Field.| Intro | Shapes | Elements | Colors | Stripes | Crosses | Heraldic |
Flags are usually composed of some basic elements, the most basic of which is the field. Some flags consist of nothing but a single color field. All flag designs start with a field.
Field.
A few basic divisions of the field may then be applied. The field may be quartered.
Quartered.
Or it may be quartered diagonally or "per saltire" (see Crosses).
Quartered diagonally.
A principal element, particularly in the U.S. and the U.K., is the canton, that is, the first quarter.
Canton.
The field may be divided into other types of areas (see also Tri and Bi Colors and Stripes, Strips, Bars and Bands).
Serrated.
Border.
Some other basic field divisions:
Triangle.
Trapezoid.
Arrowhead.
There are quite a few basic elements added to the field and its divisions. The most common probably are:
Disc.
Crescent.
Ring.
Star.
Sun.
Also, don't forget that several elements can be combined into unusual symbols.
Two Arrowheads, impaled.
