Good Flag-creators

[Salus Maior]

Hey all,

I was wondering if you guys had any recommendations for flag creating sites. Windows paint just isn't doing it for me.

[The River Brazos]

well you just need a vivid imagination to make a good flag. Like mine I made it all using MS Paint and searching Google images. If you want I can make it for you just give me a simple list of what you want.

[Asucki]

Really depends on your preferences. Personally, I like SVG formatted flags and use inkscape for most of my work. If you're just looking for a PNG editor, paint.net's a good free one. There are a couple sites/programs that are designed specifically for flags. Flagmaker 1.7 makes things really simple and is a handy tool for more basic flags, but you have to dig a bit to find it online. "Flag Designer" is another one that does most of the work for you. I've never used it seriously, but I see a lot of flags on Nationstates that come from there.

[South Helland]

Photopea

[Norse Inuit Union]

Tennessine.co.uk is a really good one and so is google drawings surprisingly.
I'd definitely recommend Tennessine.

[South Pacifican Kilendjj]

well
You can describe ur desired flag in this forum: viewtopic.php?f=12&t=442202
and people will do it for you.

[Volatavia]

One of the best web-based flag designers is FlagMaker Jr., which is a watered-down web port of the java-based FlagMaker software (which is hard to find nowadays). The desktop FlagMaker is what I used to use until I decided I wanted to incorporate custom symbols into the flags I make, which is when I began laying out a basic design in FM and then adding the symbolism (stars, animals, plants, etc) in Photopea (which is a very nice online Photoshop clone, and is completely free)

[Asucki]

One of the best web-based flag designers is FlagMaker Jr., which is a watered-down web port of the java-based FlagMaker software (which is hard to find nowadays). The desktop FlagMaker is what I used to use until I decided I wanted to incorporate custom symbols into the flags I make, which is when I began laying out a basic design in FM and then adding the symbolism (stars, animals, plants, etc) in Photopea (which is a very nice online Photoshop clone, which is completely free)

Interesting, I didn't realize Flagmaker had an online version. The link to the downloadable version can be found here if that's more your thing. That's where I downloaded it from and it works great.

[Makko Oko]

One of the best web-based flag designers is FlagMaker Jr., which is a watered-down web port of the java-based FlagMaker software (which is hard to find nowadays). The desktop FlagMaker is what I used to use until I decided I wanted to incorporate custom symbols into the flags I make, which is when I began laying out a basic design in FM and then adding the symbolism (stars, animals, plants, etc) in Photopea (which is a very nice online Photoshop clone, which is completely free)

Interesting, I didn't realize Flagmaker had an online version. The link to the downloadable version can be found here if that's more your thing. That's where I downloaded it from and it works great.

I didn't even know there WAS a downloadable version. Huh, you learn something new every day. Either way, I've used Flagmaker Jr. in the past for flags, but I tend to use various websites I find off of Google to get my flags, which stands the same for the one I have now, notwithstanding some minor modifications via Paint.NET.

[Asucki]

I didn't even know there WAS a downloadable version. Huh, you learn something new every day. Either way, I've used Flagmaker Jr. in the past for flags, but I tend to use various websites I find off of Google to get my flags, which stands the same for the one I have now, notwithstanding some minor modifications via Paint.NET.

While on the subject, I'd like to add that Wikimedia Commons is an absolute gold mine for symbols and other elements, especially if you're working with vector art. The majority of the flags I do consist of a background and an element lifted from some obscure coat of arms or seal found there. Seriously, you can find just about anything you'd want on a flag with a simple "[symbol] heraldry wikimedia" google search.

[Korwin]

Canva.com is by far the best (and free) way to design custom flags. I used Photoshop to make Korwin's flag, but I learned about Canva while in college.

It's meant for graphic designs for social media posts. I used it for a job that I had last year.
One drawback is that it's not good at precision ratios of elements for a flag (it's bad at doing thirds and fourths, objects placed inside stars, triangles, pentagons, etc... often appear uncentered).

But hey, it's free and has A LOT of graphic elements. A subscription is available, and offers a wider variety of elements to use and to be able to adjust the size of the canvas, but not necessary for use of the site.

[Makko Oko]

Canva.com is by far the best (and free) way to design custom flags. I used Photoshop to make Korwin's flag, but I learned about Canva while in college.

It's meant for graphic designs for social media posts. I used it for a job that I had last year.
One drawback is that it's not good at precision ratios of elements for a flag (it's bad at doing thirds and fourths, objects placed inside stars, triangles, pentagons, etc... often appear uncentered).

But hey, it's free and has A LOT of graphic elements. A subscription is available, and offers a wider variety of elements to use and to be able to adjust the size of the canvas, but not necessary for use of the site.

I can fully agree on the use of Canva, but at the same time, having tried it for flags myself, don't think it's the BEST solution. I don't know what it is, maybe its just the UI isn't designed for flag creation, not sure, but I think Paint.NET is better, having made my own state emblem/symbol with it. You get lots of leeway, and especially LAYERS! Layers are super useful when creating things like flags, also makes for easy replacement of any portion you need to change. Canva has this too, but is more hidden and obscure, not as freely controllable.

[Sordhau]

I use this one the most as I think it's the most user-friendly.

There is also this one which is more bare-bones.

For something more advanced there is this one which is technically for printing IRL flags but you don't *have* to do that and can keep it strictly digital if you like.

[Makko Oko]

For something more advanced there is this one which is technically for printing IRL flags but you don't *have* to do that and can keep it strictly digital if you like.

That's how I do my badges, medals and service bars, just on a different website lol

[Minoa]

I usually create flag designs via Adobe Illustrator, which is unfortunately subscription-based software. Inkscape is widely considered an open source alternative.

Using a vector graphics editor motivates me to keep the design as simple and relevant as possible, and avoid unnecessary visual effects that would be difficult to reproduce on a real printed flag. I then export the designs to SVG, and then use a text editor to simplify and validate the SVG code.

For simpler designs, I simply use a text editor to add the SVG code and export it as SVG, although this is for advanced users who know how SVG code works. The current flag of Minoa (a copy of which is on the Wikimedia commons) was created entirely on a text editor, and the file size (633 bytes) is 99.4% smaller than the original version that I exported from Illustrator with little optimisation (98 kilobytes).

I also know of two books that introduces flag design:

2. "Good" Flag, "Bad" Flag by the North American Vexillological Association
1. Modern Flag Design by Martin Joubert

[Salus Maior]

Which ones would be best for non-traditional flag shapes? Because regular rectangles are kinda lame.

[Minoa]

Which ones would be best for non-traditional flag shapes? Because regular rectangles are kinda lame.

Apart from Nepal, I know of a swallowtail flag shape.

[Salus Maior]

Which ones would be best for non-traditional flag shapes? Because regular rectangles are kinda lame.

Apart from Nepal, I know of a swallowtail flag shape.

I was thinking more of something like this Do you think any of the flag makers here would be able to make it?

[Hippie Kiwis]

It's not a design website, but GIMP is free and has a shorter learning curve that PS imo. Way more versatile than any website tool

[Luna Bean]

Just take a picture of your pet, like I did

[Neptunvia]

I literally just used Google Slides to make my flag.

[South Helland]

I literally just used Google Slides to make my flag.

So that’s why the orange stripe is offcenter

[Kingdom of Intermaria]

You can go to fake flag.net or create one in NS paint.

[DiaperLand]

It's not a design website, but GIMP is free and has a shorter learning curve that PS imo. Way more versatile than any website tool

Agreed, it's the best free program out there. Even if I resort to online generators for anything, I make it look better using GIMP.

[Riviere Renard]

This may be a bit off topic, but for users of FlagMaker Jr., which has been pointed out several times here, the Fleur de lis they use is specifically Canadian, and it would be inaccurate to use it for a French-based country outside of North America.

Edit: Also Tennessine, the one I use.

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Pronouns: She/Her at time of posting