Fun with Flags, Land of Lincoln Edition

December 11, 2024 2:04 PM

The Illinois Flag Commission has released the 10 finalists [PDF] for the new state flag design contest. Voting for the new flag design will begin in January 2025.
posted by Cash4Lead (43 comments total)

The butterfly flag should win, but the state with Lincoln's profile in a circle of stars will because people aren't cool enough.
posted by Atreides at 2:19 PM on December 11, 2024 [5 favorites]

Well Illinois, enjoy seeing the flag turned into a political statement as people fly the old one in defiance and to rage against change and “political correctness”.

Signed,
Minnesota
posted by misterpatrick at 2:24 PM on December 11, 2024 [10 favorites]

Disappointed that there isn't an obvious "Flaggy McFlagface" choice.

I'm on Team Butterfly.
posted by Joey Michaels at 2:26 PM on December 11, 2024 [3 favorites]

The fact that one of the finalists is the old flag with some bars added speaks to the level of the competition.

There are a couple that are good (butterfly, sunrise), a few that are unimaginative but not awful. That first one with the negative-space "I"—I just said No the second I saw it.
posted by adamrice at 2:26 PM on December 11, 2024 [2 favorites]

Yes! A new target for complaints just in time for xmas! It's like they know me.
posted by srboisvert at 2:28 PM on December 11, 2024 [4 favorites]

I like 3754 the best but I wonder if it's too Chicago. At least most of them would be an improvement, but I doubt CGP Grey would be particularly enthusiastic about any of them.
posted by tclark at 2:29 PM on December 11, 2024 [4 favorites]

"Not a SINGLE one of these has a Tullimonstrum"
posted by deadbilly at 2:33 PM on December 11, 2024 [2 favorites]

The design statements are replete with grammatical errors.. one of the design statements is suggesting cost effectiveness as a primary motivator, we cannot expect much from that kind of motivation

I don't love the butterfly, but it stands out
posted by ginger.beef at 2:35 PM on December 11, 2024

From top to bottom

4669 - I respect the idea, but it sucks
5321 - Butterfly. I like it. No notes
4220 - I kept trying to see the vase in the negative space. It's a little much
4129 - Hideous and generic
3754 - Generic
3679 - Not sure about the off-center star, but it's not bad
2752 - Okay? I guess
2246 - I love it and hate it. It doesn't scream Illinois to me (although I see the symbolism with the stripes)
896 - No more eagles clutching banners. Bad. Too similar to current one.
200 - Not unattractive, but kind of generic (although I get the 21 symbolism)
posted by It's Never Lurgi at 2:49 PM on December 11, 2024 [2 favorites]

Ella Park Lawrence pushed the first flag through. This one, slightly amended a while later.
posted by BWA at 2:51 PM on December 11, 2024

Unfortunately those of us in Europe don't get to enjoy the vexological fun:

Access Denied

You don't have permission to access "http://www.ilsos.gov/special/IFC/10finalists.pdf" on this server.
Reference #18.2c18dd58.1733957521.1b398f0

https://errors.edgesuite.net/18.2c18dd58.1733957521.1b398f0

posted by autopilot at 2:57 PM on December 11, 2024 [1 favorite]

I really like 2246, and thought the designed explained it well. It's got an uphill battle I think, for not being more.. patriotic?
posted by ApathyGirl at 3:00 PM on December 11, 2024 [2 favorites]

The butterfly one looks too much like Indiana's flag. Better than Indiana's to be sure, but nobody wants to feel like they're following Indiana's lead.
posted by rikschell at 3:01 PM on December 11, 2024 [1 favorite]

HareBrained Design submitted a proposed flag and it, sadly, got rejected.
posted by NoMich at 3:21 PM on December 11, 2024 [8 favorites]

I like 3754 the best but I wonder if it's too Chicago.

Ha, that had the most immediate visual appeal to me, but I am a former Chicagoan so it figures. The symbolism statement for it was... a little thin?

4129's symbolism seems like it should be better, but

The corn kernels and 21-pronged gear that form our state flower, the violet

The central graphic didn't really say "violet" to me, and it turns out that's because violets are dicots with five petals. If you make the "violet" actually have five petals instead of seven, then you have to sacrifice some of the symmetry, because now the petal/corn kernels cannot each have the same number of gear teeth... unless you change the number of gear teeth from 21 to maybe 20, and have the teeth represent the states that strictly preceded Illinois? Ugh. Kind of a mess.

(Another approach to make a flag that incorporates corn and violets would be to abstractly suggest the western contour of the state with a chonky ear of corn, with the little flared portion near the northern border being a leaf peeling a bit away from the cob. Then, superimpose an anatomically-correct violet in the rough location of Springfield. But to symbolize industry, I would find it hard to resist using railway imagery somehow... gears probably vex flag-lovers with their illogic, and Illinois still derives and provides a great deal of value from its railways...)
posted by a faded photo of their beloved at 3:28 PM on December 11, 2024 [2 favorites]

Is it CGP Grey's birthday already?
posted by lock robster at 3:54 PM on December 11, 2024 [1 favorite]

My guess would be 3679 or some variant of it. It's pretty damn literal and feels comfortably familiar in a way that doesn't challenge anyone, but still plays mostly by the rules of being not a complete bedsheet.
posted by drewbage1847 at 4:07 PM on December 11, 2024

I saw someone on Reddit r/vexillology say that 4220 looks like Lincoln is about to eat ass and I cannot unsee it. You're welcome.
posted by nestor_makhno at 4:34 PM on December 11, 2024 [6 favorites]

I'm definitely Team Butterfly. Nice connection to the state with the monarch butterfly and being done by a high school class combined with a clear, easy-to-parse design.

I like the concept of trying to get Lincoln on the flag but don't love how they turned out. Whereas I'd be happy using the butterfly flag for my galactic federation the next time I install Stellaris.
posted by mark k at 5:21 PM on December 11, 2024 [2 favorites]

Paging Mr CGP Grey. Mr CGP Grey, please pick up the white courtesy phone
posted by los pantalones del muerte at 6:31 PM on December 11, 2024 [1 favorite]

None of the new designs improve on the centennial flag.
posted by kickingtheground at 6:53 PM on December 11, 2024 [2 favorites]

4321 is the best of the bunch
3679 is the runner up
2246 gets an honorable mention

but none of them are great.
posted by Reverend John at 7:00 PM on December 11, 2024

Flags first and foremost should be simple enough to be drawn by hand in a couple minutes at most. Stuff like Lincoln's profile or the outline of the state [unless its a big rectangle I suppose] should be right out.. That one flag has both; two nested impossible to draw elements. Holy hand grenade what a horrible design. And just say no to seals on flags.

They should go with the butterfly one. But either of the single star with stripes would be acceptable if boring.

The white space I one would be a great flag if it wasn't for a US state. However it is for a US state and therefor white stars on blue backgrounds with red stripes are way over done.

The centennial flag is also good.
posted by Mitheral at 7:36 PM on December 11, 2024

Nice try, but I have already depicted myself as the Chad Lincoln silhouette and depicted you as the virgin Illinois state outline.
posted by DoctorFedora at 7:53 PM on December 11, 2024 [1 favorite]

Corn kernels FTW but gimme Lincoln-meets-NBA if they promise never to render it the exactly same way twice. Make it a fractal in the blockchain thing so fake IDs impossible.
posted by drowsy at 8:01 PM on December 11, 2024

Tullimonstrum is just one of the best fossils...
posted by Windopaene at 8:04 PM on December 11, 2024

200 brings to mind the North Korean flag for me
posted by Jon_Evil at 8:21 PM on December 11, 2024 [3 favorites]

No. 200 also looks a little like the inverse of the Israeli flag.
posted by NotLost at 8:31 PM on December 11, 2024

Honestly, have they not consulted any authorities?
posted by 1adam12 at 12:26 AM on December 12, 2024 [1 favorite]

My faves:

1. Butterfly
2. Sun-and-prairies (would be top, but seems weirdly agrarian for a state that contains Chicago)
3. Corn/cogwheel
posted by Pallas Athena at 4:42 AM on December 12, 2024

All of these are terrible, but the corn/cog one is at least attractive; it would just be hard to draw freehand.
posted by outgrown_hobnail at 5:36 AM on December 12, 2024

Okay, these are mostly terrible, but this description of 3754 made me laugh and laugh:

The central circle abstractly represents the view from above Abraham Lincoln’s hat.
posted by jacquilynne at 6:23 AM on December 12, 2024 [1 favorite]

No more Lincoln's face, PLEASE
posted by tiny frying pan at 6:40 AM on December 12, 2024

I really don’t like any of them. I especially dislike the Butterfly flag, as the color scheme reminds me of the omnipresent Chicago Bears merch. It is their color scheme exactly.
posted by coldhotel at 6:55 AM on December 12, 2024

Yeah the butterfly looks like the Bears. These are all terrible but so is the flag as it stands so...keep going on with your bad self, IL.
posted by tiny frying pan at 7:12 AM on December 12, 2024

My take on these is that they generally seem like a combo of "Illinois joins the European Union" (if only) and "Captain America's stealth outfit from The Winter Soldier". And I've been on Team Monarch since I were just a lad, so that's got my vote. (Also, those are also the colors of the University of Illinois.)
posted by Halloween Jack at 8:22 AM on December 12, 2024 [1 favorite]

Honestly, the sun over grass flag (2246) seems like a logo for a retirement community you'd see flying on their flagpole. Bright, colorful, and harmless. I'm surprised at the level of support for it here but maybe I shouldn't be.

I like the corn/cogwheel/flower design (4129) but recognize that the monochromatic color palette is a mark against it.
posted by pwnguin at 10:26 AM on December 12, 2024 [1 favorite]

Number 4129 has a little bit too much of a Greendale Community College flag vibe for my taste.
posted by moosetracks at 12:13 PM on December 12, 2024

There is a widespread belief on the Illinois subreddit that they've chosen ten terrible designs in order to make everyone say "let's just stick with the old one" so the State doesn't have to spend any money.
posted by Harvey Kilobit at 8:02 PM on December 12, 2024 [1 favorite]

Sorry Illinois but your cross-section of a corn cob and state outline are not interesting, just laborious. Lincoln’s profile surrounded by stars is enough. Distinctive, unmistakably related to Illinois, with just enough flair but not too complicated to reproduce.

Last election a redesign of my state’s flag was on the ballot; it was soundly defeated. We’re one of many states with the state seal on a navy background, completely indistinguishable unless you look closely and a nightmare to reproduce, especially in small sizes. The proposed design had historical significance, simple shapes, and is already a popular design on t-shirts, tote bags, and caps.

In conclusion, won’t somebody think of the graphic designers?
posted by TWinbrook8 at 9:26 AM on December 13, 2024

I saw someone on Reddit r/vexillology say that 4220 looks like Lincoln is about to eat ass and I cannot unsee it. You're welcome

OK, you made me go back to look at that one (which was one of the few I liked) and now I think it looks like Trump is sticking out his tongue at Lincoln. Seems appropriate, but NO.
posted by dlugoczaj at 2:28 PM on December 13, 2024

The Illinois Flag Commission’s reject pile (Isabel Miller, Capitol Fax)

the laser beam projects a powerful image of Illinois. I believe my design is so powerful it does not need to be discussed.

posted by ectabo at 7:38 PM on January 6

I don't know what the people of Illinois lost more, a cardinal with laser beams coming from its eyes or Abraham Lincoln riding a mastodon.
posted by Atreides at 7:06 AM on January 7