Celtic Knots

Everything Else
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Partly inspired by @marmak3261 and partly my own interests I’ve been digging around trying to learn how to make Celtic knotwork. This is so far the most helpful tutorial I’ve found and with a little extrapolating I’ve figured out how to put a knot on just about any shape. There’s enough math and patterning behind these that I think an algorithm could be made to autodraw them for you, but the only thing shakier than my art skills are my programming skills so don’t expect any miracles from me in the near future :sweat_smile:

Can’t wait to see what the rest of you brilliant artsy people are going to do with your lasers!

www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Draw-Celtic-Knot-Work/?ALLSTEPS

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Bookmarked! :grin:

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Beautiful!!

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Thank you!

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Cool, bookmarked!

Thanks :wink:

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Super useful! Thanks!

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Has anyone used a grid layer in the software of choice to apply these steps from Instructables?

@marmak3261 If you masked Corian, cut a Celtic Knotwork (or stonewall pattern) and then dye/stained the etching, would the Corian keep the dye/stain with repeated washings?

Would liquid acrylic work in place of dye/stain? Will liquid acrylic bond to Corian?

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I’ve drawn a few using a grid layer in illustrator on my iPad. I’ve also used autodesk to draw some out with parametric precision which makes my OCD happy

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Thanks! Very helpful indeed :smiley:

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I chuckled out loud at the OCD remark :joy:

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I know I can’t be the only one who gets excited about mathematical precision and mathematical symmetries lol

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This author is an authority on Celtic knotwork and traditional patterns. Having used his books to design several projects done by hand and at least one in CAD, I can say that the way he instructs to set up the patterns for each knot is really helpful.

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I believe I’ve got that book somewhere. Need to dig it out…

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For Inkscape users, there is a “Knot Effect” under path extensions somewhere… here is a good tutorial for getting the basic idea: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3kxnHQAo6Sc&t=2s

I haven’t used it for knots as lovely and complicated as the ones others have posted, but it may be possible :slight_smile:

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Gosh that’s going to be handy. I haven’t played around in inkscape much but I’ll have to dig that up and play with it. If that works as well as it looks you’d basically just have to throw a grid in, connect up the edges the way that makes you happy and then wave your magic wand. Thanks!

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That is a fine tutorial with many tips built in useful for many aspects of design. Thanks so much.

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Oh I am totally in the same boat as you. I love mathematical precision :grin:

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It’s funny… Thanksgiving we visited family (as many do) and my Aunt & Uncle had this nice box with a Celtic knot on it. I picked it up, showed it to my Wife and nodded. She nodded back. The understood conversation was “I’m going to make this with the Glowforge.” “Good choice. The family will love them.”

And since then the board’s been a flurry of conversation about them. Great minds…!

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knotplot can approximate celtic knots:
http://knotplot.com/

Other types may be of interest.

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That’s an interesting find. Thanks for sharing.

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