Vexillology (Flags) of historical reference

[Col. Whipstick]

Hi guys, it's my eventual hope that I can create some designs, official and customised of flags to join the torso's in our libary. My main problem is I don't have any lego with me and in order to design flags of the correct size so that people may print them and use them for MOC's I need the actual measurements of the official pirate lego flags.

So could somebody please measure the diameters of both the large flag (the sort we see on forts and ships) and the little flag (the sort seen on rowboats etc). If I could have these measurements in the metric system I will get to work on some flags for people so we can take a break from the imperial red, imperial blue and skull and cross bones.

[Lord Of Pies]

Here ye go:

Small flag:

1.5 cm (Length, not inc. clip)

2.2 cm (from corner to corner, not inc clip)

1.5 cm (Height)

Large Flag:

4.8 cm (Length, not inc clip)

6.1 cm (Corner to corner)

3.8 cm (Height)

The clip measures around ).5 cm in length and around ).4 cm in height.

Hope that helps, but perhaps someone else can check these measurements, just to be on the safe side.

[Col. Whipstick]

Thanks, I'll get onto a few now...

At first I'll come up with the expected, some Union Jacks, the Tricolour etc and see where it goes.

[Col. Whipstick]

Okay, using MSPaint I've done the flag of England to what I'm hoping is the correct size for the lego pirate flags. I don't have any lego with me or for that matter a printer, so could someone please print this out and see if the sizes are correct, once this is confirmed I will get to work on an assortment of flags.

Personally it looks a little small to me. I've posted the flags on my brickshelf account at:

My Webpage

[Mister Phes]

How will the boundary of the flags print out? As there is no anti-aliasing will it be all jagged and chunky?

[Lord Of Pies]

Okay, using MSPaint I've done the flag of England to what I'm hoping is the correct size for the lego pirate flags. I don't have any lego with me or for that matter a printer, so could someone please print this out and see if the sizes are correct, once this is confirmed I will get to work on an assortment of flags.

Personally it looks a little small to me. I've posted the flags on my brickshelf account at:

My Webpage

Indeed they are a bit small.

The large flag height is off by 0.5 cm, and it's height is off by around 0.8 cm.

The small flag is height is off by around 0.3 cm, and it length by about 0.3/4 cm.

My measurements might be totally wrong however, though I checked them again and my original measurements seem right.

Non of my measurements include the clip.

Edited December 8, 2007 by Lord Of Pies

[Col. Whipstick]

Damn, see those were the measurements I fed into the programme. Oh well I'll have to try resizing them, once we have a solid template I can make some real progress. :-/

Lord of Pies, so you printed them out and saw they were too small from that?

Edited December 8, 2007 by Col. Whipstick

[Lord Of Pies]

Lord of Pies, so you printed them out and saw they were too small from that?

Yep, They fit, but they do not fit the whole flag, they are a bit small, I will cut them out and check *runs off to another room to get scissors*

Here is a picture of the problem too!

With added body guards X-D !

May I add that I directly copied your picture To MS word, so they seem to have shrunk slightly.

Edited December 8, 2007 by Lord Of Pies

[Col. Whipstick]

Bodyguards just to protect the flag... what will the Queen say?

Okay, I've tried doing a little resize and here's what I've come up with, so try this set out:

[Lord Of Pies]

Bodyguards just to protect the flag... what will the Queen say?

Okay, I've tried doing a little resize and here's what I've come up with, so try this set out:

Will do!

*Tests them*

They shrink when pasted on to word, so they seem ALMOST the right size.

The height is off by 0.3 cm and the length by 0.1 cm

[Col. Whipstick]

Will do!

*Tests them*

They shrink when pasted on to word, so they seem ALMOST the right size.

The height is off by 0.3 cm and the length by 0.1 cm

So, they still need to be tweeked? They are still slightly too small you're saying...

[Lord Of Pies]

So, they still need to be tweeked? They are still slightly too small you're saying...

Yes, they do need tweaking, but only very slightly, so keep up the good work.

I would post another pic, but my camera is on the blink, I can't find any bloomin' double A batteries! X-D

[Col. Whipstick]

Yes, they do need tweaking, but only very slightly, so keep up the good work.

I would post another pic, but my camera is on the blink, I can't find any bloomin' double A batteries! X-D

Both flags are off by those sizes or just the largest one?

[Lord Of Pies]

Both flags are off by those sizes or just the largest one?

The small ones height is perfect, but the length is to short by around 0.3-5 cm, I have no ruler on me unfortunately.

[Col. Whipstick]

Right, here is the 3 attempt.

Let me know how these do... the smaller flags were pretty much square as that's the indication I got from you in the start, they are now slightly rectangular. The height has not been tampered with, only width.

The larger flags have been increased.

There's the bitmap version on my brickshelf too if gif may be causing the shrink problem.

My Webpage

[Col. Whipstick]

Where is Lord of Pies when I need him to check those recent flags? Probably filling his hamster cheeks with pie again I tell you... He's the only one here who takes his share of the treasure in blueberry pastry slices. *sad*

[Mister Phes]

Ah yes, I see. Very jagged in a Windows 3.1 sense...

[Col. Whipstick]

Ah yes, I see. Very jagged in a Windows 3.1 sense...

Well there are alternatives... The reason I've rendered a thick coloured boundary for the flag is because that immitates what lego themselves have done, however one can simply change the outline to say a light grey and it won't stand out as much or print the strictly rectangular flag. Or, with the use of a pen in the appropriate colour - smooth out the lines. It looks particularly bad on the flag of England because it's largely white but with other flags it's much less of a problem.

I really need someone to confirm the sizes on batch 3 before I continue to design all different flags.

Edited December 9, 2007 by Col. Whipstick

[woody64]

Rofur may also help when designing flags, as I did it in my signature.

Andreas

[Lord Of Pies]

Where is Lord of Pies when I need him to check those recent flags? Probably filling his hamster cheeks with pie again I tell you... He's the only one here who takes his share of the treasure in blueberry pastry slices. *sad*

Funnily enough I went off the computer to go down stairs and eat a mince pie. :-$

I will test them now:

The large flag is perfect!! yay!

The small flag is almosr right, it is off by around 1mm in height, though it does not really notice. Good job Col. Whipstick *y*

[Col. Whipstick]

Funnily enough I went off the computer to go down stairs and eat a mince pie. :-$

I will test them now:

The large flag is perfect!! yay!

The small flag is almosr right, it is off by around 1mm in height, though it does not really notice. Good job Col. Whipstick *y*

Excellent, I admit I'd already gotten started on other flags, that small flag adjustment might be useful anyway as I'm having trouble with the rectangular shape in designs on that size. So really you want me to make the small flag a hint more square?

[Lord Of Pies]

Yes, the small flag needs to be a bit more square(ey), but it is not a major problem, it is the only thing wrong I could find.

Keep up the good work!