[Volapük.com]  Volapük.com Home
 
  

Flags for Volapük (language)

 

These are draft suggestions, with opinions by Michael Everson

I found some Principles of Flag Design:

  1. Keep It Simple—The flag should be so simple that a child can draw it from memory.
  2. Use Meaningful Symbolism—The flag’s images, colours, or patterns should relate to what it symbolizes.
  3. Use 2–3 Basic Colours—Limit the number of colours on the flag to three, which contrast well and come from the standard colour set.
  4. No Lettering or Seals—Never use writing of any kind or an organization’s seal.
  5. Be Distinctive or Be Related—Avoid duplicating other flags, but use similarities to show connections.

I admit that I believe the “Globe flag” below meets these criteria best. The old logo is not simple; the Globe represents “Vol”, retaining the schematic meridians for longitude and latitude that are found in the original logo; Purple and Gold are traditional colours; it uses no text; the basic shape is reminiscent of the Esperanto flag (a dark field and a light canton with symbol in the first colour)—I think that evocation is a good one, and makes Volapük look like an equal.

The Globe flag

Volapük logo
Image by Michael Everson, 2010-08-31

This is now my favourite. Simple. The image is a schematized globe symbolizing the world: simple, bold, easy to draw and remember. In terms of "competing" with the Esperanto flag, this is the most appealling, in my opinion. It would be legible at small sizes too:
Volapük logo

Esperanto flag

Volapük logo
Image by António Martins, 2004-03-16

The Esperanto flag for comparison.

Conjectural flag

Volapük logo
Image by António Martins, 1999-06-05

Simply places the logo on a white field. In my opinion, not very inspiring.

Monogram flag

Volapük logo
Image by António Martins, 2010-08-30

Uses an evidently-attested monogram. The colours should be modified. I am not sure of the placement of the letters. Directionality of the text would be a problem when the flag were reversed. "Menad bal pük bal" might be mnemonic, but I honestly don't see it in this. If anything when I squint it looks like a tree.

The Circled Cross flag

Volapük logo
Image by Michael Everson, 2010-08-29

This used to be my favourite, though now I favour the Globe flag. The charge in the canton is the astronomical symbol for Earth.

Schematized monogram flag

Volapük logo
Image by Michael Everson, 2010-08-30

An attempt at schematizing the monogram in a non-directional way. Reminds me of the Wizard of Oz somehow.

Mauve Globe flag

Volapük logo
Image by Michael Everson, 2010-08-30

Here is a version in the colour "Mauve". This is fairly nice looking.

Logo flag

Volapük logo
Image by Michael Everson, 2010-08-29

This just places the logo in the canton. It would be quite fussy to draw.

Old Mauve Globe flag

Volapük logo
Image by Michael Everson, 2010-08-30

Here is a version in a darker shade of mauve. This is called "Old Mauve". I don't think it works.

Radu's logo flag

Volapük logo
Image by Michael Everson, 2010-08-29

Here is a proposal from Radu Chinan. This is an attractive enough image, but it violates almost all of the rules of a good flag. Complicated design, many colours, text. It would be fairly hard to make this legible at small sizes:
Volapük logo

The French Lilac Globe flag

Volapük logo
Image by Michael Everson, 2010-08-30

Here is a version with a more "lilac" shade of purple. This is called "French Lilac"

Schematized logo flag

Volapük logo
Image by Michael Everson, 2010-08-30

Here I just sketched out a schematized version of the old logo. The schematization wasn't very successful, but in any case it doesn't say “Volapük” to me.

The Deep Lilac Globe flag

Volapük logo
Image by Michael Everson, 2010-08-30

Here is a version with a more "lilac" shade of purple. This is called "Deep Lilac"

Logo flag with stripe

Volapük logo
Image by Michael Everson, 2010-08-30

Here is another idea from Radu Chinan. In Radu's original design the logo was a bit smaller. I think the logo is far too complicated to work in this position, and the stripe makes the flag look like one of those old Soviet Republics.

The Rich Lilac Globe flag

Volapük logo
Image by Michael Everson, 2010-08-30

Here is a version with a more "lilac" shade of purple. This is called "Rich Lilac". Too pink.

Cadeuceus flag

Volapük logo
Image by Michael Everson, 2010-08-29

As others pointed out, the cadeuceus has been co-opted for other purposes, and this doesn't say “Volapük”.

Inverse Globe flag

Volapük logo
Image by Michael Everson, 2010-08-30

I wanted to see what this looked like reversed. A bit too bright.

Purpure, a chevron inverted throughout Or

Volapük logo
Image by Michael Everson, 2010-08-30

Here is a version of an idea by Radu Chinan. I have seen no other flags with this design feature; in heraldry a chevron usually points upward. Basically this is a very big V, and in my opinion using a chevron to indicate the letter is not very subtle or appealing.

Cantonless Globe flag

Volapük logo
Image by Michael Everson, 2010-08-30

Here is modification of that, with the Globe symbol in the canton position

Purpure, a pile Or

Volapük logo
Image by Michael Everson, 2010-08-30

There are flags which use a pile, though generally they put something in it. I put this here just to see, but I don't like it.

Nordic flag

Volapük logo
Image by Michael Everson, 2010-08-30

A “Nordic Cross” style flag. Excellent for Volapükists from Iceland....

Another Chevron flag

Volapük logo
Image by Michael Everson, 2010-08-30

Still a V. Still a bit unconvincing.

Saltire flag

Volapük logo
Image by Michael Everson, 2010-08-30

A “Saltire” style flag, for Volapükists from Scotland, perhaps.

Motto flag

Volapük logo
Image by Michael Everson, 2010-08-30

I believe this was Paul Bartlett's suggestion: “I would go for the color scheme with just the motto without the maps and cadeuceus.”

Centred Globe flag

Volapük logo
Image by Michael Everson, 2010-08-30

Here is an idea from Radu Chinan, putting the Globe symbol in the centre of the flag.

Semicircle with V flag

Volapük logo
Image by Michael Everson, 2010-08-31

Another idea from Radu Chinan, putting a V inside a circle. Evidently this is slightly reminiscent of Mazda’s logo, so that wouldn't be so good.