Home   |   Celtic History & Manuscripts   |   Celtic Art   |   Drawing Techniques    |   ProScribe CDROM   |   Links   
Snake border

How to Draw Snakes

First, take your piece of knotwork and give it two loose ends (in this case a slightly altered version of knot number 9 on the ProScribe CDROM). These loose ends should preferably be in a corner.

This works a lot better with the graphics on.

First we'll do the head:

1

Go on. Treat yourself. Draw two circles to almost fill the area you have to work in. The centre of each circle is the end of one edge of the knotwork strand, and they have the same radius as the width of the strand. (See left)

2

Diagram 3 Draw two more circles half the size in side of one. (This is also the way to draw a yin/yang symbol, but I suspect the only connection is geometrical.)

3

Diagram 4 Inside the top circle draw two more concentric circles.

4

Diagram 5 Ink in the lines as shown.

5

Diagram 6 Add a 'V' shape to the eye.

6

Diagram 7 Repeat steps 2-5 in the opposite circle.

7

Diagram 8 Now for the nose. Draw two lines from the eyepieces towards the edge of the border.

8

Diagram 9 Finally put the ridge down the middle of its nose and add some nostrils.

Variations

9

Diagram 10 Usually the lines of the knot stop where they meet the eyes, thus making the head look bigger.

10

diagram 11 Often the eyes are extended to fill any space there is left.

11

Diagram 12 Sometimes they even get a tongue.

Now the Tail

12

Diagram 13

1. Draw an arc, centred on the corner

13

Diagram 14

Join the ends with smaller arcs. There are four here, but two is just as common, with the centre pointing well into the corner.

14

Diagram 15

Draw the ridges.

And finally, add colour to taste...

The finished thing