Flags come in all shapes, sizes and colors. The colors and symbols on a flag often carry cultural, political or regional meanings. Knowing the specific paint colors used on a flag can be useful for recreation, education or analysis. In this article, we’ll look at the paint colors used on some of the world’s most recognizable national flags.
The American Flag
The flag of the United States, often referred to as the American flag or the Stars and Stripes, has become one of the most iconic national symbols in the world. The current design consists of 13 horizontal stripes (7 red and 6 white) along with a blue canton containing 50 white stars. But what are the exact paint colors used on this famous flag?
Color | Pantone Matching System (PMS) | RGB | HEX |
---|---|---|---|
Red | PMS 186 | RGB(206, 17, 38) | #CE1126 |
White | PMS Safe | RGB(255, 255, 255) | #FFFFFF |
Blue | PMS 286 | RGB(0, 40, 104) | #002868 |
As the table shows, the specific paint colors are:
- Red – PMS 186, RGB(206, 17, 38), HEX #CE1126
- White – PMS Safe, RGB(255, 255, 255), HEX #FFFFFF
- Blue – PMS 286, RGB(0, 40, 104), HEX #002868
These colors were formally adopted by the U.S. Government with the passage of the Flag Code in 1953. Using these standard colors allows for consistency when producing American flags of all sizes.
The Flag of France
The national flag of France, often referred to as the tricolor, features three vertical bands of equal width colored royal blue, white, and red. The flag was first adopted during the French Revolution in 1794 and has remained an enduring symbol of France. But what specific paint colors correspond to this famous tricolor design?
Color | Pantone Matching System (PMS) | RGB | HEX |
---|---|---|---|
Royal Blue | PMS 287 | RGB(0, 85, 164) | #0055A4 |
White | PMS Safe | RGB(255, 255, 255) | #FFFFFF |
Red | PMS 485 | RGB(239, 65, 53) | #EF4135 |
The specific blue, white and red paint colors on the French flag are:
- Royal Blue – PMS 287, RGB(0, 85, 164), HEX #0055A4
- White – PMS Safe, RGB(255, 255, 255), HEX #FFFFFF
- Red – PMS 485, RGB(239, 65, 53), HEX #EF4135
These colors were formalized by the French government in 1976 to standardize the production of French flags. Using the precise Pantone colors ensures consistency and accuracy in rendering the iconic French tricolor.
The Union Jack
The national flag of the United Kingdom, known as the Union Jack, incorporates the red cross of Saint George for England, the white saltire of Saint Andrew for Scotland, and the red saltire of Saint Patrick to represent Ireland. The combination of these three heraldic crosses gives the Union Jack its distinctive appearance. But what paint colors are used when producing this flag?
Color | Pantone Matching System (PMS) | RGB | HEX |
---|---|---|---|
Navy Blue | PMS 280 | RGB(0, 43, 127) | #002B7F |
Red | PMS 485 | RGB(239, 65, 53) | #EF4135 |
White | PMS Safe | RGB(255, 255, 255) | #FFFFFF |
The specific colors that make up the Union Jack are:
- Navy Blue – PMS 280, RGB(0, 43, 127), HEX #002B7F
- Red – PMS 485, RGB(239, 65, 53), HEX #EF4135
- White – PMS Safe, RGB(255, 255, 255), HEX #FFFFFF
These colors were recommended by the Ministry of Defence in 2008 as the official colors for UK flag production. Using the standardized Pantone colors allows the iconic Union Jack design to be reproduced accurately.
The Indian Flag
The national flag of India is a horizontal tricolor of deep saffron, white, and green with a 24-spoke Ashoka Chakra wheel in navy blue at its center. The flag was adopted in its present form during a meeting of the Constituent Assembly on July 22, 1947, just days before India gained independence from the British. What are the exact paint colors that compose this important national symbol?
Color | Pantone Matching System (PMS) | RGB | HEX |
---|---|---|---|
Saffron | PMS 151 | RGB(255, 153, 0) | #FF9900 |
White | PMS Safe | RGB(255, 255, 255) | #FFFFFF |
Green | PMS 340 | RGB(0, 106, 78) | #006A4E |
Navy Blue | PMS 295 | RGB(0, 31, 89) | #001F59 |
The specific Pantone colors used on the Indian flag are:
- Saffron – PMS 151, RGB(255, 153, 0), HEX #FF9900
- White – PMS Safe, RGB(255, 255, 255), HEX #FFFFFF
- Green – PMS 340, RGB(0, 106, 78), HEX #006A4E
- Navy Blue – PMS 295, RGB(0, 31, 89), HEX #001F59
This color scheme and the flag design were presented to the Constituent Assembly by Pingali Venkayya, and were adopted on July 22, 1947. Using the precise Pantone colors allows for accurate reproduction of this important national symbol.
The Canadian Flag
Canada’s national flag, known colloquially as the Maple Leaf, features a red field with a white square at its center containing a stylized 11-pointed red maple leaf. This iconic design was adopted by Parliament on February 15, 1965 after considerable debate about replacing the Canadian Red Ensign. So what are the official paint colors used on the Maple Leaf flag?
Color | Pantone Matching System (PMS) | RGB | HEX |
---|---|---|---|
Red | PMS 186 | RGB(206, 17, 38) | #CE1126 |
White | PMS Safe | RGB(255, 255, 255) | #FFFFFF |
The red and white paint colors that compose the current Canadian flag are:
- Red – PMS 186, RGB(206, 17, 38), HEX #CE1126
- White – PMS Safe, RGB(255, 255, 255), HEX #FFFFFF
These colors were formally adopted by the Canadian government after extensive review of color shades and takes into account how the colors would fade over time with sun exposure. Using the precise Pantone colors ensures accurate and consistent reproduction of the iconic Canadian flag.
Conclusion
Flags can become powerful national symbols that unite citizens and represent shared history and values. The specific colors used on a country’s flag are often chosen deliberately and can take on deep cultural meanings. Knowing the exact paint colors, matched to color systems like Pantone, allows for accurate reproduction and consistency when rendering flags of all sizes. From the American Stars and Stripes, to the French Tricolore, to the Canadian Maple Leaf, each nation’s colors tell a story.