Celtic Design and Ornament for Calligraphers

Rating:
Summary: Not what I expected
Review: This book basically shows the basic border layouts to use for Celtic designs but doesn't really give any examples of knotwork, etc. used to fill in the borders. For example, the design on the front jacket of the book is not indicative of what's inside. The basic template of the jacket decoration (ie - the shape of the border) is shown, but not the detail work of the knotwork, etc. If you can use a ruler and circles template, you don't need this book.

Rating:
Summary: Author's reply to the reader from Chandler
Review: Your reviewer from Chandler has missed it entirely.

Anyone considering buying my book should be aware that it is all about creating your own designs in the style of the 8th century Insular manuscripts, not about copying someone else's examples.

"basically shows the basic border layouts"
What the book shows is the precise, geometrically defined rectangles that the 8th century Irish scribes used.

"doesn't really give any examples of knotwork, etc."
The 10 pages of knotwork describe a method for designing your own knotwork rather than merely copying someone else's examples. If the "etc." means step patterns, key patterns, and spirals then 20 pages are devoted to creating these designs to neatly fill in the frames. Notice that the frames are drawn first and then ornamented - it is not a case of ruling up a frame of arbitrary size and shape around an ornament.

"If you can use a ruler and circles template you don't need this book."
Quite right. If a ruler and circles template is all you can use then this book is no use to you. Only if you can use a T-square, set square, and a compass (a circles template won't do) will you get any benefit from the book.

Jack Mackinder, author