ibliography

Celtic Art: the methods of construction

Written by George Bain.
ISBN 0-486-22923-8.
Currently available in paperback from Dover Press (first republished in 1973), for US $8.95.
Originally published by William Maclellan & Co, Ltd, in Glasgow, in 1951.

George's book assumes a much more artistic background than I have, so many of his "steps" seem wildly undefined. Even so, his book was the most common reference on Celtic knots by craftsmen in northern Scotland (according to his son, Iain). It does seem better suited for the craftsman, as it does not give a single clear method of construction but merely gives many examples, each slightly different -- teaching intuition by example, rather than teaching rules by rote.

The book is also very useful as a general survey of Celtic artwork, as it covers not only knotwork but also letters, zoomorphics, plants, and humans, and provides dozens and dozens of examples of each. Historical background such as when and where the artforms first emerged is also given.

Celtic Knotwork

Written by Iain Bain.
ISBN 0-8069-8638-7.
Currently available in paperback from Sterling Publishing Co., Inc. (first republished in 1992), for US $14.95, Can $19.95.
Originally published by Constable and Company, Ltd, in Great Britain, in 1986.

Iain's book is intended more for the draftsman than his father's book. He provides accurate diagrams and even locates the center and radius of the circular arcs which are used for the curves. Only after the basic construction has been presented, defended, and rehashed in detail does he approach the problem of the "artistic adjustments" which are made between the construction and the final laying-out of the knot. He even attempts to provide heuristics for these purely aesthetic modifications.

This book was my primary source, and was always fun to pick up and browse through, looking for ideas.

Knotwork: the Secret Method of the Scribes

Written by Aidan Meehan
Part of his "Celtic Design" series.
ISBN 0-500-27630-7.
Currently available in paperback from Thames and Hudson, Inc. , for US $15.95.

I have not had a chance to read this book yet. However, the book itself is a work of art, with finely drawn text and diagrams. Other books in the Celtic Design series provide information on other Celtic artforms.

How to Draw Celtic Knotwork: A Practical Handbook

Written by Andy Sloss
ISBN 0-7137-2492-7.
First published in the UK by Blandford, 1995.
Currently available in paperback from Sterling Publishing Co., Inc.

I have not had a chance to read this book yet, either. I did skim it, however. Much of the book consists of little pieces that he suggests can be 'cut and pasted' to build knots, whether by hand or by computer. The algorithm is functional, but seems more complicated and obfuscated than is really necessary.

intro -- samples -- styles -- construction -- (bibliography) -- resources

Celtic knots