Where does flag design begin? An easy answer would be “with an idea”, but that doesn’t help. An important part of flag design is the font used, what are the best fonts for flags?
Well, when it comes to flag design, words and letters are not recommended by Vexillologists, people who study flags, and Vexillographers, people who design flags. Instead, simple colors and symbols are the best to use. This is because when a flag is flapping in the wind, viewed from afar or viewed from the back, words can be hard to read. Most flags are single side reverse, which means the back does not read correctly. It can be difficult to read because people spend about 5 seconds looking at a flag.
However, if good symbolism is not possible without lettering, making words necessary for your flag, don’t worry! Most state flags in the United States have words or letters in the design and the world is still spinning. So, when words and letters are necessary for your design, there are fonts that work better than others.
Favorite Fonts for Flags
- Gotham Black
- Helvetica Bold/Arial Black
- DIN Condensed Bold
- Charter
- Impact
These fonts are easy to read, making them a great choice for your flag. These are not the only fonts that work well on flags, but they are ones we use most often.
Some elements of other fonts make wording difficult to read. For example, the script or cursive category. Script or cursive style fonts become ambiguous shapes on a flag that is constantly moving. That is, unless you are Coca Cola whose font is so engrained in our collective subconscious that anyone can recognize it in a split second.
There are no rules when it comes to fonts, just a guideline to ensure the flag can be read. If you have been thinking about designing a flag, try some of these recommended fonts.
If you have any design questions or need any design assistance, Custom Flag Company’s in-house graphics team is here to help. Fill out a quote or give us a call 303-431-1117.
