Flag expert offers advice to new flag commission

A state flag commission is on the verge of being seated.

They must choose a design that conveys what Mississippi is and what it aspires to be in the future.

We spoke with an expert on flags who has advice and critique for those working on Mississippi's next banner.

FLAGS...OTHERWISE KNOWN ASVEXILLOLOGY...AND HE IS OF COURSE EXCITED, ANDINTERESTED TO SEE HOW WEMISSISSIPPIANSNARROW DOWN THE NEW FLAG FOR THE20THSTATE... MISSISSIPPI'S DIVISIVE FLAG ISDOWN, AND NOWRETIRED...A COMMISSION OF 9 WILL MAKE ADECISION ON A SINGLE DESIGN BYSEPTEMBER 14TH...TED KAY, LIVES ABOUT 24 HUNDREDMILES AWAY FROM JACKSON, BUT ASA FLAG EXPERT HE'S GOT 5TIPS FOR THOSE TAKING A CRACK ATA DESIGN...SIMPLICITY, MEANINGFUL SYMBOLIM,FEW COLORS, NO LETTERING ORSEALS, AND DISTINCTIVENESSYEARS OF RESEARCH, AND WISDOMFROMFELLOW EXPERTS ARE IN TED'SBOOK, GOOD FLAG, BAD FLAG...HE SAYS THOSE 5 PRINCIPLES WILLLEADYOU TO A GREAT DESIGN... KAYESAYS CANADA'S ICONIC FLAG WASHATEDAT FIRST...IT WAS NOT WELL LIKED AT ALL.

ITTOOK AWHILE FOR THE CANADIANPUBLIC TO EMBRACE THATFLAG BUT ONCE IT DID, IT ISINDEED AFLAG THAT REPRESENTS ALL OFCANADA.

I HOPE THE SAME THINGFOR MISSISSIPPII SHOWED TED SOME DESIGNS FROMMISSISSIPPIANS...HE SAYS...THEY'RE TOO COMPLEX, THEY'VE GOTTOO MUCH ON THEM.

THEY'RETRYING TO BE TOO CUTE KAY ALSOTAKES ISSUE WITH THE PHRASE, INGOD WE TRUST'...HE SAYS WORDS SHOULDN'T BE ON AFLAG...A FLAG IS A GRAPHIC SYMBOL, NOTA VERBAL SYMBOL.

CAN YOUIMAGINE THE FLAG OF FRANCESAYINGFRANCE ON IT?

WE WOULD LAUGH ATTHAT!LETTERING MAKE FLAGS MOREEXPENSIVE TOMAKE, BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO BEABLE TOREAD THEM FROM BOTH SIDES.

NOW,DESIGN YOUR FLAG ON A SMALLSCALE...DRAW A ONE BY ONE AND A HALFINCH RECTANGLE ON A PIECE OFPAPER, AND DESIGN YOUR FLAG INTHAT.

BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THEVIEWERS ARE GONNA SEEHE SAYS THE DESIGN SHOULD BESIMPLEENOUGH FOR A CHILD TO DRAW ITFROM MEMORY...AND IF YOU NEED SOMEINSPIRATION, KAY SAYSLOOK NO FURTHER THAN THE CAPITOLCITY...JACKSON'S FLAG IS A VERYEVOCATIVEFLAG.

IT STANDS OUT, IT'S IN THETOP 20 CITY FLAGS FROM MY POINTOFVIEW YOU HEARD RIGHT...THE CITY OFJACKSON HAS A FLAG...SOME PEOPLEIN OUR NEWSROOM LEARNED THATFACT TODAY...TED TELLS ME HE LIKES THEHOSPITALITY FLAGDESIGN, AND ALSO THINKS THE BLUEREDAND WHITE HORIZONTAL STRIPESWITH THE NOWREMOVED CONFEDERATE BATTLE FLAGEMBLEMWOULD CREATE A DESIGN NO OTHERUS STATEHAS...TROY JOHNSON, 16 WAPT NEWS AT10... COMING UP .... HOSPITALS RUNNINGOUTOF SPACE IN ICU..

AND NO