Designer Has Plan To Simplify All 50 State Flags

DETROIT (WWJ) - Does Michigan's flag need a makeover? Ed Mitchell thinks so.

He's a product designer at BresslerGroup in Philadelphia, who's put together new designs for all 50 U.S. states.

What's wrong with Michigan's flag?

Mitchell says it doesn't follow the rules set forth by the international coalition of flag designers that they be simple, distinctive, symbolic, have no seals or words, and use just a few colors.

"There's an elk and a moose ... it's got an eagle, it's got a sunrise, it's got a man on water.  Yeah, it gets complicated, that's for sure," Mitchell told WWJ Newsradio 950's Scott Ryan.

Mitchell says all flags should be simple enough that a child could draw them from memory.

Another problem, says Mitchell, he feels Michigan's flag doesn't stand out.

"If you were to look at the Michigan flag and then look at one of the other 20 flags that are also blue with some sort of ornamental symbol in the middle ... this is an argumentative statement," he said. "I'm not saying this is for sure — but it might not read as well as it could."

Mitchell's redesigns give all state flags just three colors: red, white, and blue — with Michigan's featuring a white semicircle in the center.

"It's supposed to be a rough representation of the peninsula," Mitchell said. "A shield in the middle represents defense —because that came up a lot in the current flag when I went and did research on the symbolism there — and I also put three stars across it, and that's supposed to represent Michigan three mottos."

It should be noted that Mitchell's designs were unsolicited, and there are no official plans to replace any state flags.

Is Michigan's flag too complicated? What do you think of Mitchell's design?  Comment below.

See all of Mitchell's new flag designs, HERE.