Hi SVS Family,
This post is a long-term project. This “Fun With Flags” project holds several challenges for me. These 14 flags really existed at one time. They are the flags of the 12 Tribes of Israel, plus two flags of the sons of Joseph, Ephraim and Manasseh. I love history and these illustrations will be for a book to appeal to 8-12 year old boys especially. The standards really existed around the 1600s B.C. I think of them as standards, since flags did not exist back then. Even though the “flags”/standards have Biblical origins and are described in scriptural texts, I also want to stylize them and make them appealing to modern audiences. I need to figure out how to use the design principles I am learning here at SVS in not only designing the overall illustration, but how would they apply to the flags themselves? What if someone actually were to sew or produce the flags? I know I want to duplicate the images eventually, maybe in t-shirts, prints, etc.
I think the “flags” are very cool. I have researched and done the basic sketches according to descriptions. Some sketches of animals are more based on medieval stained glass or heraldic images. For the Tribe of Judah there is this stylized lion called The Lion of Judah that is actually still used in Israel. I will use these images instead of more accurate lion and wolf references. There are variations in the descriptions, and also, at least one of the items is pretty unknown, so I have gone with the next best image. –I will need your creative advice when I get to certain flags and will really appreciate your help! I want to take into account what I am learning in classes at SVS, but it can also be confusing in translating those lessons to this project. I am very new at learning PhotoShop, but want to digitally illustrate these flags. The first one, Issacher, I did in Paint before I got my Cintiq, which I also need to learn how to use. So many challenges! Such good opportunities to learn!
The overall illustration shows the flags in the positions the tribes occupied when they camped and had the Ark of the Covenant in the middle. If I can figure out how to do it, I would like the standards/flags to be on poles (think how the Roman standards looked). So this affects my horizon line/”camera angle”. I am making the flags 5 inches wide by 4 ½ inches tall. Here are some images. The first sketch, for the flag of Issacher was wrong so I revised it when it was painted. It needed a moon, not stars. Oh, to help, here are the 12 Tribes in order and then the other two. Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulon, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Joseph, Benjamin, then Ephraim and Manasseh.
Reuben – Red flag, with mandrake flowers
Simeon – Green flag, with buildings of the city of Shechem
Levi – Red, white and black flag, with the High Priest’s breastplate (really the Urim and Thummin we only have vague idea of what this looks like)
Judah – Sky blue flag, with the Lion of Judah
Issachar – Stygian (bluish black) black flag, with a sun and moon
Zebulon – White flag, with a ship
Dan – Blue flag, with a snake
Naphtali – Deep wine colored flag, with a deer
Gad – Black and white flag, with a tent camp
Asher – Pearlescent colored flag, with an olive tree
Joseph – Black flag, with Egypt depicted upon it (Since this tribe was divided into Joseph’s two sons, their flags were similar. However, Ephraim’s flag had a bull, while Manasseh’s had a wild ox [some say an oryx or a unicorn].)
Benjamin – Multicolored flag, with a wolf
