How to Draw the Flag of the United States

Last Updated: August 4, 2021

The flag of the United States, often called the American flag, conveys an inspiring message with its design. The 13 stripes symbolize the thirteen British colonies that declared independence from Great Britain on July 4, 1776. The 50 stars in the canton represent the 50 glorious states of America standing together. In order to draw the flag correctly, you have to take care with the proportions of these features.

Steps

1
Have a look at the flag proportions. The ratio that the American flag follows is typically 10:19. Keep in mind the length and the breadth of the flag compared to the size of your canvas to get the proportions right.
2
Draw a rectangle. This rectangular outline will be divided into 13 stripes, each of the same height.
- To make it easier, round your measurements. For example, you can draw a 13 centimeter (5.1 in) line for the height, so you can later make each stripe 1cm tall.
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3
Measure and mark out the locations of the stripes. Place a ruler along the right side of the flag and make 12 dashes to divide the 13 stripes.
- You will have 12 dashes for 13 stripes on the right; however, on the far left, mark only 6 because of the canton (the star area) that will be drawn in the top left.
4
Join the dashes for the bottom stripes. Draw 6 lines to join both sides of the dashes for the lower 6 stripes.
5
Mark out the canton. This rectangle is at the top left corner of the flag. Its height equals the height of the top 7 stripes. The width is 2/5 of the total flag width.^{[1]
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Research source} Mark this rectangle out, as precisely as you’d like to.
6
Complete the stripes. To fill in the stripes for the empty top right-hand side, measure 6 dashes to the canton's right side and draw the stripes.
7
Make guidelines for the stars in the canton. Mark out a grid lightly in pencil to ensure you form well-aligned stars. The grid will have 9 rows and 11 columns. Then you can draw stars in alternate boxes. The sequence with the stars is 6 in the first row, 5 on the second, then 6, then 5, and so on.
- For the rows, measure the length of the canton and divide it by 9. The result of this will be the width or the thickness of each row. Likewise, measure the breadth of the canton and divide it by 11, so you can make equidistant columns in the grid.
- Make the guidelines on all four sides and draw the grid. Since this grid will need to be erased later, draw it very lightly.
8
Draw the stars. Draw five-pointed stars in alternate boxes of the grid. The sequence of the stars alternates between 6 and 5, beginning with 6 in the top row.
- To get the stars right, start with the pointed shape of the letter 'A' and make a smaller 'A' inside it so both the 'As' together form a partially triangular shape (you don't have to add the horizontal line inside either 'A'). Then make a straight horizontal line through the star towards the the top third of the shape. Bring a line down on each side to join the end of the horizontal line to the bottom point of the A on the opposite side. For other pointers that may help, check out How to Draw a Star.
- If you prefer, you can use stickers or a star-shaped stencil, or make a stencil with any thick paper like cardboard paper. Draw the star on it and cut the shape out. Use this cut-out to help you draw all the stars on the flag.
- Erase the grid once you make all the stars.
9
Color the flag. Per the CAUS Standard Color Reference of America, 10th edition, the colors on the American flag are the Old Glory Blue, White and Old Glory Red.
- The background color of the canton is blue.
- Color the stars white, or leave them blank if your background was white.
- The color of the stripes alternate between red and white, beginning with red at the top and bottom of the flag.

Community Q&A

Question

How does the ratio 10:19 convert into inches?

Khalid Shah Durrani

Community Answer

What that means is, for every 10 inches tall the flag is, it will be 19 inches wide. So every 1 inch it is tall, that will be 1.9 inches wide, and every 1 inch it is wide, it will be 0.526315 inches tall.
Question

Why do you use a grid when making the stars?

Spaceship

Community Answer

The grid is used to properly position the stars in the flag of the United States of America.

Warnings

Don't draw the grid and other guidelines too dark. It can look untidy if they show even after the flag is colored.

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