Editing Flag of Scotland (section)

==Design==
[[File:Flag of Scotland (traditional).svg|right|thumb|{{FIAV|historical}} Saltire with ''sky blue'' field]]
[[File:Flag of Scotland (navy blue).svg|right|thumb|{{FIAV|historical}} Saltire with ''navy blue'' field]]
The [[heraldry|heraldic]] term for an X-shaped cross is a 'saltire', from the [[old French]] word {{lang|fro|saultoir}} or {{lang|fro|salteur}} (itself derived from the Latin {{lang|la|saltatorium}}), a word for both a type of stile constructed from two cross pieces and a type of cross-shaped stirrup-cord.<ref>''Oxford English Dictionary'', Second edition, 1989</ref> In [[heraldry|heraldic]] language, the Scottish flag may be [[blazon]]ed ''[[Azure (heraldry)|azure]], a saltire [[argent]]''. The [[Tincture (heraldry)|tincture]] of the Saltire can appear as either silver (''argent'') or white. However, the term ''azure'' does not refer to a particular shade of blue.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.college-of-arms.gov.uk/Faq.htm |title=Frequently Asked Questions |access-date=9 December 2009 |publisher=College of Arms |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090413213138/http://www.college-of-arms.gov.uk/Faq.htm |archive-date=13 April 2009 |url-status=dead  }}</ref>

Throughout the history of fabric production [[natural dye]]s have been used to apply a form of colour,<ref>{{cite book|title=All about fabrics: an introduction to needlecraft|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=0-19-832755-2|last=Holland|first=Stephanie|year=1987|quote=Throughout the history of fabric production, natural dyes have been used. They came from plant and animal sources, usually relating to the area in which the fabric was produced.|page=[https://archive.org/details/allaboutfabricsi0000holl/page/31 31]|url=https://archive.org/details/allaboutfabricsi0000holl/page/31}} [https://archive.org/details/allaboutfabricsi0000holl/page/31 <!-- quote="what dyes were available". --> Internet Archive] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160426212033/https://books.google.com/books?id=Fgoy0G0_T4oC&pg=PA31&dq=%22what+dyes+were+available%22&cd=1#v=onepage&q=%22what%20dyes%20were%20available%22&f=false |date=26 April 2016 }}</ref> with dyes from plants, including [[indigo dye|indigo]] and [[woad]], having dozens of compounds whose proportions may vary according to soil type and climate; therefore giving rise to variations in shade.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wildcolours.co.uk/html/natural_dyes_comparison.html |title=Natural Dyes vs. synthetic dyes|access-date=28 September 2010 |date=October 2006 |work=Natural Dyes|publisher=WildColours}}</ref> In the case of the Saltire, variations in shades of blue have resulted in the background of the flag ranging from [[sky blue]] to [[navy blue]]. When incorporated as part of the [[Union Flag]] during the 17th century, the dark blue applied to Union Flags destined for maritime use was possibly selected on the basis of the durability of darker dyes,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/gb.html#col |title=Colour of the flag| access-date=12 December 2009 |publisher=Flags of the World }}</ref> with this dark blue shade eventually becoming standard on Union Flags both at sea and on land. Some flag manufacturers selected the same navy blue colour trend of the Union Flag for the Saltire itself, leading to a variety of shades of blue being depicted on the flag of Scotland.<ref>{{cite news | first=Hamish | last=Macdonell | title=Parliament to set standard colour for Saltire | date=19 February 2003 | publisher=Johnston Press Digital Publishing | url =http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/standrewscross/Parliament-to-set-standard-colour.2403689.jp | work =The Scotsman | access-date = 9 December 2009 }}</ref>

These variations in shade eventually led to calls to standardise the colour of Scotland's national flag,<ref>{{cite news | first=Hamish | last=Macdonell | title=MSPs are feeling blue over shady Saltire business | date=3 June 2002 | publisher=Johnston Press Digital Publishing | url =http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/standrewscross/MSPs-are-feeling-blue-over.2332166.jp | work=The Scotsman | access-date = 28 November 2009 }}</ref> and in 2003 a [[committee of the Scottish Parliament]] met to examine a petition that the [[Scottish Executive]] adopt the [[Pantone]] 300 colour as a standard (this blue is of a lighter shade than the Pantone 280 of the Union Flag). Having taken advice from a number of sources, including the office of the [[Lord Lyon King of Arms]], the committee recommended that the optimum shade of blue for the Saltire be Pantone 300.<ref>{{cite news|first1=Hector |last1=MacQueen |last2=Wortley |first2=Scott |title=(208) Pantone 300 and the Saltire |date=29 July 2000 |publisher=The University of Edinburgh, School of Law. |url=http://www.law.ed.ac.uk/sln/blogentry.aspx?blogentryref=7261 |work=Scots Law News |access-date=13 May 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120513070521/http://www.law.ed.ac.uk/sln/blogentry.aspx?blogentryref=7261 |archive-date=13 May 2012 }}</ref> Recent versions of the Saltire have therefore largely converged on this official recommendation (Pantone 300 is #005EB8 as a [[web colour]]).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pantone.com/pages/pantone/colorfinder.aspx |title=Pantone 300 Coated |access-date=9 December 2009 |work=Find a PANTONE color |publisher=Pantone LLC }}</ref><ref name="BBCAzureThing">{{Cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/2778189.stm |title=Flag colour is azure thing: Politicians have finally nailed their colours to the mast by specifying the precise shade of blue in Scotland's national flag |date=19 February 2003 |location=United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland |work=BBC News |author=BBC News |publisher=British Broadcasting Corporation |access-date=1 November 2003 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20031101170046/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/2778189.stm |archive-date=1 November 2003 }}</ref><ref name="PE512">{{Cite web|url=http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/petitions/public/petit-child/PE512.htm |title=Petition PE512 |date=2003 |access-date=6 May 2004 |work=Public Petitions Committee – Petition PE512 Detail Page |publisher=The Scottish Parliament |location=Scotland, United Kingdom |quote=Tuesday, February 18, 2003: The Education, Culture and Sport Committee considered a petition from Mr George Reid on the Saltire flag. The Committee agreed that the colour of the Saltire flag should be colour reference Pantone 300. |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040506123227/http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/petitions/public/petit-child/PE512.htm |archive-date=6 May 2004 }}</ref>
{| class="wikitable"
! scope=col width="150" |Scheme
! scope=col style="background-color:#005EB8; color:white; width:150px" |Blue
! scope=col style="background-color:white; color:black; width:150px" |White
|- align="center"
|[[Pantone]]
|300 C
|White
|- align="center"
|[[Web colour]]
|#005EB8
|#FFFFFF
|- align="center"
|[[RGB]]
|0, 94, 184
|255, 255, 255 
|- align="center"
|[[CMYK]]
| 72-35-0-28
|0-0-0-0
|}
The flag proportions are not fixed but 3:5 is most commonly used, as with other flags of the countries of the United Kingdom (flag manufacturers themselves may adopt alternative ratios, including 1:2 or 2:3).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.flyingcolours.org/product-detail.php?ID=8 |title=Scotland – St Andrews Saltire) |access-date=20 September 2010 |work=UK Flags |publisher=Flying Colours Flagmakers |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110726061622/http://www.flyingcolours.org/product-detail.php?ID=8 |archive-date=26 July 2011  }}</ref> Lord Lyon King of Arms states that 4:5 is suitable.<ref name="lyon" /> The ratio of the width of the bars of the saltire in relation to the width of the [[field (heraldry)|field]] is specified in heraldry in relation to [[escutcheon (heraldry)|shield]] width rather than flag width. However, this ratio, though not rigid, is specified as one-third to one-fifth of the width of the field.<ref>{{cite book|title=Discovering Heraldry|publisher=Osprey Publishing|isbn=978-0-7478-0660-8|last=Fearn|first=Jacqueline|year=2008|quote=The proportions of the ordinaries and diminutives to the shield have been defined but are not rigid and are secondary to good heraldic design. Thus the chief, fess and pale occupy up to one third of the shield, as do the bend, saltire and cross, unless uncharged, when they occupy one fifth, together with the bar and chevron.|page=21}} [https://books.google.com/books?id=GzDDnhcuOoIC&dq=saltire+one-third+one-fifth+width+charged+uncharged&pg=PA21 Google Books] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160504145712/https://books.google.com/books?id=GzDDnhcuOoIC&pg=PA21&dq=saltire+one-third+one-fifth+width+charged+uncharged&as_brr=3&cd=1#v=onepage&q=saltire%20one-third%20one-fifth%20width%20charged%20uncharged&f=false |date=4 May 2016 }}</ref>