Celtic Designs
I have recently
started a project in which I'm creating interior designs based on this
theme. But before I can start this project I need to ask myself a few
questions.
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| Celtic Broache. |
So, Who were the Celts, what is a Celtic design, and what makes it Celtic? These are the questions we need to ask ourselves if we are designing for an artistic future that represents the past.
I have recently read a book called Celtic Art: The Methods of Construction. by George Bain, and it is very good. It shows the method of construction and discribes how to do it. I shall be uploading my efforts later.
After a bit of reading and researching I found that in a lot of cases in Britain and around the Isles the once pagan people of that time regarded drawing an entire living person as an offense to the gods, (as only they should have the right to create and represent the living) and so they would only draw a persons full body if they were dead. And this is reflected in their artwork. They would often draw horses and animals, but only parts of a human body.
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| Celtic coins, Horses and Birds were the primary drawing materials. |
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| Celtic cravings. |
This is the Jewelery of that time. This shape and the way the metal has been twisted is known as a Torc.
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| Golden Torcs |
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| Celtic Inspired Torc. |
Although the colour of these axes are incredible it definately does not look like the beautiful bronze it once was. But instead it gives you a feeling of nostalgic history and wonder.
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| Celtic Bronze Axe heads. |
One of the things that has been used to discribe the people of Britain in the past was their flaming red hair. Boutica of the Iceni was discribed by a roman scribe Dio Cassius,
"She was very tall and severe. Her gaze was penetrating and her voice was harsh. She grew long, red hair that fell to her hips and wore a large golden torc and a vast patterned cloak with a thick plaid fastened over it."
Although she sounded like a mean and cruel person who did not want to negotiate with the Romans she has remained in history as the beautiful, and mysterious fighting queen of her people.
There have been many stories and drawings made up about her, and the picture below is just one example of what someone thinks she could have looked like.
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| Celtic hair |
Disney has recently created a very Celtic looking movie called Brave, that I enjoyed watching.
A lot of Celtic designs were either circular patterns, or used as a framework that surrounded another picture, or archway.
Celtic Blessing attributed to St. Patrick. One of the things that stands out most in this is the knotted framework that surrounds the text.
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| Stone Tablet Blessing. |
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| Broche. Anglo Saxon, and Celtic designs that were combined. |
We have even now created Celtic pattern in Knotwork for Knitting.
This Shawl or Blanket has a very beautiful Celtic twisted pattern that also looks like a mix with Art Deco design.
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| Celtic repeat |
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| Outdoors Celtic Knot |
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| Celtic inspired Victorian broach |
What I have learned from my research and looking back at the certain styles and ways of dressing in the past, is that the Celts, although looked upon in history as a group of people that fought the Romans and lost, they lived on through their artwork and that was integrated into many cultures that socialized with them.
