Vexillography

Vexillography is allied with vexillology, the scholarly study of flags, but is not synonymous with that discipline.

Vexillographers face the necessity for the design to be manufactured (and often mass-produced) into or onto a piece of cloth, which will subsequently be hoisted aloft in the outdoors to represent an organization, individual, idea, or group.

In this respect, flag design departs considerably from logo design: logos are predominantly still images suitable for reading off a page, screen, or billboard; while flags are alternately draped and fluttering images - visible from a variety of distances and angles (including the reverse).

The prevalence of simple bold colors and shapes in flag design attests to these practical issues.

Taking a minimalist approach, the booklet lists five basic flag design principles which have become a standard reference in the vexillographer community.