The Tulsa Forum by TulsaNow

I can't believe there isn't a thread for this already. A couple people launched an effort to redesign the City of Tulsa flag. The current flag is simply the town seal on a white background.

http://www.tulsaflag.com

They went through a first phase where people could fill out a survey of what they felt defined Tulsa. Now, they are onto the submission phase. You can submit your own flag ideas, from rough sketches on a napkin to final designs, through the end of January.

The inspiration for this effort came from a TED talk which used the existing Tulsa flag as an example of a bad flag: https://www.ted.com/talks/roman_mars_why_city_flags_may_be_the_worst_designed_thing_you_ve_never_noticed

Thanks for the links, Nik.

I might submit a design, but Tulsa's current flag design doesn't bother me as it is.  If Tulsa wants to be known as a true world-class city, then local officials will concentrate their efforts and limited resources on excellent street and sidewalk design.  What's really important is the design of Tulsa's public infrastructure, not the design of its municipal flag.

Priorities...
   

Amsterdam !!!

Now I am inspired to make my own....

Agreed on priorities.  However, it doesn’t appear there is any cost to the COT for this.  It appears to be an independent project so I would assume any re-badging by the city is purely optional.

These guys have made a pitch to the City. The last Mayor was not particularly supportive.

They hope for great designs.

https://www.facebook.com/flagtulsa/

If you have time, watch the TED talk. It's less than 20 minutes. Basically, they said that having a quality flag invokes civic pride that can unique people towards these larger goals like infrastructure.

Watched it.  Very good.

The last Mayor was a knucklehead.

If City officials spend time thinking about potential flag re-designs, evaluating them, acting upon them, adopting any resolutions or ordinances about them, etc.  ...  then limited resources will have been spent on a low-priority issue.  Time and effort both equate to costs, Conan.

I hope for great urban designs.  Tulsa can have the most graphically exciting and beautiful flag in the world, but if it's flying above a poorly designed cityscape, then it won't do much to change things for the better.


I'm not buying the "civic pride that can unique people towards these larger goals" theory, based on the quality of a municipal flag.  There are all sorts of TED talks.  Jeff Speck's talk about walkability comes to mind.  Somehow, I think Tulsans will ignore Speck and spend lots of time and energy on re-designing Tulsa's flag, instead.  We'll see.  

Priorities...
  

I'll show off my attempts. I am in no way a graphic designer but that's the beauty of flag design. The design elements are so simple and basic, any one can give it a shot. The designs below I've already submitted (well, at least one color variation). I am in no way hoping to win and I hope by showing my crude attempts, it may spark an idea in somebody else.

Common Design Elements
I tended to use the same colors in most of my designs. I started off trying to use the same blue and brown that is in the existing Tulsa seal. But, 1) those shades made for a very dark flag and 2) brown is rarely used in flag design. So, I swapped out the brown for green (green grass, Green Country, Guthrie Green, take your pick at what this symbolizes) and chose a lighter shade of blue (river - when it has water in it, sky, etc).

Oil Concept
(https://s27.postimg.org/4kk20mphb/Flag_2___Oil_Drip___Color_Alt_1.jpg) (https://postimg.org/image/4kk20mphb/)
I felt I needed an obligatory design that symbolizes a reference to Tulsa's history as Oil Capital. So, this design with the oil drop in the center with the diagonal split of colors is where I went with it. That being said, I do feel like oil is Tulsa's past and not the future, so I was hesitant to submit this one. If this flag is going to represent Tulsa for the next 25/50+ years, do we still want to this to be how Tulsa is known? I hope not.

Bow & Arrow Concept
(https://s27.postimg.org/v4cn2rq0v/Flag_6___Bow_Arrow___Color_Alt_1.jpg) (https://postimg.org/image/v4cn2rq0v/)
I drew inspiration from this design from the statue (http://www.legendsofamerica.com/photos-oklahoma/GilcreaseMuseumPostcard.jpg) in front of Gilcrease Museum.

Tornado Concept
(https://s27.postimg.org/vwfb1yu7z/Flag_5___Tornado___Color_Alt_1.jpg) (https://postimg.org/image/vwfb1yu7z/) (https://s27.postimg.org/yww5ii5j3/Flag_5___Tornado___Color_Alt_2.jpg) (https://postimg.org/image/yww5ii5j3/) (https://s5.postimg.org/kxm52uqoj/Flag_5_Tornado_Color_Alt_3.png) (https://postimg.org/image/kxm52uqoj/)
In this one, the blue sky and green ground and connected by a triangular tornado. With this design and the next one, I experimented with a different shade of blue. After watching the TED talk, I started picturing these designs not just on a flag but on shirts, decals, even tattoos. Made me think a lighter shade of blue is appropriate, but maybe not.

Center of the Universe Concept
(https://s27.postimg.org/x7n2afptr/Flag_8___Center_of_the_Universe.jpg) (https://postimg.org/image/x7n2afptr/) (https://s27.postimg.org/8d3kgd4zj/Flag_8___Center_of_the_Universe___Color_Alt_1.jpg) (https://postimg.org/image/8d3kgd4zj/)
I drew inspiration for this design from the Center of the Universe (http://www.okladot.state.ok.us/planning-info/statemap/KML/map_images/h-center-of-universe-1%20.jpg) downtown. While I have been there many times, I forgot about the curled lines around the center. Once I saw that, I thought it would make for a good flag design. The green background was my original design, but again, after thinking about other mediums in which this flag would be displayed and after looking at Chicago and DC's flags, I tried again with a white background. Still not sure which I like best.

Looks like OKC (http://www.okcflag.org) is trying as well. Doesn't look like they've made much progress.

Oh Jeez - now you're calling out the random OKC posters to start trolling Tulsa's flag attempts.

Ha! Not my intent! I saw some discussion from last year on OKCTalk about a new flag. I liked some of their designs. It just looks like this website was made by someone that was like "Hey, this is a good idea. I'm going to create a website for it!" With no real attempt to get actual city leaders on board. Looks like those leading Tulsa's effort got that right.

I mean...I guess we could take the $5k (or however much this is) they are using and use it to add a curb ramp in? Or we can use it to bring in Jeff Speck's assistant to recite his same old TED talk and bore us all to death about rating city blocks using his patented Jeff Spectometer? And then have to hire Jeff Speck to outline the reasons that we should only ever hire Jeff Speck to do urban design?

Also, I really like the Bow & Arrow Concept. Though I feel like the colors are really dark, and I think the arrow is going to be hard to replicate. I love the seal and the T that divides it up. I hope that the flag they decide on has that as well.

A crude attempt?  I'd say it's refined, Nik.

That drop could also represent a tear, and the diagonal could represent a trail.

lol

What in the blue love is a patented Jeff Spectometer?  And why are you dropping the purportedly metrosexual walkability expert's name so many times, all in one post?

I can't believe the mayor wasted his time going to the grand opening of one business.
I can't believe our government wasted time lighting a Christmas tree.
I can't believe the City wastes time with a twitter feed.
I can't believe the City wastes time making XYZ Day proclamations.
I can't believe the City wastes time with...

Seriously, 90% of what City government does could be construed as a waste of time because it isn't a "priority."  If our city gets excited about a flag redesign and our city government spends some time on it... great. 

Here is a guide/opinion on what makes a good city flag, and examples of good and bad:

http://www.citylab.com/design/2011/10/best-and-worst-city-flags/267/

I think a simple, thin white flag with the word "TULSA". Then it could be seen from the other side as the word ASLUT.

Thank you for posting your opinion and the good/bad municipal flag link, cannon_fodder!

As I mentioned in my first reply on this topic, about an hour after Nik's initial post, I might submit a flag design.  I haven't decided yet, but I'm considering it.

Before I watched the TED talk video, I looked for examples of municipal flags for a few American and European cities I've enjoyed visiting.  In my opinion, the goodness or badness of a city's flag didn't necessarily correlate to the quality of the city itself (in my small selection set).

The first flag I wanted to see was San Francisco's.  I've been to San Francisco several times, but I'd never noticed the municipal flag.  It's blah.  I agree that a simplified phoenix design, similar to the example shown in the video, would be a great improvement.

The second flag I wanted to see was Portland, Oregon's.  I've been to Portland so many times that I've lost count, and, until yesterday, I'd never paid any attention at all to Portland's flag.  Nik's topic here is what prompted me to look for Portland's flag design.  In my opinion, it's a good design.  It's interesting.  Now, after seeing Portland's flag and evaluating it, my opinion of Portland hasn't changed one iota.

I like San Francisco.  San Francisco's "bad" flag design doesn't change my opinion about the City of San Francisco.

I like Tulsa.  Tulsa's current flag design is okay with me.  I don't love it, but I like it. 

A thin white flag with the word "TULSA" wouldn't meet one of the rules of good flag design.

Priorities...

So the TU touchdown flags? :)

FWIW Tulsa ranked 43 out 50, OKC is 49th, for flag design.

https://funflagfacts.com/2016/04/15/big-u-s-city-flags-ranked/ (https://funflagfacts.com/2016/04/15/big-u-s-city-flags-ranked/)

Looks like the three finalists will be revealed on the 26th, about 2 months behind the original timeline. Hope that's not a bad sign.

Like the bridge, I want unique and iconic. Also needs to be simple.

What I expect is we will get 1-2 things that have little relevance and 1-2 that are obviously "design by committee" and looks like the topper on the 6th and boston fountain.

THAT ranking is actually a thing?

 I worked to come up with a couple of designs and found it to actually be quite challenging doing something that needed to be so simple, have no lettering, few colors, "say something" about Tulsa, etc.

  So I am hoping to be surprised when I see the designs and go "Oh, of course, why didn't I think of that!"

I wish I had a way of sharing pictures on here for I would show you lol.