Celtic Design - Tane

CELTIC DESIGN
Tane Richardson

The Celtic culture or “Celts” were ancient European cultures, who do not all have shared ancestry but were classed by their common language known as Proto-Celtic. They spread by emigration and invasion, through prehistory to the modern period. Celtic art’s characteristic interweaving patterns were derived from nearby Germanic peoples who preceded the Celts. As Celtic cultures spread, the artistic style grew steadily influential throughout Northern Europe, through the mediums of rock-carving, clothing fabric and inking.

The most widely-known traditional Celtic designs are as follows:

The Cross:

The Celtic cross symbols four roads of four
corners of the Earth, and the meetings at

a central point formed a cross, indicating the

centre of the world.

It incorporates bold line,

stark contrast, and monotone features, yet

the twisting intricacies give the senses a flowing
rhythm within the strict boundary. Notice how the
over- and underlapping lines are not connected

with black, in order to show depth of pattern.

Labyrinth:

The Labyrinth was intended to portray a

visual journey through progressive levels

of experience, physical, mental and

spiritual, until the vortex at the center is

reached, symbolising the joining of

heaven and earth. These

patterns are only occasionally symmetrical

yet balance to the same effect. They

involve the stark black and white intricacies prevalent

in all Celtic design. It is visually on a 2D plane, a maze without depth.

The entire labyrinth is unified by the central focus.

Animals/Zoomorphic

Animals and birds were sacred to the

Celtic. Shapeshifting was a common

attribute of the Celtic goddesses. These

patterns morph the shapes of animals yet

strived remain in conformity

with natural form. As with most Celtic art,

it makes use of bold definition in thick

line, has no shading or gradations and

with stark contrast, portrays a

confident, defiant culture with an

intricate, beautiful spiritual side.

SOURCES

:http://www.joellessacredgrove.com/Celtic/art.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celtic_culture

http://www.webomator.com/bws/data/freeart/celtic/celtic_interlace.html

http://www.deitydiva.co.uk/celtic/index.php

http://www.conjure.com/ICON/icons.html

http://www.freeceltic.com/celtic_history.html

http://www.freeceltic.com/celtic_designs.html

www.celticattic.com

www.celticdesign.com.au/

www.unc.edu/celtic/designindex.html