Basic twist step-by-step drawing tutorial using grid paper

​This drawing tutorial is the first in a short series of lessons to teach you how to draw a few variations of Celtic border knots.

This first tutorial will show you how to draw a simple twist. The twist is not a Celtic style, but the tutorial series will build on this simple pattern, creating more complex weave patterns as we go. Twist borders can be found in many ancient art forms, such as Roman mosaics, and are easy to draw. If you use grid paper—or draw out a grid with guidelines—you will get a perfectly symmetrical twist every time! 

Below is a list of supplies you may want on hand (Amazon affiliate links are included), but you certainly don’t have to have all of these supplies to do this tutorial. Just find yourself a piece of paper, a pencil, and an eraser, and let’s get to drawing!

Gather your supplies:

Drawing pencils
Markers
Blending stumps
Eraser
Click eraser
Ruler
Horse hair brush
Grid paper
Sketch pad

Step 1:

Draw a grid of 9 squares across and 2 squares down. Use a ruler if drawing the grid by hand so all the squares end up the same size. 

Step 2:

Draw circles at the intersections of each corner and then in the middle of each square. Keep the circles the same size. Small circles will give you a thicker thread, while large circles will allow you to create a thinner thread.

Step 3:

Starting from the left, draw a pair of parallel lines touching the inside edges of the first four circles. Do this for each set of four circles across the grid. 

Step 4:

Sketch in the top and bottom edges of the loops as shown. 

Step 5:

Connect the loops at the two ends as shown.

Step 6:

Erase any guidelines and trace over the twist pattern with a darker pencil, creating any stylistic changes you may want. 

Step 7:

Add in the shadows for a 3D effect, blend, and add final details. Go over your finished design with markers if desired.

​I hope you enjoyed this project and are encouraged to try more designs! 

​I created a YouTube tutorial to go with this blog for those of you who are visual learners like myself! You can view the full video tutorial on my YouTube channel here! 

Related blogs you may want to read:
Celtic braid step-by-step drawing tutorial
Basic border knot with vertical breaks, step-by-step drawing tutorial
Basic border knot with horizontal breaks, step-by-step drawing tutorial
DIY chalk-painted tray with Celtic border
A fun DIY project with paint and a thrifted mirror part 2
The Celtic Motherhood Knot, a symbol of love
Celtic Tree of Life
Basic Celtic knot tutorial part 1
Celtic knot tutorial part 2

Some of the posts in this article contain affiliate links. If you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. I will only recommend products or services I use personally and/or believe will add value to my readers, so there is no conflict of interest.