North America · Canton
How to draw the flag of United States
The flag of the United States is a rectangular canton in the upper hoist corner over a striped field in red, white and blue, with 50 stars and 13 stripes. It flies at a ratio of 10:19.
Step by step
- Start with the right shape. the United States flies at 10:19 — for every 19 units of width the flag is 10 tall. Sketch that rectangle first; a flag drawn too square is the fastest way to lose layout points.
- Block in the background. Fill the whole flag with red first, then build the rest on top of it. Working from the largest area to the smallest keeps the proportions honest.
- Add the white and blue. A rectangular canton in the upper hoist corner over a striped field. Place these shapes by eye against the edges of the flag, not against each other.
- Finish with the 50 stars and 13 stripes. Detail is the last ten percent of the score, so leave it until the colour blocks are down. Size and position count for more than drawing every line of it.
United States flag colours
The colour codes below are the ones to reach for if you are recreating the flag digitally.
| Colour | Hex | RGB |
|---|---|---|
| Red | #B31942 | rgb(179, 25, 66) |
| White | #FFFFFF | rgb(255, 255, 255) |
| Blue | #0A3161 | rgb(10, 49, 97) |
What the flag means
Thirteen stripes for the original colonies, fifty stars for the current states — the canton grows as the country does.
Common mistakes
- Starting and ending the stripes with white. There are thirteen stripes and both the top and bottom one are red.
- Watch out for Liberia and Malaysia — they are close enough to the United States that people draw the wrong one from memory.
- The proportions are unusual: 10:19 is longer than the usual 2:3 rectangle.
A trick for remembering it
Red on top, red on the bottom, seven red and six white. The canton covers seven of those stripes.
Flags that look like this one
Side-by-side breakdowns of the pairs people mix up:
Questions about the United States flag
What colours are on the flag of United States?
The United States uses 3 colours: red (#B31942), white (#FFFFFF), blue (#0A3161).
What are the proportions of the United States flag?
It flies at 10:19 (height to width). Drawing it at the wrong shape is one of the quickest ways to lose layout marks in the game.
What does the United States flag mean?
Thirteen stripes for the original colonies, fifty stars for the current states — the canton grows as the country does.
Which flags look like the United States flag?
Liberia, Malaysia. The proportions are unusual: 10:19 is longer than the usual 2:3 rectangle.
How hard is the United States flag to draw from memory?
PlayVexle rates it 4 out of 5. There is detailed artwork in the middle, which is worth only 10% of the score — get the colour blocks right first.
