Whether you are a designer, a craftsperson, or an artist, the Great Book of Celtic Patterns will offer you not only a historical overview of the origins of Celtic art but also a vast choice of designs from which you may create your own work. This beautifully presented guide explores and explains the full spectrum of Celtic art during a critical period in its development. The in-depth instructions, suggestions, and demonstrations will make this an invaluable companion for artists wanting to master these intricate and timeless designs for their own work. But the wide appeal of this substantial book should also be stressed. The stunning and luxurious illustrations will delight anyone who is simply curious about the history of Celtic knot work and enjoys getting lost among its twists and textures. This is an outstanding book that could be used in many different craft applications; from metalsmithing to wood block cuttings, to stationary design and more. I could think of many different ways someone could use this book to fit their craft medium, even t-shirt designs. The book even has a great feel to it. It is substantial, with slick pages and wonderful illustrations showing different Celtic patterns with details demonstrating how to re-create them. The first section of the book shows beautiful color illustrations of full blown Celtic designs that inspire. Chapter by chapter you will learn about patterns, plotting and graphing designs, and how to alter designs to fit within a specific format or space. Next you will learn about line enhancement and love knot designs, not to mention Viking animals, finials and fantasy creatures. While I had no prior Celtic pattern or design experience, I found this book to be inspirational and it provided me with great knowledge of Celtic designs that I could use in my crafts.
