Knotwork for newbies

Stage 1. Use a soft pencil and ruler and draw the grid as shown in the diagram. Alternatively, trace a grid from graph paper Draw short vertical and horizontal lines to create 'L' brackets at each end of the grid.

Stage 2. Using the soft pencil carefully draw the curved lines of the knot on to the grid. Work smoothly in manageable sections, and allow the lines to flow. Make sure the lines accurately touch the edges of the grid. Join the points with two longer vertical lines, to form the flat ends of the finished design.

Stage 3. Trace over the knot shape and transfer to a new sheet of paper, marking the outline as a dotted pencil line. Use the dotted line as a guide and draw around the outside using black felt-tip pen, keeping an equal distance all the way around. Measure the same distance inside the dotted pencil line and draw the window-shapes shown in the diagram. Take care to ensure that the lines are accurately spaced and the curves are smooth and flowing. When you gain experience you won't need to trace off the outline, but can simply rub out the grid and use the solid pencil line from Stage 2 as a guide.

Stage 4. Join together the black felt-tip pen outlines, making sure that the finished line always goes over and under itself to create te braided band of the Celtic knot. Use the diagram as a guide. Try to keep the band the same width throughout the pattern. Rub out the dotted or solid pencil line and add colour to your knotwork design.

This 4 stages tutorial is taken from the book Draw Your Own Celtic Desings, it was written by David James and illustrated by me and I think it's the easiest way to start to draw Celtic knotwork. The book was published by David & Charles in 2003, it's still available from any decent bookseller.

Exposition d'Erwan Seure Le Bihan

Pour les amoureux de la mythologie celtique, de la geste arthurienn et fans tout court de belles images: du 4 juin et jusqu'au 28 juillet, au chateau de Comper, le centre Arthurien présente la première exposition personnelle d'Erwan Seure Le Bihan.
Des ouvres originales en grand format, rétrospectives de travaux déjà publiés, et des planches a venir du beau livre Odin, à paraitre en 2010, offrent au public la vision à la fois fantastique et historique de cet artiste inspiré par le passé breton, l'archéologie, l'épopée et la mythologie.
L'accès à cette exposition temporaire est inclus dans le prix d'entrée à l'exposition.

For lovers of Celtic mythology, Arthurian epic and everything short of beautiful images from 4 June to 28 July, at Castle Comper, the Arthurian Center presents the first personal exhibition of Erwan Seure Le Bihan.

Original works in large format, retrospectives of published artwork, and hole pages of his next beautiful book devoted to Odin, forthcoming in 2010, offer the public the vision of both fantasy and history of this artist inspired by the past Breton, the archeology, history and mythology.

Asturies & Breizh

A new one-ink design done for a recent exhibition. The two pipers are allegories of two Celtic countries, Asturies and Brittany, two countries twinned for their traditional music.

Un nuevo diseño a una tinta hecho para una reciente exposición. Los dos gaiteros son alegorías de dos países celtas, Asturies y Bretaña, dos países hermanados por su música tradicional.

Merlin

This illustration was the cover of my old website. I coloured it last week for an art exhibition (the original was an one-ink illustration). I think it's a perfect design for my first post.

Esta ilustración fue la portada de mi vieja web durante mucho tiempo. La coloree este fin de semana pasado para incluirla en una exposición, ya que, originalmente fue concebida como un diseño a una tinta. Me parece perfecta para la primera entrada del blog.