How to Draw a Celtic Knot on Dotted Paper

by Ambassador Team 16 Mar 2025 1 comment

Hello! Valerie Sjodin here, and today I’m going to show you how to draw a Celtic knot on dotted paper. It's much easier than you might think once you know the keys. Included in this post is a how-to video demo of the process and a PDF showing the step-by-step process. There is also a bonus at the end of the video showing how to draw a single twist border. I hope you enjoy it. I find drawing Celtic knots are quite therapeutic, and a little addicting...

Here I am using a B6 size notepad from Archer & Olive. The paper if fantastic! Use this link and Code VALERIE10 to receive 10% OFF your order.

Celtic knots look difficult to draw but they aren't once you learn the step-by-step process. The other thing that makes it easier is the amazing dotted paper in Archer & Olive's notebooks and notepads. For this demo, I am using a B6 notepad. It's the same paper that's in the dotted notebooks, and it is wonderful for drawing knots that are drawn with a circle grid pattern.

Here is the knot demonstrated in the video and the steps are in the PDF. I suggest watching the video first, following on with the PDF.

Supplies:

dotted paper
pencil (I use both mechanical and regular HB pencils)
eraser
ruler (optional)

Steps to draw the Celtic knot

Decide where you want your knot to be on the page
Mark where you want the center of the knot to be and draw a small circle around the center mark.
Skip the dots next to the center circle and on the following dots lightly draw small circles around the dots forming a square of dots, three rows of three
In between those dots on the center dots, lightly draw circles around those dots. See diagram below.

5-6. Expand the circle grid by lightly drawing around every other dot. In diagram 6 I put dots on the eight corners of what will be the knot. You may want to put lightly drawn circles instead. I put the dots because I am drawing the whole knot in pencil and didn't want to do more erasing, but for learning purposes, it might be easier to just use circles.

*I recommend watching the video for these next steps. It's much easier to watch someone do it, and there's actually a number of ways you can do it.

7. To draw the bands (or ribbons) of the woven knot, connect the circles on the diagonal, every other one, going in the same direction. I find it easier to do that down the vertical column, every other one. This is much less confusing than trying to draw both directions at the same time. You'll notice the outside dots/circles are not connected. Those will be connected later in a different way.

8. Now connect the circle/dots going the other way and you see that the woven knot is nearly formed.

9. Connect the lines of the band forming the top, bottom, and sides (N,E,S,W). Coming to a point or rounding it, as you desire.

10. Not connect the NW, NE, SW, and SE corners of the knot with either coming to a point (shown) or rounding the band.

At this point the Celtic knot is drawn. After the 10th step the following steps are for shading the knot with pencil.

11. Fill in the center circles darkly with pencil or pen.

12. Outline the knot with pencil or pen. If using pen, you can erase the pencil lines afterwards.

13. To shade in pencil, I hold my pencil at a slant so part of the side of the pencil and not just the point are doing the shading of the edges. It's easier to get a softer edge that way.

14. Shade along the edge where a band is going under another band. Doing this throughout the knot gives a 3-dimensional look to the drawing.

15-16. To soften the edges with the pencil shading, you can use a paper blender/stump.

There are numerous variations of Celtic knots. The possibilities are endless. Below are some examples of decorative patterns I made on dotted paper beginning with the knot shown above.

Below is the downloadable instructions for the step-by-step process for drawing the Celtic knot in this post. There is also a simple step-by-step diagram showing how to draw a single twist border.

I also show that in the video here:

Drawing Celtic knots has been a big part of my journaling and wellness journey. I hope you are inspired to give it a try.

NOW 20% OFF Keys to Drawing Celtic Knots course through the end of MARCH 2025 with code: CELTIC20off

If you are interested in going further in learning about drawing Celtic knots and illumination I have an online course, 'Keys to drawing Celtic knots & Illumination' that shows how while walking through the Celtic hymn 'Be Thou my Vision.'

Blessings of peace and creativity!

Valerie

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