Rating: 
Summary: A "HOW-TO" DRAWING REFERANCE AND MAINSTAY TO LAUNCH YOU
Review: A "HOW-TO" DRAWING REFERANCE FOR ARTISTS AND BEGINNERS ABOUT TO EMBARK ON THE CELTIC AND PICTISH MYSTERIES. A GOOD MAINSTAY FOR THE DRAWING PHASES OF YOUR WORK, WITH HAND-DRAWN EXAMPLES FROM THE BOOK OF KELLS, LINDISFARNES, AND DURROW. ALSO COMPARES THE SIMILAR TYPES OF LINES AND KNOTS FROM OTHER EARLY CIVILIZATIONS, AND SOME EXAMPLES OF HIS OWN WORKS.COMPARIBLE TO HIS SONS (IAN BAIN) OWN "HOW-TO" BOOK,BUT MUCH LESS RIGID.GEORGE BAIN ALSO SHOWS YOU HOW TO DO SOME ZOOMIPHORICS (ANIMALS) AND SPIRALS NOT FOUND IN HIS SONS WONDERFULL BOOK FOR BEGINNERS. HERE IS TRUTH IN TITLE.
Rating: 
Summary: Celti Knotwork Explained?
Review: Acknowledging the complexities of this book's approach to Celtic Knotwork, Iain Bain, George Bain's son, has published a much more approachable introduction in his Celtic Knotwork, Constable, London 1986. It was reprinted last in 1992 but is unfortunately out of print. Used copies are available and I would stongly recommend Iain Bain's book as a most helpful place to begin. The senior Bain's book is however an informative reference, a far cry above the usual "picture book for colouring" approach.
Rating:
Summary: incomprehensible
Review: Among those in my acquaintance who are fond of Celtic art, George Bain's Celtic Art is the one which most buy first. I did. Then I read it and found that some of his instructions (particularly for creating knotwork) seem totally off-the-wall and totally indecipherable. However, for some reason, he seemed to be the only one who has ever come up with a way to recreate impossibly complex knotwork panels, and do more than just plain fretted knotwork. Fear not, Dear Reader! If you follow his instructions, practice the designs as he shows them, you will ultimately discover what he is trying to say. And when you do, the entire world of complex, bewildering and magical knotwork will open up to you. However, knotwork is not the only type of art that Bain covers in this book. He also analyzes fretwork (mazes), spirals and zoomorphic forms (animal and human forms which can sometimes even be interlaced), as well. These, comprise the entire corpus of form used in the great books of Celtic and Anglo-Saxon art which were created in the 6th through 8th centuries. Let me also put a good word in for Bain's survey of Hiberno/Anglo-Saxon calligraphy as well, in which he assembles many of the fanciful letter forms for which this form of writing is known. I do own all of Aidan Meehan's books (and also recommend them), but if you can only afford to buy one book, buy this one. Then, as you can afford others, branch out into Meehan (and even Bain's son, Iain has written a book on knotwork!), and begin purchasing surveys of the Books of Kells and Lindisfarne so that you can study from the true masters. Enjoy!
Rating: 
Summary: Indispensible, undecipherable?
Review: Among those in my acquaintance who are fond of Celtic art, George Bain's Celtic Art is the one which most buy first. I did. Then I read it and found that some of his instructions (particularly for creating knotwork) seem totally off-the-wall and totally indecipherable. However, for some reason, he seemed to be the only one who has ever come up with a way to recreate impossibly complex knotwork panels, and do more than just plain fretted knotwork. Fear not, Dear Reader! If you follow his instructions, practice the designs as he shows them, you will ultimately discover what he is trying to say. And when you do, the entire world of complex, bewildering and magical knotwork will open up to you. However, knotwork is not the only type of art that Bain covers in this book. He also analyzes fretwork (mazes), spirals and zoomorphic forms (animal and human forms which can sometimes even be interlaced), as well. These, comprise the entire corpus of form used in the great books of Celtic and Anglo-Saxon art which were created in the 6th through 8th centuries. Let me also put a good word in for Bain's survey of Hiberno/Anglo-Saxon calligraphy as well, in which he assembles many of the fanciful letter forms for which this form of writing is known. I do own all of Aidan Meehan's books (and also recommend them), but if you can only afford to buy one book, buy this one. Then, as you can afford others, branch out into Meehan (and even Bain's son, Iain has written a book on knotwork!), and begin purchasing surveys of the Books of Kells and Lindisfarne so that you can study from the true masters. Enjoy!
Rating:
Summary: Good exposure to Celtic art
Review: Bain's book is widely regarded as a classic in the field of celtic art. Like many "classics in the field", the book often contains statements incomprehensible to the beginner. Once a basic understanding of Celtic art is reached, the book is a valuable reference, both for technique and style. A valuable part of my collection.
Rating: 
Summary: His techniques are overcomplicated
Review: Bain's techniques are excessively complex. His knotwork is based on "draw all the lines, then erase the parts that shouldn't be there", which gets pretty messy. For more reasonable (and probably more period) techniques, see Aidan Meehan's Celtic Design series.
Rating:
Summary: Perfect addition to Book of Kells, Lindisfarne Gospel
Review: How Bain has managed to come up with this method is beyond me, but God bless him for it! I have used his methods for creating cross stitch patterns, a complicated matter but well worth the results.
Rating:
Summary: Good intro to Celtic Art
Review: I can't add much more than the last previewer. But it is a good introduction to Celtic Art and patterns, plus he covers its history and shows you how to even difficult patterns. Drawing Celtic Artwork is not easy, a gifted artist and craftsman Bain makes it look easy but its not. Howeverf if you practice the basic patterns you can get pretty good at it in a reasonable period of time. I have several of Aidan Meehan's books and this one is by far the best for beginners imho. Use Meehans works when you can replicate a good many of the patterns found here. It is also a fine resource for the more elaborate patterns which are not covered very well in other works. Many of these patterns can be transferred to leather, clay etc, you name it. Overall if you only get one book on Celtic Art get this one and with a bit of practice your effort will be rewarded.
Rating:
Summary: It's a good introduction to drawing Celtic art.
Review: I think that he did a very credible job, and his book was one of the first available on the subject. His methods are, as stated in another review, "draw all of the lines and erase the parts you don't want". His methods are also difficult to scale up or down, in order to fit your work space. For improvements on his methods, I recommend his son's, Iain Bain's, books.
Rating:
Summary: It's a good introduction to drawing Celtic art.
Review: I think that he did a very credible job, and his book was one of the first available on the subject. His methods are, as stated in another review, "draw all of the lines and erase the parts you don't want". His methods are also difficult to scale up or down, in order to fit your work space. For improvements on his methods, I recommend his son's, Iain Bain's, books.
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