Context On the 18th of September 2014, Scotland will vote for independence. In one day the economy, culture and identity of the UK could irrevocably change forever. A culture and identity that is most evident in the Union Jack — that symbol of nations united. Whether it is flying from the turrets of Balmoral or badly printed on an overpriced mug in a London gift shop, the flag is an icon that is recognized worldwide. What will happen if we remove the Scottish saltire? Forget the Olympic logo, this is perhaps the most difficult and potentially contentious design problem we’ve faced in the last decade. But it’s also an opportunity to redefine the identity of Great Britain to redefine the future. Brief or Tasks Pre-empt Scotland’s independence from the UK and re-design the Union Flag. Preparation/Research suggestions - Research the origin and elements of the current flag. - Consider reproductive implications of your design. Can a child draw it? - Think about what modern Great Britain represents. - Pre-empt negativity. E.g. Scotland/Tourist trade/Political parties. Mandatory Requirements - One new UK flag design. - Ongoing evidence of all design development. - Presentation boards articulating the selected research development, resolution and contextualisation of your working practice and methods. Briefing: 11/11/2013 Deadline: 09/12/2013
Andy Foster
United Kingrom Flag
OUGD603
Research For this brief I started off by researching into the history of the Union Jack as well as Flags that incorporate the Union Jack. The Union Flag, or Union Jack, is the national flag of the United Kingdom. It is so called because it combines the crosses of the three countries united under one Sovereign - the kingdoms of England and Wales, of Scotland and of Ireland (although since 1921 only Northern Ireland has been part of the United Kingdom). The flag consists of three heraldic crosses: The cross of St George, patron saint of England since the 1270’s, is a red cross on a white ground. The cross saltire of St Andrew, patron saint of Scotland, is a diagonal white cross on a blue ground. The cross saltire of St Patrick, patron saint of Ireland, is a diagonal red cross on a white ground.
Andy Foster
United Kingrom Flag
OUGD603
Research I also researched into the floral emblems of the countires within the United Kindom. Wales’ emblem is the daffodil. The daffodil is the national flower of Wales, and is worn on St David’s Day each 1 March. (In Welsh, the daffodil is known as “Peter’s Leek” ) Many Welsh people wear one or both of the national emblems of Wales on their lapel to celebrate St. David: the daffodil (a generic Welsh sym- bol which is in season during March) or the leek (Saint David’s personal symbol) on this day. Ireland’s emblem is the Shamrock. The shamrock refers to the young sprigs of clover or trefoil. It is known as a symbol of Ireland, with St. Patrick having used it as a metaphor for the ChristianTrinity, according to legend. The name shamrock is derived from Irish seamróg, which is the diminutive version of the Irish word for clover (seamair) meaning simply “little clover” or “young clover”. Englands emblem is the Tudor Rose. The Tudor rose (sometimes called the Union rose) is the traditional floral heraldic emblem of England and takes its name and origins from the Tudor dynasty.
Andy Foster
United Kingrom Flag
OUGD603
Outcomes - Set 1 Combining the Patron saint flags of the United Kingdom countries: St George’s Cross - White & Red St David’s Cross - Black & Yellow St Patrick’s Cross - White & Red.
Andy Foster
United Kingrom Flag
OUGD603
Outcomes - Set 2 Combining the floural emblems of the United Kingdom countries. Tudor Rose England Daffodil - Wales Shammrock - Northern Ireland By using the floral symbol of the country, the flag would still appeal to patriots. I have also used a simple, clean graphic style to appeal to a younger audience.. The flags i have designed place the emblems into one layered image. This is similar to how the patron saint flags were layered to create the Unon Jack. Further experiments with the logo included multiplying the colours. This may look good on screen but will be tricky to reproduce onto a flag.
Andy Foster
United Kingrom Flag
OUGD603