. Also, the crown would probably have a little mu in it, so it's obviously Mikhon's Crown
Something like this (using a more authentic theta, now that I think about it):

(note the crown being more of a golden diadem)

Meanwhile, the modern flag of Arrdhila:

Again, if the flag is for Mikhon, then indicating what the crown is for is redundant. Flags are meant to be somewhat symbolic of the entire nation/empire/etc. for which it stands, so it goes without saying that the symbols thereupon represent that municipality... I mean, that's the entire point of the flag.

---

This is the tentative flag I made for the nation that speaks the language of Project Nephrite (otherwise known as Dŭhok).



I've yet to work out the symbolism, but the colors are meant to evoke jade. I'm thinking the placement of the stripes near the fly of the flag will be important considering features are more often placed toward the hoist so that they are less likely to tear or fray.

Maybe the stripes at the end will represent fringe colonies or something along those lines?

Thrice Xandvii wrote:Again, if the flag is for Mikhon, then indicating what the crown is for is redundant. Flags are meant to be somewhat symbolic of the entire nation/empire/etc. for which it stands, so it goes without saying that the symbols thereupon represent that municipality... I mean, that's the entire point of the flag.

But to be a symbol, the symbol has to be distinguishable, and a thick gold oval is to bland IMO to be a symbol of the dynasty.

Flag of the Independent Grand Duchy of Basil:


And the Older version, used until 1982:

A flag symbolizing Angelnisc identity:

an emblem i did for my pseudo-malay/buddhist con-culture.

Welcome, rajavlitra!

Nice symbol!

Far Cry Primal playthroughs taught me more about Proto-Indo-European than any other PIE repository in existence.

Chalk one up for (quasi)immersive language study.

While I'm at it, I want to introduce here insignia from a particular con-culture (i didn't make this, but eh) from one of my favorite Conworlding projects. I'm calling this conculture "Vaestdom" (from Vaestism, their religion) for the sake of brevity.

Vaestdom is a very stratified, orthodox, religious and very totalitarian culture based upon the accumulation of knowledge (it's kind of a complicated story). Aesthetically, the Vesnites follow a strange mix of Middle-Eastern, Slavic, Turkic and even Tibetan traditions, legacies of ancient civilizations that were subjugated by preceding empires before the subsequent rise of the Vaestic world.


The Octad, or the "Storm-Wheel" is the primary symbol of distinction among Vesnites, an abstract representation of the Prophet's transcendence and liberation from mortality and the endless cycle of reincarnation in the Battle of the Holy Storm. This "Storm-Wheel" varies in design and shape in various Vaestic emblems, all denomination, or "Banner".

A couple of examples:

(The first Banner flown in Vaestism, it's tradition I assume inspired from the "Black Standard" of Islam

Banner of Azophin, originally flown during the Neritsovid Era

Banner of Terophan

Banner of the Ascesian Empire

Banner of Rania

Banner of Lacre. The octagonal borders serve as the "Storm-Wheel" of the flag.

Banner of Agamar.

Those are all pretty nifty, but I am specifically enamored with the Ascesian Empire one!

rajavlitra wrote:While I'm at it, I want to introduce here insignia from a particular con-culture (i didn't make this, but eh) from one of my favorite Conworlding projects. I'm calling this conculture "Vaestdom" (from Vaestism, their religion) for the sake of brevity.

Vaestdom is a very stratified, orthodox, religious and very totalitarian culture based upon the accumulation of knowledge (it's kind of a complicated story). Aesthetically, the Vesnites follow a strange mix of Middle-Eastern, Slavic, Turkic and even Tibetan traditions, legacies of ancient civilizations that were subjugated by preceding empires before the subsequent rise of the Vaestic world.


The Octad, or the "Storm-Wheel" is the primary symbol of distinction among Vesnites, an abstract representation of the Prophet's transcendence and liberation from mortality and the endless cycle of reincarnation in the Battle of the Holy Storm. This "Storm-Wheel" varies in design and shape in various Vaestic emblems, all denomination, or "Banner".

A couple of examples:

(The first Banner flown in Vaestism, it's tradition I assume inspired from the "Black Standard" of Islam

Banner of Azophin, originally flown during the Neritsovid Era

Banner of Terophan

Banner of the Ascesian Empire

Banner of Rania

Banner of Lacre. The octagonal borders serve as the "Storm-Wheel" of the flag.

Banner of Agamar.

I also forgot, this is the banner of the long defunct Lefdic Empire (now part of Terophan).

Nice collection! I live the differing interpretations, and I also particularly like the Ascesian Empire's.

The insignia of the Commonwealth of the Elves:

This is the flag of the Esoteric Order of the Axolotl.

This is the flag of Sajem Tan.