Creating Celtic Knotwork by Cari Buziak

Creating Celtic Knotwork by Cari Buziak ISBN-13: 9780486820330 Paperback: 128 pages Publisher: Dover Publications Released: Jan. 16, 2018

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from NetGalley:
Whether you're a complete beginner or have already attempted to learn the art of Celtic knotwork, this is the book for you! Artists at all levels will treasure this guide, which not only demonstrates how to duplicate patterns from a rich and varied gallery of examples but also how to take the next step to creating your own unique designs.

This newly revised edition of Creating Celtic Knotwork features a wealth of added material and revisions. Author Cari Buziak draws upon her extensive teaching experience to present easy-to-understand, well-illustrated instructions that explain all the basic techniques of Celtic patterns. In addition to spirals, mazes, and step patterns, the designs include dragons, hounds, and other animals as well as human forms. Exercises and tips encourage experimentation that will allow you to develop your own variations on traditional forms. Information on drawing tools, painting materials, transferring patterns, and other practical aspects will help you get started right away.


My Review:
Creating Celtic Knotwork is a art instruction book on how to create Celtic knots. The author described how to make a basic knot, provided grids to practice making some traditional knots, and explained how to modify the basic knot to make your own knot patterns and unique flourishes. She described how to make a trefoil knot and knots in borders, corners, rings, and crosses. She also showed how to make spirals, maze and step patterns, and add animals (snakes, dragons, dogs, birds, etc.), people, and chalices into the knots. At the very end, she explained how to transfer the design created on the grid onto your project and provided suggestions on coloring it.

The author broke the process down into easy steps and illustrated those steps. A couple times, I wouldn't have known what she intended from the text alone, but the illustrations were very easy to follow. The book contained a square and a circle grid that you can make copies of, and she described how to make your own grids using grid paper. Overall, I'd recommend this book to those interested in learning how to make their own Celtic knot designs. I've never tried to make Celtic knots before, but the author makes it seem do-able and I've been happy with the basic knots that I've tried so far.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


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