Drawing Celtic Knotwork
Updated December 8, 2007 We have just added another tutorial! Scroll down to view our mini-guide on how to embellish a picture frame with your knotwork.
Have you always longed to create celtic knot designs yourself, but didn't know how to get started?....or you thought they were just WAY too complicated to tackle?
I have good news for you: They aren't as hard as they look!
We've designed an easy-to-follow tutorial guaranteed to cause you only a minor amount of frustration and nervous tics. *grin*
All of those gorgeous, detailed, and mind-bending twists and turns are not as impossible to create as they might first seem...if you break them all down into their most basic parts.
In this tutorial, we're going to show you how to create the simple knotwork square shown in the upper left of this section.
What you'll need to get started: Paper (graph paper is preferable), pencil, pink eraser, pen, and patience!
Ready to take a stab at it? Let's Go!
*If you enjoy this guide and want to try more, additional free tutorials are hosted on our website in the "Celtic Knotwork Tutorials" section. http://www.wickedvarmintdesigns.com
Step One
Begin by drawing a nine-part square as shown above. Use Pencil!! You're going to do lots of erasing, so don't make anything permanent yet...AND have a rubber eraser on stand-by!
Step Two
In the four corner squares, rough in gently-rounded shapes with points aiming out towards the corners.
It doesn't have to be perfect, but you should try to fill the grid space as much as possible. Once you finish that, move to your outside middle squares and sketch in straight lines as shown.
What you've just done, sets the backbone of your design. One part of it anyway. Moving on....
Step Three
Now you're going to add a bit more detail. Go to your corner squares and mark out the interior edges of your design.
Don't make them too skinny: this is a very simple design with a minimum of lines, so you want to fill out the space or it will look weird.
Now go to your outside middle squares and mark out the inner and outer curves. Again, don't be skimpy and try to use a consistent width throughout.
Step Four
Finish off the loops by connect the open dangling ends and unfinished curves with the next open sections in the design. Refer to the picture for reference. It can get tricky, so just take your time. Use gentle, simple strokes to hook it all together.
Looking nice, isn't it? You now have the first continuous loop finished. Let's go make your second loop.
Step Five
Draw straight lines in the outer, middle squares as shown in the picture above. Add marks for innner and outer curves.
Before moving on, draw dots in the centers of all four corners. These will guide you and help you stay consistent when you drawn in the rest of the lines.
Step Six
Connect all of those sections and open ends together with their adjacent areas as you did with the first loop, in a manner pleasing to you. Don't force it, just let it flow...smooooooth, flowing lines. You should end up with something similar to what you see above. Awesome work! You've almost got it!
Now pull out that trusty rubber eraser for the next section...
Step Seven
It's Eraser time! Woo-hoo! Oh, I just get so excited for this step!
This is the stage in the process where you get to bring out the true beauty of your artwork. Go through your design and pick out and erase your over and under spots.
A section that is an "over" rests on top of the knotwork, and an "under" is of course, on the below side. Be consistent: if one section is an "under," the ones on either side of it will be "overs." Over, under, over, under...throughout. Refine curves and lines as you go.
Look what you did! Magnificent!
Step Eight - Completion
Ink it (redraw your design with ink) and erase all your pencil marks.....voila! You did it! I knew you could. *smile*
Now go experiment. I know you have a ton of ideas running through your head. Try changing the size, adding extra loops, direction shifts and etc. For some real excitement, see if you can work in different shapes, symbols or even basic animal forms into the design...the sky's the limit!
Pep-talk time:
Remember, a design doesn't have to be mind-bendingly complicated to be beautiful. Sometimes, too much detail can actually detract from the finished work...it just depends on what you're doing.
Simple designs work up especially well for wood-carvings, pyrography (wood-burning) and even paintings. Go at your own pace and use your imagination. If you try to get too complicated too fast, you run the risk of getting frustrated. If you're frustrated, you aren't having fun! Then, what's the point?!
Over time, and with practice your designs will become progressively more unique and your skill level and proficiency will increase. So, take your time and enjoy what you're doing.
What are you waiting for? Get movin'!
Best regards,
The Wicked Varmint
Versatility - Or, Now What Can I do With the Design?
Lots of things!
The possibilities and uses for your finished Celtic Knotwork designs are practically endless. (We've added a mini-tutorial below, illustrating how to embellish a picture frame.)
A few ideas for you:
* Continue building your skills with pen and paper to create some stunning artworks. Embellish with paints, washes and different inks...and maybe even add gold leafing to your works (I've seen it done, it is breathtaking!)
* Mold the designs with clay for some really sensational 3-D works.
* Carve the designs into wood (*exercise care, you CAN get hurt working with surgically sharp instruments...trust me on this one.)
* Burn your designs into wood and/or leather using a pyrography tool. You can create some lovely picture frames, boxes, shelves, chests, cabinets, pouches...you name it! (Again, be careful...the pyrography tool gets hot. Did you know that the tool is hot enough to melt skin and warp fingerprints? Yep. Again, trust me on this one.)
* Incorporate your designs into knitting and crochet work.
* Create beautiful embroidery and cross-stitched pieces.
So what are you waiting for? Get crackin'!
Celtic Knot Picture Frame - Step 1
We thought you'd like to see another practical example of celtic knotwork "in action," so to speak, and some basic steps taken to create the object. So, here we go!
After locating a suitable blank frame for our celtic knotwork, we marked out a grid of lines using a simple ruler as a guide. Remember...use pencil!
*If you wish to create a similar project yourself, begin evenly marking out your lines from the center outwards. The reason for this: none of the wood frames we have found are perfectly square. If you measure your lines from the edges in...well, your design is going to end up scewed and out-of-whack. Even a few millimeters difference is going to throw you.
Celtic Knot Picture Frame - Step 2
Using our gridwork as a guide for our lines, we sketch in some pleasing paths...a backbone and beginning to our celtic knotwork.
Celtic Knot Picture Frame - Step 3
After completing our inner row of knotwork...we decided it was too boring. It just didn't have enough oomph! So! A second layer of knotwork was added to the first, working and intertwining the new lines in with the base layer. It is now ready to be burned (or painted, carved or *insert method of choice.*)
Yep...I forgot a few pictures in the sequence here. You have my apologies! When I get "into" my work, I tend to become completely absorbed by it. I'll try to do better with the next installment! *grin*
Celtic Knot Picture Frame - Step 4
We've now engraved, or burnt, the lines of our design into our wood frame using a pyrography tool. All of the grid lines and sketchings are erased to create a clean surface. The work is now ready for shading and finishing.
Celtic Knot Picture Frame - Step 5, Completion
We're finished! ...or almost. The Celtic Knot frame still has to be lacquered for its final appearance and protection.
Steps we took to reach this point: Shading was applied to the knotwork, and then the frame was painted to make the design stand out using artist's acrylics in cadmium red hue. Voila!
We hope this has helped to illustrate some of the ways you might use celtic knotwork designs to embellish and create useful items and even works of art.
Good luck!
A Fascinating Video Tutorial for Celtic Knotwork
A Very Fast Celtic Knot
The method of drawing a celtic knot was recently discovered. Here is how you do it. Sorry it is rough, but I think you'll get the idea. Please take the time to leave me a comment on this one. I am interested to see how many enjoyed the knot.
Runtime: 3:07
13892 views
10 Comments:
Incredible Knotwork, Independant Artist Video
Celtic knot
How to draw Celtic knot... In slow motion ;) http://picasaweb.google.com/Kanonick/Knot
Runtime: 0:05
4869 views
3 Comments:
Flickr Photos of Beautiful Knotwork
Greenmount Cemetery, Baltimore
near The Fenway, Boston
Greenmount Cemetery, Baltimore.
southsea cemetery, portsmouth
Information from Wikipedia
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|Category: Image - :Lindisfarne StJohn Knot2 3.svg|thumb|Design influenced by illustration in the Lindisfarne Gospels
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|Category: Image - :Celtic-knot-basic.svg|thumb|A simple version of the basic design
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|Category: Image - :Frise.jpg|thumb|A method for drawing Celtic knots
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|Category: Image - :Celtic_knot_red_nevit.png|thumb
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Celtic knots are a variety of (mostly endless) knots and stylized graphical representations of knots used for decoration, adopted by the ancient Celts. Though Celtic knots were being created in Polytheistic Celtic times , these knots are most known for their adaptation for use in the ornamentation of Christian monuments and manuscripts like the 8th century Book of Kells and the Lindisfarne Gospels.
Book of Kells- Fine (and famous) examples of Celtic Knots by Wikipedia
The Book of Kells () (Dublin, Trinity College Library, MS A. I. (58), sometimes known as the Book of Columba) is an illuminated manuscript in Latin, containing the four Gospels of the New Testament together with various prefatory texts and tables. It was transcribed by Celtic monks ca. 800. The text of the Gospels is largely drawn from the Vulgate, although it also includes several passages drawn from the earlier versions of the Bible known as the Vetus Latina. It is a masterwork of Western calligraphy and represents the pinnacle of Insular illumination. It is also widely regarded as Ireland's finest national treasure.
The illustrations and ornamentation of the Book of Kells surpass that of other Insular Gospels in extravagance and complexity. The decoration combines traditional Christian iconography with the ornate swirling motifs typical of Insular art. Figures of humans, animals and mythical beasts together with intricate knotwork and interlacing patterns in vibrant colours enliven the manuscript's pages. Many of these minor decorative elements are imbued with Christian symbolism and so further emphasize the themes of the major illustrations.
The manuscript today comprises 340 folios and since 1953 has been bound in four volumes. The leaves are on high quality calf vellum, and the unprecedentedly elaborate ornamentation that covers them includes ten full-page illustrations and text pages that are vibrant with historiated initials and interlinear miniatures, and mark the furthest extension of the anti-classical and energetic qualities of Insular art. The Insular majuscule script of the text itself appears to be the work of at least three different scribes. The lettering is in iron-gall ink, and the colors used were derived from a wide range of substances, many of which were imports from distant lands.
The manuscript takes its name from the abbey in Kells that was its home for centuries. Today it is on permanent display at the library of Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland. The library usually displays two of the current four volumes at a time, one showing a major illustration and the other showing typical text pages.
Category: Image - :KellsFol032vChristEnthroned.jpg|thumb|Folio 32v shows Christ enthroned.
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Reader Feedback
We would love to hear your comments and suggestions! Your questions are also welcomed. :) Your input is what helps us to get better...so, let 'er rip!
I'm making a broom for my friend's handfasting to be held this year at the KC Renfair. I've made many brooms, however my friends requested Celtic Knots. (Arghhh!) Not being of Celtic decent or following, I've been searching for some help. I've looked at many sights and was becoming a little freaked out when I found your site. Your video is amazing! Now I'm feeling more confident and ready to give it a try.
Thank you SO much!
xox
Posted August 14, 2008
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rsmith17
What a great lens. I'm going to have to try this for myself. Lensrolled you on my Medieval Wedding lens and favorited it too. Posted July 25, 2008 |
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The_Homeopath
Beautiful lens! Thank you. Posted July 20, 2008 |
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mosaic
Oh gosh, lucky me I came across this awesome lens! The knots are beautiful. I never knew that it could be this easy.... Too bad the Wikipedia module doesn't seem to work correctly still. Maybe you should make that module manually, FYI. Great lens!! Posted June 29, 2008 |
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Stephene
Another great lense.. i hv bookmarked this lense and joined your fan club.. (^o^) Posted March 16, 2008 |
