Celtic Design: Animal Patterns [Paperback]

Aidan Meehan (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Thames & Hudson (May 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0500276625
• ISBN-13: 978-0500276624
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.7 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.3 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #633,069 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I am a Celtic artist who has written and illustrated 15 books on Celtic design, and now works as a full time artist exploring the art form in new ways, mainly as a painter. I also like to draw with the goose quill, and still enjoy doing calligraphy, mainly copperplate with the quill, and flourishing, which, it seems to me, is a continuation of the early Irish tradition, down through the centuries, by way of generations of scribes.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent book for those interested in Celtic Designs., March 30, 2001

By 

Aquaria.Info "Aquaria.Info - Aquarium Fish On... (Aquaria.Info) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Celtic Design: Animal Patterns (Paperback)

This is an excellent book for those looking to create celtic designs.

This book teaches the origins of animal style. It shows various belt, buckle and brooch designs. It then goes into dog, bird, and people patterns.

The book is best used when accompianied by Aidan's other Celtic Design books. I have 7 of the books in this series and love them all!

All in all this is a great book for someone looking to create celtic designs.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another in a Fine Series, March 12, 2003

By 

Marc Ruby™ "The Noh Hare™" (Warren, MI USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Celtic Design: Animal Patterns (Paperback)

Aidan Meehan has made himself into an advocate for the resurgence of Celtic design. After years spent studying art in Ireland and Scotland, Meehan can claim not only historical expertise, but a wealth of technical expertise as well. Meehan writes of the elements of Celtic design as something alive and vibrant that can be a welcome addition or inspiration to any artist's palette.

This small volume is a presentation of the use of animal patterns in jewelry and decoration from the Sutton Hoo burial, the Celtic gospels, and many other sources. Meehan provides a basic historical discussion, but his focus is on how the designs were created. Using a patient style and countless pen-and-ink drawings in a book that is an essay in the calligrapher's art, Meehan has produced another valuable, living reference in a long series.

Whether you are a jeweler, designer, or a tattoo specialist, there is much to draw on here. The only thing I ever miss in Meehan's books is the inclusion of photographs of the original works. I'm sure Meehan has very good reason's for the omission, but for the curious, this is a bit of a challenge.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Solid, if that's your art form, March 29, 2008

By 

Karen Tiede (Raleigh, NC) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Celtic Design: Animal Patterns (Paperback)

Not my favorite in this series, and not one I've been able to do much with. Your art may vary. As with all, a bit of history and then a lot on constructing the various animals used in Celtic illustration. If you want to know how to build your own knotted dragon, to fit the dimenions of your artwork, this is the book to own.

It's four stars if you're doing Celtic animal work. If not, you may not need to own this one.