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Color Guard uses flags to
bring color and variety to any marching show,
whether the show is "Phantom of the Opera", or
"Thriller". Color guard flags are
made out of a fabric called Poly China Silk or
just "China silk" along with various types of
Lycra, Chiffon and Lame. They are taped onto
a 5-6 foot aluminum pole (sometimes they can be
Velcroed on).
There are many varieties of
flag shapes, including swing flags
(smaller flags taped to smaller poles and
typically come in pairs, one for each hand.)
Another shape is a tapered flag (these flags
are "rose thorn" in shape and are about
3-4 feet long). Other shapes include the
typical square and rectangle. Color guard
flags can generally range from 3x4 feet to 6x9
feet. Flags need to be small enough to
handle, but large enough to make an impact on the
audience and judges.
The design of a flag
usually reflects a theme or a style of the music
chosen. For instance, using a pastel pink
and gold would not be a good idea for the theme to
"Batman", just as using black with red slashes
would not be a good idea when performing
"Appalachian Spring".
When
designing a flag, a good
process to use is: buy a box of Crayolas.
Draw multiple outlines of your flag design.
Try different color pallets with your crayons.
This will give you a better idea of what your flag
will look like. Plus, you can show all the
different combinations to the color guard members and get their feedback. You can also
design
on the computer using Paint and Photoshop.
 Once you have designed your
flag, it's time to
make it! Redraw your
design onto a large poster board that is the final
size of the flag you want. Label each
section with a number. Cut out the shapes of
your design along the lines you drew. Take
these pieces, place them on top of the desired
fabric color, and use it as a pattern to cut your
shapes out of the fabric. Repeat this for
all your shapes for all the different fabric
colors. Take all the fabric shapes and
rearrange them into your flag (like a puzzle) and
use pins to connect the edges. Now, sew the
flag together using a "zig-zag" stitch to ensure
durability. Band boosters are usually willing to
volunteer their time and talent to help
sew the
flags together, but remember to give them a "thank
you" note afterwards! For more hints on flag
sewing visit the
Tips and Tricks
page.
Stay tuned for some images on
how to tape a flag onto a pole, and some pictures
of designed flags.
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