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Celtic knots are decorative designs or geometric patterns that arose from Medieval Europe, especially in the island regions of Ireland and Britain. In Irish, they are called snaidhm Cheilteach, and cwlwm Celtaidd in Welsh.
Most Celtic knots are representations of endless knots or basket weave knots. As early as the third century, such patterns were used in Roman decor. Later, the designs were used in illuminated (or illustrated) books and on carved stone monuments.
You can still see these ancient designs in The Great Pavement mosaic in Gloucestershire, England; a cross atop the church of St. Susanna in Galicia; high crosses in Wales and Ireland; and in Cahir Abbey in Ireland.
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Designs such as these can be found around the world, but they were especially popular in Celtic regions. Who were the Celts? The Celtic peoples could be found all across Europe, including Britain, Spain, Italy France, and other countries.
Artifacts from these people date back more than 2,000 years. Today, their art and religious beliefs still influence modern culture. Beginning in the 1970s, the Celtic knot became a popular tattoo design in the United States.
Would you like to draw an intricate Celtic knot? This easy, step-by-step drawing guide is here to show you how. All you will need is a pencil, an eraser, and a sheet of paper. You might also wish to color your finished knot.
If you liked this tutorial, see also the following drawing guides: Impossible Cube, Impossible Star, and Celtic Cross.
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You don’t need any special art supplies to draw this tutorial but you can support Easy Drawing Guides by purchasing through the following Amazon links:
- Sharpie marker to draw clean, black lines.
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- Pencil set to practice drawing and shading together with a vinyl or kneaded eraser, and a sharpener. If you draw a lot with pencils, you could even get yourself an electric sharpener.
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Step-by-Step Instructions for Drawing a Celtic Knot
1. Begin by drawing two upside down "V" shaped lines, parallel to one another. This forms the top of the knot.
2. Next, extend each of the lines by attaching a curved line. Notice how the knot now resembles an upside down heart shape.
3. Draw two parallel "V" shaped lines in the middle of the knot, enclosing the open lines.
4. Draw a pair of parallel "U" shaped lines on each side of the knot, enclosing rounded shapes.
OTHER EASY DRAWING GUIDES:
5. Extend the lines of the "U" shaped curved to the far side of the knot.
6. Extend the straight lines of the opposite "U" shaped curve, creating a mirror image.
7. Erase guide lines from the pattern.
8. Draw a "V" shaped line at the bottom of the knot.
OTHER EASY DRAWING GUIDES:
9. Draw another "V" shaped line parallel to the first, completing the knot. Note that the Celtic knot resembles two heart shapes intertwined with one another.
Color your Celtic knot.
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The Complete Celtic Knot Drawing Tutorial in One Image
Printable PDF of the Drawing Guide
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