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I've been thinking about these flags, and the size of historical flags, and it suddenly occurred to me that if hemp canvas isn't aboslutely necessary, you could buy a cotton canvas painter's dropcloth and use that as the basis of your flag. Those things are frequently huge!

"The time was when ships passing one another at sea backed their topsails and had a 'gam,' and on parting fired guns; but those good old days have gone. People have hardly time nowadays to speak even on the broad ocean, where news is news, and as for a salute of guns, they cannot afford the powder. There are no poetry-enshrined freighters on the sea now; it is a prosy life when we have no time to bid one another good morning."

- Capt. Joshua Slocum

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I've been thinking about these flags, and the size of historical flags, and it suddenly occurred to me that if hemp canvas isn't aboslutely necessary, you could buy a cotton canvas painter's dropcloth and use that as the basis of your flag. Those things are frequently huge!

I've done several flags this way, including the Pyrates of Treasure Cove's ensign...

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And the Weltanders flag...

a350f917.jpg

 

 

 

image.jpeg.6e5f24495b9d06c08a6a4e051c2bcc99.jpg

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Alright! I got mad thoughts, yo!

Seriously, do you paint the design on?

"The time was when ships passing one another at sea backed their topsails and had a 'gam,' and on parting fired guns; but those good old days have gone. People have hardly time nowadays to speak even on the broad ocean, where news is news, and as for a salute of guns, they cannot afford the powder. There are no poetry-enshrined freighters on the sea now; it is a prosy life when we have no time to bid one another good morning."

- Capt. Joshua Slocum

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Alright! I got mad thoughts, yo!

Seriously, do you paint the design on?

You trace the design onto the natural colored canvas and paint everything but the design black. The bones and other symbols are left natural.

 

 

 

image.jpeg.6e5f24495b9d06c08a6a4e051c2bcc99.jpg

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I wonder how historical pirates got their canvas black. Did they tar it, I wonder? Or just use a dirty gray piece of canvas? If they did tar it, I wonder if they ever painted designs on, or sewed onto the tarred canvas...

"The time was when ships passing one another at sea backed their topsails and had a 'gam,' and on parting fired guns; but those good old days have gone. People have hardly time nowadays to speak even on the broad ocean, where news is news, and as for a salute of guns, they cannot afford the powder. There are no poetry-enshrined freighters on the sea now; it is a prosy life when we have no time to bid one another good morning."

- Capt. Joshua Slocum

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From what research I have done:

The PERIOD flags were a VERY light, but strong form of wool known as wool bunting (the significance s in the weave, which is unique to bunting).

NONE of the GAoP flags survived. Of the ones described, most are JUST of the insignia and a couple mention "silk." NONE specifically state that the main pirate flags were canvas, except as a VERY temporary measure.

In history, it is usually safest to go with general practice than to postulate what "might" have been done that deviate from "normal," esp. when PERIOD sources make little to nothing on anything unusual. People tend to ONLY note things that are "odd" PRECISELY because they are DIFFERENT from norm.

So, we can sermize (sp?) that most were wool bunting, like the REST of the flags aboard a ship.

Thus, for a MODERN recreation of an OLD flag, the SAFEST thing to do is either find VERY light wool OR use a modern light cotton (as most of these will not ACTUALLY face wear and tear of a sea flag).

As for how to attach the insignia, the most easily to argue is the applique (sewn on). Period descriptions of flags also talk about people PAINTING stuff onto flags. However, we MUST remember that often that painting is dark on light rather than light on dark (older paints were often not as opaque as modern ones). Now the TYPE of paint, I have read a number of opinions, but have not reached ANY conclusion as to WHAT was used then, so have NO IDEA as to a modern equivalent. Many use modern artist acrylics, esp. as they are easy to use, relatively light weight and opaque, cheap to get moderate brands, and generally water resistant ONCE DRY.

I have materials to make a couple flags of my own design. One of them is some light, but stong plaid cotton purchased for an uncompleted project. The rest are black and deep navy wool (I THINK I also have some red too) in a light weight, but not actually bunting (as far as I have found, NO ONE makes bunting anymore). On these flags, I plan to use applique techniques for the white portions and other large areas, with artist acrylic paint on the black (maybe a few touches of other colors).

The plaid flag is for "Tartan Jack" and will have a skull and crossed dirks (in imitation of the Scot saltaire).

The others are for more "historical" style designs.

-John "Tartan Jack" Wages, of South Carolina

 

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would anyone with any historical books have any illustrations of mermaids and dogs?

i'm working on a couple of flag designs and i'd like to toy with different things =p

ANYWAY, there are aloooottt of really awesome flags here, good work you guys <_<

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ahhh thanks william red wake, "heraldic" was the word i was trying to think of =p

this is what i ended up with:

l_9da4201d6ccaea8768a25f59a3e299dd.jpg

the blue dog didn't turn out QUITE how i wanted it because i messed up a little while painting it, but oh well :)

61jctci.jpg
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  • 3 weeks later...

I'd posted mine up here long ago, alas, it disappeared. But here be the 2 different versions. Pardon as they are rather crude:

pic005.jpg

Resurrectionredflagsmall.jpg

~Lady B

:huh:

Tempt Fate! an' toss 't all t' Hell!"

"I'm completely innocent of whatever crime I've committed."

The one, the only,... the infamous!

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I had posted a fantasy-type version of my flag earlier in this thread,but I will probably retire that flag in favor of this one, which is more historical looking than the old one. This is the flag that will fly from the mast of my ship from this point forth. It is all black and swallow-tailed (the pic looks like it has a white triangle, but that's not actually part of the flag), and the bones form the Roman numeral twelve--the midnight hour. Thanks to William Red Wake and Black Mab for technical advice in the design.

CaptainMidnightFlag2.jpg

"Now then, me bullies! Would you rather do the gallows dance, and hang in chains 'til the crows pluck your eyes from your rotten skulls? Or would you feel the roll of a stout ship beneath your feet again?"

---Captain William Kidd---

(1945)

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  • 2 weeks later...

We sail (yes really sail. In a real boat with sails and lines and all the other fiddley bits) a very wide stretch of Hudson's River known as the Tappan Zee. It seems only natural to call ourselves "ZeeWolves" and here is our ensign...

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"No Profit Grows Where is No Pleasure Taken."

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Mine is now within me signature..

http://www.myspace.com/oderlesseye
http://www.facebook....esseye?ref=name
Noquarter2copy.jpg
Hangin at Execution dock awaits. May yer Life be a long and joyous adventure in gettin there!
As he was about to face the gallows there, the pirate is said to have tossed a sheaf of papers into the crowd, taunting his audience with these final words:

"My treasure to he who can understand."

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  • 3 weeks later...

Seein as how there are alot of artsy types...was hopin someone could help me out.

I'm lookin to make my colors nonauthentic, but personal.

Im thinking a Stegosaurus skellie with crossed swords.

Anyone know a site with some dinosaur clip art?

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  • 1 month later...

Non-traditional yet the symbolism is just as threatening. That was the purpose of pirate flag so EYE have read....to entreat fear in the hearts of men.

P1011192.jpg

http://www.myspace.com/oderlesseye
http://www.facebook....esseye?ref=name
Noquarter2copy.jpg
Hangin at Execution dock awaits. May yer Life be a long and joyous adventure in gettin there!
As he was about to face the gallows there, the pirate is said to have tossed a sheaf of papers into the crowd, taunting his audience with these final words:

"My treasure to he who can understand."

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