Celtic Knotwork Borders
in Repeating Sections

This first in a series of resources for artists and artisans takes a unique and practical approach to plotting out knotwork borders - one that's based on over twenty-five years of experience with this style of decoration in works on paper, leather, wood, cloth, and on one very large wall.

The collection is made up of original Celtic interlace designs by the author. Each of the patterns is presented as a series of repeating sections that match up with one another in different ways; it's like a set of puzzle pieces that you can use to assemble borders for your own projects in virtually any size you need.

Not only are there straight and corner sections for each pattern, but every one of them also includes circle sections in several numbers of repeats around a full circle.

Half of the designs also feature "inner border" variations. These are designed to branch inward from the main borders with T sections, and the inner borders can cross in the middle of the border with the provided crosspieces.

All of the border designs are provided in a variety of sizes. The text (in the book version) explains how you can scale the patterns to even further sizes with or without using a scanner. Additional notes give some ideas on how best to use this modular system for borders in both digital and traditional media.

Although the illustrations show the pattern sections measured in inches, I've included a metric conversion table for every dimension in the book. Also, the book's wire-bound so that it will lay flat for tracing or scanning.

Celtic Knotwork Borders in Repeating Sections is a collection of patterns by an artist with other artists in mind. The designs are free for unlimited use within your own projects, both private and commercial. The only restriction on these rights is that you may not reproduce the pattern parts themselves, outside of your original art, for redistribution.

That is, you can use the designs in any way you like for your own work. You're completely free to sell that work, or reproductions of that work. You just aren't allowed to make a clip art collection out of them, or otherwise reproduce the pattern sections alone in a form that others can use.
 

Celtic Design Blank Books

My 150 page blank books are decorated on every page with original knotwork borders around... nothing! So you can fill them with whatever pleases you.

There are unlined versions, in which the space between the borders is completely blank. This is perfect if you like to do your writing without a safety net, or if you'd like to use the book as a sketchbook.

There are also lined versions of each blank book. In these, light lines are ruled on the pages, with 3/8" of space between the lines. The lines are contained by the knotwork borders.

Each pair of facing pages uses the same border design, but there are a total of ten borders, in sequence, used in each book.

The first and last pages feature ornate full page designs (at left; the page on top is one of them) with room for you to write your name, a title, or even a curse on anyone who meddles with the book. If that's your style.

The blank books are all 7 1/4" by 9 1/2" and are perfect-bound paperback books. They're about the same size as a software manual or technical book often is; big enough to give you freedom within the borders, but small enough to pack along just about anywhere.

The covers of these books are full color illustrations, based on my digital paintings of knotwork designs. Most are in the style of the "carpet pages" we see in illuminated manuscripts: dense, complex and colorful groups of panels, borders, and central designs. My paintings usually treat these as though the designs were three dimensional, like sculptural book covers, or doors, or... well, even I'm not quite sure.

Some are traditonal in style ("Triskelion Mandala") while others are decidely non-traditional (check out the Skull and Crossbones) and a couple feature wire-strung Irish harps, just because I like them.

These are the very nicest places I could think of for you to store your ideas, whether pragmatic, fanciful or demented, and I hope you like them!