Van Gogh Paintings are perfect for anyone who is just beginning to love art. You will find that there is so much to learn and see through the eyes of this man. With a large collection ranging from nudes to flowers to asylum hallways, there is a seemingly limitless selection of oil paintings to choose from. No matter what it is that you are looking for to decorate your home with, you will be able to find several different paintings and styles from Van Gogh.

Ask anyone who loves art and Van Gogh is an artist that they more than likely have a lot of appreciation and admiration for. His work has inspired many and continues to do so to this day. Whether you are looking to get inspired or to decorate your home or both, Van Gogh paintings are a great way to begin a love affair with art.

Even people who know very little about art can appreciate the beauty of each and every painting that goes into these works of art. Whether it is a bright and fun picture of a landscape or his Potato Eaters portrait, you will find a beauty in it that few can ignore.

So whether you wish to bring his art home and have it to appreciate everyday or use it to inspire you, the only hard part will be narrowing down his many works of art. He has created hundreds of paintings that each has their own unique look and feel about them.

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About the Author

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Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/ – Appreciate Art With Van Gogh Paintings

“What is going wrong with my drawing?” and “Why Can’t I draw?”

These are 2 questions that are asked by many people who think they aren’t able to draw.

Do you know something… “Yes, you can draw”

And, what’s more you will be able to draw anything you want… Landscapes, Portraits, Cars, Cats and Dogs. It is easy enough when you know how… But first you should learn to draw. You need to learn how to draw ‘simple’ before you try drawing complicated stuff.

When you see a top artist draw a landscape…

An artist sketches in the simple outline to begin with with light pencil marks. Then the artist looks again at the subject in front to ensure that everything is okay. Then, only if the artist is satisfied, they move on towards finishing the drawing.

A professional artist is careful in preparing properly before working towards a finished drawing…

“How can you expect to learn to draw without equal care?”

An artist makes simple marks to learn about their subject matter… To get the idea of form. To comprehend the purpose of the object. To feel the quality of texture.

“How do you think you can learn to draw expertly without keeping it simple first?”

Now imagine that there is a bowl of fruit in front of you… 2 Apples, 1 Pear, a Banana and a Bunch of Grapes. You feel like drawing a picture. It is only a simple still-life. However, you will make a complete mess of it unless you can see…

* That the Apples are almost spherical
* That the Pear is ‘Pear-shaped’
* That the Grapes are round but smaller than the apple
* That the Banana is long and curved
* The top rim of the circular bowl looks like an oval (a squashed circle)
* That the the edges of the table sides show as straight lines seeming to want to join somewhere in at a distant point

Of course all of that is plain to you…

However, unless you can see the essential words in the list above you aren’t going to start drawing well. The key words are… Circular, Pear-shaped, Round, Curved, Oval and Straight lines.

Here is a 3- part challenge for you before you attempt to draw anything…

1. Learn how to draw lines
2. Practice drawing some circles
3. Sketch some free-hand curves.

This way, even if your lines aren’t perfectly true your drawing standards will get better. So, if your circles don’t appear exactly round your drawings will become better. And, when your curves are drawn loosely and freely your individual drawing style will be unloosed.

Transform your drawing skills…

Learn to draw simple things at the start… just draw!

Michael Dale is the author of 1- Color Is Best (the quick and easy way to learn to paint watercolor) and 3- Colors Are All You Need (mix any color you want fast using only 3 colors). Contact www.Paint-And-Draw.com to find out more.

You can also discover a long lost, easy to draw and paint course edited by Michael Dale at http://www.DrawingFoundations.com

About the Author

Michael started painting seriously when he was 16 years old and still at school.

At that time there were only a few artists who specialized in Steam Trains (like all boys he wanted to be a train driver). The best train painters were David Shepherd and Terence Cuneo… he wanted to paint like them.

It took many years to achieve this artistic ambition. What was amazing was that there was a whole lot more to learning to paint than just steam engines. There is a whole lot of other stuff that needs to be done to make each painting interesting and lifelike.

In the process of learning to paint with oils Michael realized that he had to understand landscape painting. Around the world trains cross through countryside that changes by the mile… from open fields to dark hills… from deserts to mountain ranges. The weather changes colors and texture. There are people and animals that need to be painted.

There was so much more to learn…

As time went by Michael discovered he could draw and paint many different subjects. It has been a great adventure that allowed him to draw with charcoal, pencil and inks. Also, there have been the thrills of painting in oils, watercolor, acrylics and pastels.

Michael wants to share his painting and drawing knowledge with you and introduce you to other great artists who are enthusiastic about Art… Artists who are keen to help you become the artist you want to be.

(ArticlesBase SC #852190)

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/ – Begin By Drawing Simple Stuff First

When sketching landscapes it can be difficult for an artist to create an impression of distance. It can be annoying when you have completed a drawing, only to realize that the distant mountain range appears to have advanced, looking like small hills.

Detail of foreground items should look like they stand out from the background and middle-ground. A technique for this is to minimize the degree of detail in the middle-distance. And, for distance, you lessen detail even further… often, a single line is enough to represent distant hills and horizon.

Another technique that gives the impression of distance is to use narrow subdued lines for the background. When gradually stronger and darker line-work is used for the middle-distance and foreground detail… the weaker background drawing falls back.

The simplest method is to use a variety of pencils that range from hard to soft. The hard lead pencils are useful for distance and fine-work. Softer pencils allow darker, more intense drawing that is more suitable for foreground detail.

Another way to create a similar result can be achieved using a single pencil. With plenty of practice, improved drawing skill and control you can easily manage to draw a variety of line-weights and line thickness.

Numerous effects can be achieved by using a single pencil, applying more or less pressure to get the tonal variety as you draw.

To help you understand the results try the exercise below…

Draw a simple square, around 2″ X 2″ (25mm X 25mm)

The target is to fill the square with shading that is lighter in one corner and darker in the opposite corner…

*  Using a light touch, start at the top corner
*  As your pencil moves away from the start point, gradually increase the pressure
*  You should create the heaviest line weight at the opposite corner of the square

If you are careful, the shading will slowly change from light to dark across the square shape. If it isn’t a smooth transition, you can retouch areas that don’t satisfy you.

Continuing to practice this method of smooth shading will give you the high skill levels required to draw anything you desire… distance and foreground detail will not concern you.

Michael Dale is the author of 1- Color Is Best (the quick and easy way to learn to paint watercolor) and 3- Colors Are All You Need (mix any color you want fast using only 3 colors). Go to Paint-And-Draw.com to find out more.

You can also find a drawing and painting course edited by Michael Dale at DrawingFoundations.com

About the Author

Michael started painting seriously when he was 16 years old and still at school.

At that time there were only a few artists who specialized in Steam Trains (like all boys he wanted to be a train driver). The best train painters were David Shepherd and Terence Cuneo… he wanted to paint like them.

It took many years to achieve this artistic ambition. What was amazing was that there was a whole lot more to learning to paint than just steam engines. There is a whole lot of other stuff that needs to be done to make each painting interesting and lifelike.

In the process of learning to paint with oils Michael realized that he had to understand landscape painting. Around the world trains cross through countryside that changes by the mile… from open fields to dark hills… from deserts to mountain ranges. The weather changes colors and texture. There are people and animals that need to be painted.

There was so much more to learn…

As time went by Michael discovered he could draw and paint many different subjects. It has been a great adventure that allowed him to draw with charcoal, pencil and inks. Also, there have been the thrills of painting in oils, watercolor, acrylics and pastels.

Michael wants to share his painting and drawing knowledge with you and introduce you to other great artists who are enthusiastic about Art… Artists who are keen to help you become the artist you want to be.

(ArticlesBase SC #835242)

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/ – Sketch Impressive Landscapes Using A Single Pencil

A layout sketch is the process of faintly outlining the key elements of an image on to paper (or canvas). The aim should be to get each component the correct size and in the right position before moving forward. However, this first stage is where most amateur artworks go wrong!

In a portrait for example, the layout sketch would merely ensure that the outline of the eyes are the precise shape, correct size, accurately aligned and the right distance apart. The layout sketch requires no further detail, but get this wrong, and your artwork will be doomed to failure, no matter how good your painting or drawing technique is.

It is possible with a great deal of practise and care, to complete a layout sketch by eye alone, but is that how professional artists work? No they don’t! Time is money and professional artists use techniques and tools to get precise layout work done quickly.

Here are the most common tools and techniques for working from a photograph.

Measuring

The simplest tool is use of a pencil as a ruler and protractor. For example, when drawing a face, the pencil can be used to measure the relative size of an eye, the distance between the ear lobe and the corner of an eye, or the angle of the nose. This works best when copying from a photograph, and reproducing an image of the same size.

The technique is simple: lay the pencil flat on the photograph. Place the point of the pencil where you want to measure from, and grasp the other end of the pencil at the exact point you wish to measure to. Without changing your grip, move the pencil to the paper and make a mark on the paper at the tip and point of your grasp. If you are right handed, it helps to always measure in one direction only (e.g. left to right).

Similarly, angles can be duplicated by laying the pencil on the photograph, say a roof line in a landscape, and carefully moving the pencil to the paper while retaining that angle. An easier method is to place you reference photo over your paper, so that the pencil can be rolled from one surface to the other without altering its angle significantly.

A slightly easier method is to use a ruler, and take absolute measurements. If you need to re-scale an image, the use of a ruler is preferable. For example, when scaling up to twice the size, you simply double the measurement (etc). But, this technique has become outdated.

Alternatively, it is possible to buy dividers that achieve the same measuring effect. Some even have a limited re-scaling function.

Most people now have access to a PC with peripherals, so it is easier to scan and re-print a photograph at the same size you want to draw or painting, rather than re-scale as you go.

The use of a pencil (or anything else) as a ruler is best employed for checking minor detail dimensions and angles.

Grid method

Another slightly outdated but effective method of laying-out is the grid. Briefly, you need to draw a grid over the reference image, and a grid on your paper. The layout is achieved by separately copying the contents of each box of the grid. In effect, your layout will comprise lots of tiny drawings that all fit together to make the whole.

Using a grid limits the potential for error, and the smaller your grid boxes, the more accurate your copy will be. If your grid is say 1cm squares, then your layout lines can never be inaccurate by more than 1cm (unless your grid is inaccurate, or you draw something in the wrong square), but the chances are your sketch will be pretty close to millimetre perfect.

You can use any grid size to like, and different sizes for the reference photograph and the artwork. In this way, re-scaling (if you need to) is easy. For example, to double the size, use a 1cm grid on the photo, and a 2cm grid on the drawing paper. However, for the system to work, both parts must have the same number of grid boxes.

Grids take a good deal of effort to use. The other down side is that the reference photograph must be expendable (you need to be able to draw lines all over it), and you need to remove the grid lines on your art paper when you have finished the layout. Grids are good for oil paintings, since they can be painted over.

Tracing Paper

Many professional artists use tracing paper. It is a really accurate way of completing a layout. I recently read an instructional article on the use of tracing paper, published on a major UK artist site. My recommended method of use is different.

The first thing is to lay the tracing paper over the image to be copied, and mark its position. This is so that you can place the tracing paper over the image time and time again, and always in exactly the same place.

Although tracing paper is very transparent, it can be hard to see detail in darker tones. The best way to use it is with back illumination; do your tracing on against a windowpane (in the day time!), rather than on a desk or table.

Draw carefully around the key elements with a sharp pencil (step 1). Reverse the tracing paper and draw accurately over your pencil lines, to create a mirror image on the backside (step 2). Use a sharp soft pencil for this, and remember that an outline with be transferred to whatever your tracing paper is resting on (so use some scrap paper). Now place the tracing paper right side up on your art paper. Mark its position, so you can put it back in exactly the same place if you need to. Draw over your pencil lines again to transfer the image (step 3). At no point should you scribble. Use the minimum pressure on your pencil marks; the aim is to transfer a light (temporary) pencil mark, not engrave an outline into your art paper.

It takes some time, but you should end up with faint, but very accurate layout lines. Obviously, you cannot re-scale an image using tracing paper. Tracing paper works best on a smooth surface. You may struggle to achieve a transfer on watercolour paper, and toothed pastel papers, so aim to transfer the minimum detail you need for a layout.

When working with darker papers, a white pencil at step 2 gives better results. A white pencil also often gives better results with coloured pastel papers.

Tracedown Paper

Tracedown paper is a form of carbon paper for artists. I have never personally used it, but it works like tracing paper with steps 1 and 3 being performed simultaneously, and step 2 omitted completely. Briefly, you place the transfer down paper on your art paper, the photograph on top, and you draw around the key elements directly on to the photo. The pressure of your pencil makes a faint line on your art paper.

As with tracing paper, re-scaling is impossible, and I imagine the reference photo takes a bit of a battering.

Projectors

There are a number of specialist projectors that can be purchased. Briefly, this tool projects an image on to art paper, and allows layout lines to be drawn directly on to the paper (or canvas), using the projected image as a guide. They are fast, and designed to accommodate re-scaling, but they are expensive and aimed at professional artists. The projector is a modern take on a system of layout transfer used by the old Masters.

Now the last two sentences are critical. Trying to do everything by eye alone is foolish and unprofessional. Get an accurate layout down using any technique or device available to you.

Portraits by John Burton

About the Author

Portrait artist working mainly from clients\’ own photographs.

(ArticlesBase SC #2601046)

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/ – Drawing and Painting tips – the layout sketch

Fashion design sketches can be a lot of fun, and to many people they look easy. After all, you put together the design, and the pattern maker deals with the details, right? Actually, that’s anything but true. Fashion designers have to pay attention to a lot of information that we don’t necessarily think of when we try on a new pair of jeans. From the cost and complexity of producing the garment to how it’ll fit not just one model, but everyone, there are a lot of concerns designers need to be aware of. Here’s a look at some important things to include and mistakes to avoid when you’re putting together fashion design sketches.

The first thing to think about is who you’re designing for. That means looking at the general demographic that you’ll be selling to, and what company you’re providing work do. There are plenty of small designers who sketch, pattern, and sew their own work, but many more designers who work for big clothing companies like Levi’s and the Gap. There are huge differences in the way you’ll want to produce fashion design sketches for each type of company. A small designers knows what he or she is willing to sew personally, and how much time it will take. A designer for a big house has to be able to put together sketches that will work in assembly line settings, and which won’t cost too much to produce. That’s why we don’t see unusual seaming or creative bias cuts in most ready to wear garments – they’re too expensive to produce.

Fit will be a big deal, too. After all, you’ll design your garments far differently if you’re making them for a slim, athletic teenage market than if you’re creating fashion design sketches geared toward older people, college kids on the go, or working parents. The average build, height, and tastes of your target market will affect how much ease is in the garment (how tightly it fits), how you grade the patterns, and the curve of areas like armholes and pants rises. Those, in turn, affect how you’ll draw the initial sketch. Keep in mind problems that might occur when your garment is called on to fit someone outside your ideal wearer. Sure, most of the purchasers for the garment might be expected to be small and athletic, or have a certain waist-hip ratio, but not all of them will. How will your garments fit them? Certain design features that work well on one figure, like front pleats or empire waists, may be disastrous on another.

Don’t forget to draw all the important seam and construction lines on your fashion design sketch, too. There are far too many designs out there where the seams have been left off entirely! That means that the pattern maker is forced to try to figure out what you meant, and the design is much less likely to be realized the what you want it to be. Be clear and know how the garment will go together, if you want to create fashion design sketches other people can understand.

About the Author

My name is Jesse Sbicca and I am entrepreneur that is enthusiastic, passionate, optimistic, motivated and self determined. I want to share the rest of my life influencing and helping others. My website http://visionpotion.com/ is designed to educate and inform you on the subjects of health, diet, nutrition and self improvement. I encourage you to navigate through my different websites and feel good enough about yourself that you will make a positive change for your life today. It’s just a choice to become healthier, wiser and more motivated. Lastly, I have decided to recommend different products throughout my website http://visionpotion.com/ that have helped me to personally balance my mental, spiritual and physical health. Thanks for stopping by and for just information on fashion design sketches, check out my site at http://fashiondesignsketches.blogspot.com/

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Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/ – Fashion Design Sketches – Dos and Don’ts

First, let’s talk a little bit about what makes a good pencil sketching exercise.

Well, I don’t know about you but I personally find shading squares and basic shapes to be the most boring pencil sketch exercises in the world. But you still find them around.

Some pencil sketch tutorials will ask you to shade squares just to get some blending practice. But I find that ineffective and exceedingly boring. And I tell myself there must be a better way to learn pencil sketching.

The problem with shading squares is that squares have no meaning. They don’t represent still life, and they don’t represent a living thing. Therefore, such exercises don’t really stretch the muscles of the artist.

And anything that’s not a real challenge isn’t going to help anyone become a world class artist. If you’re a beginner, you may want to consider some alternative exercises.

What you can do is that you may want to pick just one simple subject that you would like to draw. Don’t be too overly ambitious if you’re just starting out. Just one good one will do. I suggest choosing something like a soft toy or a plant. These subjects have simple basic forms and shapes and are perfect for sketching exercises.

Next, when you proceed with your drawing, keep in mind that this is just an exercise. So your primary goal is not to create the perfect sketch. Instead, you should constantly remind yourself that since this is just an exercise, you should try as much as you can to experiment. Be adventurous! This is just an exercise, so there’s no need to be timid.

Draw all kinds of lines if you can. Experiment with all the different shades of pencils. Use different types of drawing paper and observe what happens.

This will keep you busy for hours, and in my opinion, even though the approach is a little hap-hazard, it’s still much better than just shading squares. No boring squares for you and me. Geez

About the Author

Darren Chow is the founder and developer of MyArtPassion.com, an online website that offers free drawing lessons, home study courses, and other drawing related resources.

For more free resources like the one you’ve just read, please visit MyArtPassion.com for free online drawing lessons.

(ArticlesBase SC #508665)

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/ – Interesting Pencil Sketching Exercises

Normal thinking, which we all do on a daily basis, can inhibit our ability to see clearly when we want to draw. Why does thinking prevent us from seeing clearly in the way an artist must to be able to draw realistically?

The two modes of perception

It is a well established medical fact that the human brain has two distinct halves or hemispheres. It is also established that each hemisphere predominantly processes particular types of information (although there is also some overlap or sharing of tasks). It is also known, although in less depth, that we process information on two main levels: the conscious and the subconscious. At the conscious level we are able to be aware of our information processing and to control, to a greater or lesser degree, how we react to that information. The information processing that takes place at a subconscious level we normally have either no control over or at best only a little control (although the level of control can usually be increased with specific training).

Since we have two main modes of processing information it should be clear that we perceive information in different ways.

Information processing

How we receive various types of information generally depends on which of our five senses are used. Once information has been gathered it is then interpreted by which ever hemisphere is best suited to the task. This is where things start to get difficult for people wanting to draw. For drawing or painting, the majority of the information we require is received through our eyes; it is visual information. However, since our left hemisphere tends to be more dominant than the right hemisphere, it is the left hemisphere that takes on the job of sorting out the visual information coming through our eyes. Unfortunately, the left hemisphere is not particularly well suited to visual information processing, even though it thinks it is! It is the right side of our brain that is best suited to handling and interpreting visual information and it is this side that, as artists wanting to draw or paint, we need to use most.

Thinking prevents seeing clearly

Since we do most of our conscious thinking with our left brain (that little voice we all have talks incessantly), when we come to draw we need to be able to stop our left brain from adopting the task of visual processing; which it does quite badly. We must be able to consciously engage our right brain so that we can see the visual information as it really is and not as our left brain misinterprets it. Since our left brain uses mostly symbols for things it recognises, these symbols are what we draw rather than drawing the real visual information that was received by our eyes. This is why too much thinking, i.e. using our left brain, prevents us from seeing properly which leads to adults drawing like children. The reality is: the more you think, the less you can see to draw!

About the Author

Find out more about how you can easily learn the skills needed to draw with me: Sketching Drawing – Why do we think so much but see so little?

You can also contact me direct and tell me what you think of this article at Sketching Drawing – Why do we think so much but see so little?

(ArticlesBase SC #2633826)

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/ – Sketching Drawing – Why Do We Think So Much but See So Little?

When you’re trying to come up with a tattoo design of your own, it can be quite frustrating trying to do so when your skills at drawing is limited and just not that good. But following some of the tips below you’ll be on your way to creating a customized look that’s all your own.

Keep in mind that tattoo designs are not invented by the actual drawing on paper themselves. They are first laid out from ideas that comes to our minds. Imagination plays a big part in creating a tattoo design, but you can still get by with just simple ideas. Drawing or sketching with simple lines and marks can still convey what you want to express in a design. You don’t have to be a fantastic artist to let your ideas of a tattoo come alive.

First thing you should know is “tattoos” should have a meaning. The design you want to create should be something that you have a connection with that you want to portray on your skin. Be patience and take your time, the design itself wont look any better rushing though it. Instead of trying to draw your design, you can write down the quality’s you want, the colors, size, shading , certain details and so forth. Make sure you point out the most important details you really want in the overall design.

Collecting pictures of other tattoos, is another way to start your own design. Keep a file or folder handy and write little notes about why you liked about the design. Taking little parts from here and there, your design will start evolving into a real tattoo. If you collected several other pictures of tattoos, emphasize to the artist the details of what you may want to incorporate in your own. By showing him this material you have collected, the tattoo artist should be able to draw you a design that is uniquely styled by your own specifications. Also don’t settle for already made designs you find in on the walls of tattoo parlors. Be unique and design your own tattoo.

The tattooing artist is a very talented individual when interpreting custom tattoo ideas. Explaining to him about the ideas of what you want in a tattoo, he can come up with a drawing himself. Also you can look into getting a friend or family member to draw a rendition of the design if you cant draw yourself. The draft of the tattoo design don’t have to be perfect. What matters is the final drawing before it gets stenciled and prepared for tattooing. Always review the drawing carefully an don’t accept any design that is not to your satisfaction.

About the Author

To give you some ideas for your own, you may want to check out some of these designs of tattoos.

(ArticlesBase SC #2641430)

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/ – Design Your Own Tattoo – What to Do If You Can’t Draw

Watercolor can add a lot of life to your work of art. With some helpful tips you can master and perfect the art of watercolor painting. Transparency is the most promising and the most attractive characteristic of watercolor. The watercolor feels like a sparkle of light which the color of the paper shines through the paint. The watercolor seems to blend with the color of the paper and it creates an illusion of transparency.

Some tricks can best work and create the best illusion for your masterpiece. The watercolor trick that can make your painting lively. Lift paint is a trick that a watercolor paint can have. A wet tip can add light with your watercolor. While you are working with your artwork you have to keep in mind that you must work from light to dark. This will create an illusion that your artwork is coming to life.

The paper being used for your art work must have that high quality and excellent texture. A dramatic effect can be created in the final outcome of the painting. Water color paper must be chosen promptly to suite the type of scene you want to paint. You can choose from the following types of water color paper like rough pressed, hot pressed and cold pressed. You must also consider the size and weight of the watercolor paper. This involves the fibers of the paper that you will use. If these fibers are treated it will decrease the ability of the watercolor paper to absorb the water. Lighter paper must be stretched before using it otherwise it will wrinkle when the wet tip of the brush works with the paper.

When you are looking for the best type of watercolor paint that you will use you have to consider the capacity of the painter, whether he or she is still a student or a professional artist already. When you are already an artist who can work best with watercolor, you can use artist watercolor paints which have more vibrant colors to choose from. It is really a matter of taste. Though it is best that you use artist quality watercolor paint, but you can always mix and match the colors. You can try experimenting with colors that you use to depict your work of art in the liveliest mood. You can purchase watercolor paints in forms of pans and tubes. To make the paint more workable and accessible you have to use water in order for the dry paint cake can be easily managed in paper. You have to make sure that you have rinsed the brush before trying other colors. This must be done when you are working with a watercolor paint in a pan. If you will not do this, you will get ugly and dirty looking shades of colors. You can try mixing and matching your primary colors to come up with your secondary colors. There are still pre-mixed watercolor paints available inn the market.

You can avail such, when you visit hobby stores and see if you have your most favorite color, Purchase only a few primary colors and learn how to mix your own colors rather than purchasing premixed colors. When you become more experienced, you can then start incorporating more colors into your palette.

About the Author

Mark Traston is an associate with Portrait Painting. The company specializes in custom portrait painting. Each portrait artist specializes in a specific area including wedding paintings, baby portraits, and executive portraits. A custom portrait makes a great wedding, anniversary, or birthday gift.

(ArticlesBase SC #434815)

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/ – Watercolor Painting Tips and Techniques

Author: Michelle Normand

There is an undeniable aura that surrounds Celtic designs and Druid traditions.  Although I have strong family ties to both Ireland and Scotland, you don’t need a Celtic heritage to be enticed by the culture. It’s been said that as long as you respect Mother Earth and feel an affinity with the Celtic people you too have a Celtic soul. 

The meanings behind all of the spirals, knots, labyrinths, and crosses have intrigued many people for many centuries.  Since you will find all of these symbols in this book, a brief explanation of some of the more popular interpretations are listed on below:

Celtic Knots:

Quite possibly the most recognized of all the Celtic symbols is the knot.  The elaborately interwoven design with no end and no beginning is thought to be an expression of the Celts’ belief in eternity.  The Druids and the ancient Celts believed in a life without end, with death only being a transition into a new phase.  While all knot patterns contain this element of life-everlasting, certain designs are believed to carry more specific meanings.

For example, the triquestra or trefoil knot points to the importance the Druid’s placed on the number 3, the number of fate.  This design was such a hallmark of the Celtic people that Irish Christians found a way to bring it into their new faith by adopting the symbol as a representation of the Blessed Trinity.

Spirals:

There seems to be a lot of debate as to the true meaning of spirals in Celtic art.  The direction of the spiral and the number of rotations appears to affect the meaning behind the image, therefore we will discuss some specific configurations.

Triple Spiral- is also known as the triple Goddess or triskele, symbolizing the maiden/mother/crone phases of life or the three phases of the Moon. 

Double Spiral- signifies balance.  Also believed to portray the equinox, a time when day and night are equal in length.

Clockwise Spiral- While the Druids tended to favor the Moon in their symbolism, this design is actually a representation of the Sun.  A loosely wound spiral would embody an expansive summer sun while a tightly wound spiral expressed the shortened days and long nights of winter.

Labyrinth or Step Patterns:

Symbolic of the journey we take in life, the labyrinth was often used during prayer or meditation.  Focusing on the design reminds us that life is full of options, and open doors, as well as obstacles to overcome. 

Circles:

Finally, we come to the simple circle, the building block for mandalas as well as Celtic imagery.  Much like Gods’ love, the circle is never ending.  It is a universal symbol of the cycle of life; birth-death-rebirth.  The intertwining of circles is the basis for many Celtic knots with the number of circles often symbolizing something more. 

Note that by combining 3 circles the aforementioned triquestra knot is formed in the center.  On the other hand, five circles linked together form the circle of being; a Druid illustration of the four earthly elements being forever united by a fifth element, balance.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/art-articles/celtic-symbols-finding-meaning-in-celtic-art-338040.html

About the AuthorMichelle Normand is a graphic designer and author of the 30-Minute Mandalas coloring book series, including a new 30-Minute CELTIC Mandalas coloring book.  

To learn more about the author and keep up to day on her next release, please visit Michelle at www.30minutemandalas.com.