Celtic Instructional Books
Want to learn how to draw your own Celtic art designs?
When I first discovered that Celtic art was “a thing”, one of the problems I ran into with the how-to books out there was how to make my own designs. Sure, those books showed how to make this or that border or design, but only those borders and designs. There didn’t seem to be any way to move forward and make my own designs.
In developing the dot method that I use and teach, it created a way to develop an almost infinite combination of designs. The “rules” are easy to learn, and so long as those are kept in mind you could make anything - stand alone designs, borders, crosses… you name it! I’ve taught this method on my website for decades, and used it to develop deeper instructional material for my online apprentice program.
Eventually, I compiled all the teachings into a book that I self-published and offered for sale from my website. That was found by Dover, a large New York publisher, who offered me a contract to republish it under their publishing house. The books below include my two as well as a few that I think offer sound examples and instruction for the students of this craft who are just beginning their journey. Enjoy your trip down the rabbit hole!
Just an FYI, the links to the books recommended below are affiliate links, which means I earn a small commission for each sale at no additional cost to yourself. The commissions are put towards the upkeep of the website, so thank you for helping to keep Celtic art alive as a modern day art form.
*hugs*
Cari ❤️
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This book covers the main topics of Celtic art - knots, spirals, crosses, maze and step patterns, and the basics of Celtic animals. I also go over different painting tools and show how to transfer your designs onto good paper so you can begin painting your new art right away! |
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Drawing Celtic animals is a deep subject. Not only are you learning how to draw an animal so it’s recognizable, but you’re adding Celtic elements to it too! This book let me further expand on the topic, as well as how to do “freehand knotting”, a technique that allows you to expand on your Celtic art skills and develop completely fresh and original works! My two books will give any student a solid foundation in Celtic art - perfect for art fans, tattooists, and designers. |
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George is often referred to as the “grandfather of Celtic art” because it was his book in the 70’s that began the rise of another generation of Celtic artists and fans. His book is a great resource! His how-to methods can be a bit hard to implement if you’re a beginner, but you’ll definitely learn a lot from the book on a broad selection of topics. |
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Aidan Meehan’s collection of books are great pocket-sized editions of how-to. I recommend his whole series of books, but if you’re just starting out this volume is perfect. It’s a collected edition of his three best sellers, so you’ll get a great taste of his style of knot construction and also decorated lettering like you see in the manuscripts. |
