"Would you buy flags?" Topic

I'm just wondering. I've always just searched the internet, downloaded a picture of the flag I need, and printed it on a colour printer. But I see there are a few guys out there doing this commercially.

What got me wondering was that when I did a search for Revolutionary French demi-brigade flags there wasn't much choice, so I am doing my own.

Here's an example of a nearly finished one…

Is this something you would pay to download as a high resolution image? And if so, how much would you pay?

Colin

Personally I don't like downloading and printing my own flags. I always seem to mess it up somehow.

However, I do buy flags from vendors who do know what they are doing and can print and sell well made flags and in a variety of scales (15mm and 28mm, for me).

I don't mind paying for good quality flags. So charge enough to cover your costs and some money for your pocket.

I used to buy flags, because when I started my ACW 15mm troops, there was no internet.

Then I started to download flags and print them out, but my printers quality wasn't that great.

Now I'm hooked on "The Flag Dudes" flags. Only thing I use for my AWI and 1812 troops.

Here's his link.

flagdude.com

The Age of Eagles website has a huge number of 15mm French Revolutionary War flags available free of charge.

link

Scroll down to Downloads

Regards

Thanks Broglie. That's a great resource. I'll probably use those as a basis for doing more accurate images.

I have downloaded and printed flags in my time but even with access to the best printers they still do not compare with the professionally produced items. Until I get access to a top-notch printer, I prefer to buy if they are available.

I buy flags from Flag Dude, and am very happy to do so!

I download for free rather than buy (sorry!).

I don't have a problem downloading them and printing them out – I usually like to scale -em up a bit as I think the oversized flags look better. Problem is that some of the downloadable ones are bit maps, if you scale them up they look blocky.

I don't have an issue buying pre-made flag sheets. I'd probably scan the printed flag sheets and then manipulate the sizes and print them out.

The Flag Dude's flags are nice but too expensive. I think the 28mm flags are like $7.00 USD US each? If I have 20 ACW Union regiments with 2 flags each, that's $280.00 USD in flags. I'd rather spend the $280 USD on another 300+ Old Glory figures…

I buy all of my flags – they never turn out as nice in person as they did online.

I download for free rather than buy them.

(I'm A Cheap Bastard, Sorry!)

I would rather buy pre-printed flags than try to download them myself. I am very tech challenged, alas.

Seems that if I was wanting to sell flags it would be the pre-printed option that people would go for.

Does FlagDude etc produce them as flat's that need cut out or are they already to attach to the flag pole?

What do you get for your bucks from these guys?

Thanks for all the input by the way.

The Flag Dude's output is a matter of taste. Although the individual flag graphics are perhaps not cutting edge, the way he mounts and creases them makes for a very convincing animation – based on modern flags flapping in the wind.
Less plausible for heavily embroidered or painted regimental colours perhaps, so I sold on the half dozen I had ordered from him, but as I said, that's a matter of taste. His servcie as such is very good.

EDIT For commercial "flat flags" I can thoroughly recommend both Vaubanner Graphics and GMB Designs. Both should be amenable to adding new flags if you can provide good reference pictures.

Oh, and it's "République francaise", with an -e at the end.

DOH!!! I knew that didn't look right. You know when you're trying to think and one of the kids is hanging over your shoulder whining.

Been there, done that, mate! – See my Edit above.

I'm drawing the flags myself using Illustrator and Photoshop, using surviving flags as reference, to try and get these as close to the originals as possible. All the versions of Revolutionary flags seem to have black outlines, which I don't like.

I use downloaded flags for my AWI, but will be buying Flagdude flags for my British Napoleonic army.

I also purchase flage from The Flag Dude instead of trying to download them and am very pleased with what he has to offer.

Hmm

Considering you can buy commercial flags for £2.00 GBP-£3 for two nowadays, I just buy them

It takes more than £2.00 GBP of my time to faff about printing them out

F

I agree with ferg981.
Download say £2.00 GBP and mailed printed for a pair, £3.00 GBP – 3.50

This translates to a more expensive flag here in the Americas, but if the flags are worth it, why not.

Have been using Flag Dude since I met him at Historicon at Valley Forge and have never looked back. Very satisfied.

I download and make most of mine using MS Paint. I have armies for a lot of periods, plus they are huge that require a lot of flags. It would not be cost effective for me to buy. There are enough free sources out there on the web.

P.

A couple years ago, I took a color plate of a French line, and a French light regiment to a local Office Max, after whiting out the regimental numbers, leaving an open disk at the 4 corners. I then inked in the numbers I wanted, and had them photo-reduced at office Max.

I am not happy this them for the blue is so dark as to look black at a distance, and the crimson is dark red. These are for 30mm figures.

I will be buying my regimental and King's colours in the future from Flag Dude. I have one of his sets for the 9th Foot with Brittania in the center, well animated – and I especially like the flag staff point with the red/gold cording hanging from it. He was sure to hang this cording so it was on the right side of the King's colour as the bearer was on his own right – and left side of the regimental color as the bearer stands on the left.

GdeP

I do both. Buy and make/print my own. One thing when printing your own flags, I always spray varnish them before cutting and gluing them.

I either buy from GMB or hand paint them. If you can match or get close to GMB for quality than I think you'll have a marketable product. You can price according to how good you think your work is compared to theirs or say Flag Dude.

Can anyone post photos of the GMB flags?

Edit: I found that by looking at their website that I found what I wanted to see. Duh.

I'm Curious, if the flagdude creases and moulds the flags for you, how does he package them?

I break out in a sweat sending those brittle Victrix plastic buggahs to people.

Fizzy, they're soaked in PVA glue or varnish, so quite stiff, and come stuck into a block of styrofoam by their metal staves. I had no problem with those delivered to me, despite the fact they went through several hands en route.

As for plastic figures, I just took delivery of a nicely painted contingent from MMPS which was stuck to the bottom of a box by their bases, and the box then filled with loose styrofoam balls – a bit messy on opening (there's a warning on the outside to keep a hoover ready) but not a bayonet out of place!

Lol…I have little Styrofoam balls hiding in every corner of my place. I usually roll all my figures up in a bubble wrap 'cigar' and fill the void with starch nuts. Mostly I worry about how they are unwrapped more than the actual journey. Sticking them to the bottom of the box is a thought though. Stuck with what?

I attempted to download a flag several years ago with a miserable result. Never tried again. My handpainting was less than satisfactory also, but I did it for many years. Other commerically available flags were certainly better, but by today's standard, they were just ok.

Then I found GMB and re-flagged all my units. Tons of flags.. Some started to fade, or GMB didn't have all the variation I wanted. Flagdude to the rescue. I don't have many of his, but as my GMB stuff fades, I'll replace with Flagdude.

I recently had a Portuguese Cacadore flag and a Swiss flag (French service) from Flagdude. Next to my GMB flags on the table, Flagdude stands out. I'll spend the money happpily as I need or want flags.

Just for 'balance', I'd point out that my experiences with Flagdude and GMB were exactly the opposite of pbishop12. Although the 'dude' himself provides excellent communication and service, when the 'product' arrived I was disappointed at 1) the pixilated print quality, 2) the print colouring, 3) the wrongly coloured finial, and 4) the out-of-scale cords (they could have served as the mainstay of HMS Victory!). Frankly, I would have been embarrassed to put them on my figures, so back in 'deep storage' they went.

In contrast, my GMB flags have never suffered from ANY fading, the print quality is top class, and for a small investment in learning to 'shape' the flags realistically, the results are more satisfying (IMHO).

Perhaps someone can post a photo of the two products side-by-side? I cannot, as the Flagdude flags never made it onto my units. Conversely, the GMB flags look fine to me:

If you download flags from sites like "warflag", have you tried using Kinkos to prints? They have more professional equipment and different kinds of paper that might make a difference in quality. I have not had an opportunity to use them, but I would give them a try the next time I need flags.

Beautiful paintwork Greystreak!!