Peacmakers Flag (visual poetry)
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Peace, Edip, everyone peace
Who is your audience, Edip? Who is this flag aimed towards? "Muslims"? Humanity?
I did read Article XIII, as a matter of point. Who will be in position(s) to use this flag?
Finally, as others have already asked you before--why have a flag at all?
Culturally, a fetal position has very specific connotations standing for fear/despair/anxiety. In another words, as already pointed out, what you intend by a symbol equals not its function/execution. Surely you know this? You're trying to be 'symbolic' with this flag, but the fetal position thing you take literally?
What this really 'symbolizes' is the fact that you pick and choose. You use the counts, the number 19, the Golden Ratio, in a symbolic way, but the fetal position you intend quite literally.
I teach, among other things, corporate design and intercultural communication to university students, so dealing with symbols, signs, icons, analysing logo drafts etc. is part of my job. And I think Jack raised some good questions here.
Did you define all those things clearly and give the artist an exact brief of what you want to express with the flag? Have you done research into all the symbols you are using, checked which associations they evoke in your target group, and checked whether the meaning you are going for is universally understood by people of different cultures/backgrounds?
I disagree that having a flag is unnecessary. A flag, like a logotype, is a visual manifestation of your institution's/company's/group's philosophy. As such, it can help the members of the group feel more real and to identify with the group's common goals. I have often noticed when working with clients who get a corporate design (including, of course, a logo) for the first time how excited they are when the design starts to manifest and take shape. It is nice to have something tangible that represents you or your company/instititution. So if you like having a flag, I'd say go for it by all means.
In terms of graphics ? I like the color combination of grey and orange, it's friendly and contemporary, but I am not so sure about making the whole background grey, it's a bit too much imo. We need to be a bit careful with grey because although it stands for neutrality and balance, it also has some negative connotations like boredom, mediocrity, indifference etc.
I'd make the line of the white circle much thinner. It's too fat and thus doesn't harmonize with the other elements which are much more fragile and have finer lines.
Yes, if this is a flaw, this would be the flaw of this flag; a flawed flag! But, we do all the time mix symbols with literal ideas. All the time. Read articles, read poetry... However, fetus is both literal and symbolic. It is about HUMANITY, regardless of gender and color. I could not find a better symbol than a fetus (with no sexual, ethnic cannotation). Besides, it also relays care and compassion of mothers, which is very ignored by flag-waving savages (I do not mean the carrots here
Yes, we do mix symbols with literal ideas all the time. And a logotype/flag/etc. can very well combine a symbol with an icon, or a symbol with a sign and so on. But, as I said above, it needs to be well thought out and you need to check for all possible implications and meanings. Especially when you are aiming at a global audience.
Thanks for explaining how you came up with the idea of the fetus. I wonder was this your first idea? Have you come up with others, if yes, which? Have you brainstormed, possibly in the group? Maybe (or probably) there are other ways to portrait that concept.
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Fantastic idea. Let's do it. I think the word PEACE would suffice. An interlocking and tangled maze of different alphabets in different color could be a great art and message. I will ask my friends to do this.
Imho that's a nice idea, more straightforward, and it could look great with good typography and colors. http//www.clicksmilies.com/s1106/grinser/grinning-smiley-003.gif
Maybe you could also look for universal symbols for peace and use them in a graphical way?
You might find these inspiring
http//www.calfinder.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/peace-banner.jpg
http//farm4.static.flickr.com/3626/3667549156_eb28bdac2a.jpg
http//www.wallforpeace.com/mur.html
http//img824.imageshack.us/img824/9093/picture1sdb.png
http//www.ploughsharescalgary.ca/About%20Us/peace%20languages.jpg
typographic peace dove
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I like the frog in the icecube. I support that concept art.
On a serious note, you can play with aesthetics all you want, but it does need better symbology than a fetus, honey combs and wombs unless you're an anti-abortionist group with a fetish for bees.
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Thanks for explaining how you came up with the idea of the fetus. I wonder was this your first idea? Have you come up with others, if yes, which? Have you brainstormed, possibly in the group? Maybe (or probably) there are other ways to portrait that concept.
Leyna,
Thank you for the informative message. As for the above question.... My original idea was a brain super imposed on a heart with background of bars with rainbow colors, plus 114 stars. Then, a group from Kazakstan used fetus instead of brain+heart. I liked the idea. Then, I suggested the use of nineteen hexagons as symbol of ingenuity, efficiency, communal work, and rules of infrence.... I then offered adding green color as sybol of environment, which they added in between hexagons and the circle.
Here is the paragraph on the flag from the draft constitution (See http//19.org/534/constitution/ )
The dimensions of the Peaceland's flag will be in golden ratio, reflecting our respect to nature. A human fetus is located in the middle of nineteen hexagons on a black background, respectively representing our emphasis on intellectual and spiritual qualities of humanity and the importance of human life and integrity; the nineteen rules of deduction installed in our brains by our Creator; and the mystery, unity, and providence in our common and specific origins the Big Bang and our mother's womb. The hexagons represent honeycomb and many lessons from bees, such as work ethics, community work, efficiency, unity against aggressors... The grey background represents wisdom and justice, the green color stands for our respect for the environment and ecological system, while the orange color represents joy and optimism. The hundred-fourteen stars represent the number of stable elements in our universe, the chapters of the Quran, God's attribute the Compassionate, and our progressive values and aspirations.
I would like to get to know you, since I am interested in your field.
Peace,
Edip -
I like the frog in the icecube. I support that concept art.
On a serious note, you can play with aesthetics all you want, but it does need better symbology than a fetus, honey combs and wombs unless you're an anti-abortionist group with a fetish for bees.sun
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Peace Edip, all
Please feel free to use any of my ideas if you see any benefit in them, and you don't need to give me any credit for it.
Also, it is a good idea to have a flag and more visibilty. It can invite more people to think about the real meaning of almuslimeene, and to understand that it is not exclusive to any culture, race or religion.
Mohamed
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Imho that's a nice idea, more straightforward, and it could look great with good typography and colors.
Maybe you could also look for universal symbols for peace and use them in a graphical way?
You might find these inspiring
http//www.wallforpeace.com/mur.htmlLeyna, thank you for these art work. I love the word Salam written in numerous languages.
Edip -
Just a question Edip Yuksel, what do you think flags have to do with peace?
As much as words have someting with something, symbols and pictures too have something with something.
Edip