Drawing tutorials for Celtic knot borders and corners

How to handle corners in Celtic knotwork

Drawing borders with knotwork patterns can be a gratifying way to add drama to art pieces, picture frames, mirror frames, and trays. But what happens when you get to the corners? Dealing with corners can be tricky, but there are a few ways to handle this dilemma. 

One way to deal with the issue is to create a design or small piece of artwork specifically for the corners, separate from the border. This could be a stand-alone design or could be woven into the border in some creative way. You could even create a corner design that overlaps the borders. ​
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If you want a more consistent appearance for your border, a repetitive pattern created on a grid will help lay out your knot design. A simple repetitive square grid will allow you to produce a continuous border that handles that 90˚ turn with ease. This is the technique I will show you in the following two tutorial videos.

A few basic knotwork border tutorial videos

If you need a refresher on how to create simple Celtic knot borders—or are new to drawing knots—the following video tutorials will help you get a handle on the basics of drawing borders and using grids.

How to Draw a Basic Celtic Knot Braid Tutorial
How to draw a basic Celtic braid with a vertical break
How to draw a basic Celtic braid with a horizontal break

​Recommended drawing supplies:

A few of you have asked about supplies I use when drawing my Celtic knots, so here is a general supply list to get you started:

(This supply list contains affiliate links, as I am an affiliate of Blick Art Materials. 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.)

Drawing pencils
​Markers
Blending stumps
Eraser
Clic eraser
Ruler
Horse hair brush
Grid paper
Sketch pad
Tracing paper

Related blogs you may want to read:
Circular twist border ring tutorial
Circular Celtic border knot tutorial, basic braid
Basic twist step-by-step drawing tutorial using grid paper
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