Celtic Art (450-Present)
The thing that springs to mind first about Celtic art are the satisfying Celtic knots. Celtic knots are so called because the Irish monks brought their use to a pinnacle of artistic deliciousness. However, the form has been around at least since Roman times. Below is a Roman floor mosaic from 350 CE.
Book of Kells
This masterwork was made by Celtic monks in around AD 800. Dover Books published some of the more famous pages. The Book of Kells is an illustrated Gospel in calligraphed Latin. The style is lavish, with gold leaf, extravagant carpet pages like the one below, and rich colors. It was lettered in iron gall ink, and painted with imported pigments. The overall mood is of a kind of holy exuberance, nothing unseemly, but rich, cheerful, and textural. As with most primitive art (see the discussion on Egyptian art), there is no shading, no perspective, and the point is to illustrate a story rather than to capture a moment in time.
Knots appear in many of the pages, but they are merely part of the overall design, often used as a space filler.
I call the Book of Kells a masterwork because it's endlessly fascinating. Each illustration is at least whimsical, if not lovely and vibrant with life.
Below are two examples, one a list from the Book of Kells, and the other my riff off of the same theme, which I use to show my students how they can make their own art using The Book of Kells as inspiration.
Knots appear in many of the pages, but they are merely part of the overall design, often used as a space filler.
I call the Book of Kells a masterwork because it's endlessly fascinating. Each illustration is at least whimsical, if not lovely and vibrant with life.
Below are two examples, one a list from the Book of Kells, and the other my riff off of the same theme, which I use to show my students how they can make their own art using The Book of Kells as inspiration.
First Celtic Art Lesson Using SIOP Format: Introduction
Lesson Title: Introduction to Celtic Art
Grade: K - 9 self-contained classroom
Key Vocabulary: Hiberno-Saxon art, Insular Art, Monk, illumination, pigment, egg tempera, stylization, Gospels.
Visuals/Resources: Dover editions of Book of Kells, Lindisfarne Gospels, New Testament
Connections to Prior Knowledge: Having already studied Egyptian art, students are familiar with stylization, unsigned art, and storytelling through art.
Content Objectives: 1. Recognize Insular style, 2. be able to reproduce a few selected examples (from memory, for the older grades), and 3. make an original illumination
Meaningful Activities: 1. Mini-lecture on Hiberno-Saxon art. 2. 15-minute stations: examples of illumination clearly developed for copying. 3. 30-minute masterwork session: make an original illumination in art journal.
Supplies: Teacher-made exemplars, marking pens
Review/Assessment: Art journal
Language Objective: Use appropriate vocabulary when sharing journal.
Lesson extension: Make and use egg tempera (maybe in spring?)
Grade: K - 9 self-contained classroom
Key Vocabulary: Hiberno-Saxon art, Insular Art, Monk, illumination, pigment, egg tempera, stylization, Gospels.
Visuals/Resources: Dover editions of Book of Kells, Lindisfarne Gospels, New Testament
Connections to Prior Knowledge: Having already studied Egyptian art, students are familiar with stylization, unsigned art, and storytelling through art.
Content Objectives: 1. Recognize Insular style, 2. be able to reproduce a few selected examples (from memory, for the older grades), and 3. make an original illumination
Meaningful Activities: 1. Mini-lecture on Hiberno-Saxon art. 2. 15-minute stations: examples of illumination clearly developed for copying. 3. 30-minute masterwork session: make an original illumination in art journal.
Supplies: Teacher-made exemplars, marking pens
Review/Assessment: Art journal
Language Objective: Use appropriate vocabulary when sharing journal.
Lesson extension: Make and use egg tempera (maybe in spring?)
Second Celtic Art Lesson: Uncials
Lesson Title: Calligraphy: Uncials
Grade: K - 9 self-contained classroom
Key Vocabulary: Calligraphy, uncial, hand, majuscule, miniscule, pen angle, ascender, descender, base line, initials, border.
Visuals/Resources: Dover editions of Book of Kells, Lindisfarne Gospels
Connections to Prior Knowledge: Having already studied the alphabet (except the kindergartener), students are familiar with the concepts of legibility and standard letter formation.
Content Objectives: 1. Recognize uncial calligraphy, 2. be able to reproduce the alphabet using an ink pen, and 3. write name in uncial, possibly with a more elaborate initial letter.
Meaningful Activities: 1. Mini-lecture on uncials. 2. 15-minute stations: examples of uncials clearly developed for copying. 3. 30-minute masterwork session: write your name in art journal, possibly with an elaborated initial letter.
Supplies: Teacher-made exemplars, nib pens and india ink, newspaper, cut-out sponges to hold inkwells, damp sponges for spills.
Review/Assessment: Art journal
Language Objective: Use appropriate vocabulary when sharing journal.
Grade: K - 9 self-contained classroom
Key Vocabulary: Calligraphy, uncial, hand, majuscule, miniscule, pen angle, ascender, descender, base line, initials, border.
Visuals/Resources: Dover editions of Book of Kells, Lindisfarne Gospels
Connections to Prior Knowledge: Having already studied the alphabet (except the kindergartener), students are familiar with the concepts of legibility and standard letter formation.
Content Objectives: 1. Recognize uncial calligraphy, 2. be able to reproduce the alphabet using an ink pen, and 3. write name in uncial, possibly with a more elaborate initial letter.
Meaningful Activities: 1. Mini-lecture on uncials. 2. 15-minute stations: examples of uncials clearly developed for copying. 3. 30-minute masterwork session: write your name in art journal, possibly with an elaborated initial letter.
Supplies: Teacher-made exemplars, nib pens and india ink, newspaper, cut-out sponges to hold inkwells, damp sponges for spills.
Review/Assessment: Art journal
Language Objective: Use appropriate vocabulary when sharing journal.
Third Celtic Art Lesson: Knots
Lesson Title: Celtic Knots
Grade: K - 9 self-contained classroom
Key Vocabulary: Carpet page, knotwork, interweaving, Triquetra, St. Stephen's Knot, .
Visuals/Resources: Dover editions of Book of Kells, Lindisfarne Gospels, Aidan Meehan's book on Celtic Knots, George Bain's "Celtic Art: The Methods of Construction."
Connections to Prior Knowledge: All of us teachers have been talking about editing. Most of the students have difficulty drawing lightly and then erasing. They want everything they draw to be the final draft. This is simply not possible with celtic knots! Emphasize the idea of anticipating that you'll use the eraser and drawing accordingly.
Content Objectives: 1. Understand that any closed loop can be "knotted", 2. be able to reproduce selected knots (from memory, for the older grades), and 3. create your own Celtic knot.
Meaningful Activities: 1. Mini-lecture on Celtic knots, using 18" cord for students to experiment with. 2. 15-minute stations: examples of knots for copying: Braid, Triquetra, St. Stephen's Knot, etc.. 3. 30-minute masterwork session: create your own celtic knot in your art journal.
Supplies: Teacher-made exemplars, cords for experimentation.
Review/Assessment: Art journal
Language Objective: Use appropriate vocabulary when sharing journal.
Grade: K - 9 self-contained classroom
Key Vocabulary: Carpet page, knotwork, interweaving, Triquetra, St. Stephen's Knot, .
Visuals/Resources: Dover editions of Book of Kells, Lindisfarne Gospels, Aidan Meehan's book on Celtic Knots, George Bain's "Celtic Art: The Methods of Construction."
Connections to Prior Knowledge: All of us teachers have been talking about editing. Most of the students have difficulty drawing lightly and then erasing. They want everything they draw to be the final draft. This is simply not possible with celtic knots! Emphasize the idea of anticipating that you'll use the eraser and drawing accordingly.
Content Objectives: 1. Understand that any closed loop can be "knotted", 2. be able to reproduce selected knots (from memory, for the older grades), and 3. create your own Celtic knot.
Meaningful Activities: 1. Mini-lecture on Celtic knots, using 18" cord for students to experiment with. 2. 15-minute stations: examples of knots for copying: Braid, Triquetra, St. Stephen's Knot, etc.. 3. 30-minute masterwork session: create your own celtic knot in your art journal.
Supplies: Teacher-made exemplars, cords for experimentation.
Review/Assessment: Art journal
Language Objective: Use appropriate vocabulary when sharing journal.
Fourth Celtic Art Lesson: Knotted Animals
Lesson Title: Celtic Knot Animals
Grade: K - 9 self-contained classroom
Key Vocabulary: Totem animals
Visuals/Resources: Dover editions of Book of Kells, Lindisfarne Gospels, Aidan Meehan's book on Celtic Animals, George Bain's "Celtic Art: The Methods of Construction."
Connections to Prior Knowledge: Last year we talked about totem animals in a Native American context. All cultures can be traced back to tribes which used some form of shamanic spirituality.
Content Objectives: 1. Find a totem animal, 2. be able to reproduce selected knotted animals (from memory, for the older kids), and 3. create your own knotted animal.
Meaningful Activities: 1. Mini-lecture on Celtic knot animals. Guided visualization to find totem animal (see below). 2. 15-minute stations: examples of knotted animals for copying. 3. 30-minute masterwork session: create your own Celtic knotted animal in your art journal.
Supplies: Teacher-made exemplars.
Review/Assessment: Art journal
Language Objective: Use appropriate vocabulary when sharing journal.
Grade: K - 9 self-contained classroom
Key Vocabulary: Totem animals
Visuals/Resources: Dover editions of Book of Kells, Lindisfarne Gospels, Aidan Meehan's book on Celtic Animals, George Bain's "Celtic Art: The Methods of Construction."
Connections to Prior Knowledge: Last year we talked about totem animals in a Native American context. All cultures can be traced back to tribes which used some form of shamanic spirituality.
Content Objectives: 1. Find a totem animal, 2. be able to reproduce selected knotted animals (from memory, for the older kids), and 3. create your own knotted animal.
Meaningful Activities: 1. Mini-lecture on Celtic knot animals. Guided visualization to find totem animal (see below). 2. 15-minute stations: examples of knotted animals for copying. 3. 30-minute masterwork session: create your own Celtic knotted animal in your art journal.
Supplies: Teacher-made exemplars.
Review/Assessment: Art journal
Language Objective: Use appropriate vocabulary when sharing journal.
Finding your Totem Animal (variation on the visualization in the Kahlo section)
1. Relaxation exercise from Mona Brooks' "Drawing with Children."
2. We're going to do a visualization. Some people find this easy, other people only get blurry images or nothing at all. Don't worry about it. Just relax and flow with the experience. If you're not visualizing anything, at least you're getting a relaxing few moments in the middle of school!
3. Keeping your body relaxed, imagine yourself in a lovely outdoor setting. You feel safe here, and very comfortable. Your mood is one of pleasant relaxation.
4. Look around you and try to make your sensations more solid. What do you see around you? Try to be specific. What kind of natural sounds do you hear in your imagination? Try to be specific. Maybe you can imagine a temperature, or a smell. No matter what you see or hear, your mood is pleasant relaxation.
5. Now, behind you, you hear the approach of a friendly animal. It is coming slowly because it doesn't want to frighten you. Pretty soon you see it.
6. You are delighted! This is exactly the right animal for you. Look deeply into its eyes. What color are they? Is the animal a bird, fish, mammal, reptile, or insect? What are its markings? Is it cuddly or proud? Is it wise or playful? Is it thoughtful or cheerful? Get to know your animal. Perhaps it has a name, perhaps it doesn't talk.
7. And, since you are an artist, pay close attention to what it looks like. How would you draw its face? Its body? Its feet? Its tail? The texture of its fur, scales, or feathers?
8. When you have the animal fixed firmly in your mind, you can open your eyes. Don't talk about what you experienced until you've had a chance to draw it.
9. If you didn't get a clear image, don't worry. You probably will find that you have at least a name in mind, even if it doesn't come with anything else. And if nothing else, fake it!
2. We're going to do a visualization. Some people find this easy, other people only get blurry images or nothing at all. Don't worry about it. Just relax and flow with the experience. If you're not visualizing anything, at least you're getting a relaxing few moments in the middle of school!
3. Keeping your body relaxed, imagine yourself in a lovely outdoor setting. You feel safe here, and very comfortable. Your mood is one of pleasant relaxation.
4. Look around you and try to make your sensations more solid. What do you see around you? Try to be specific. What kind of natural sounds do you hear in your imagination? Try to be specific. Maybe you can imagine a temperature, or a smell. No matter what you see or hear, your mood is pleasant relaxation.
5. Now, behind you, you hear the approach of a friendly animal. It is coming slowly because it doesn't want to frighten you. Pretty soon you see it.
6. You are delighted! This is exactly the right animal for you. Look deeply into its eyes. What color are they? Is the animal a bird, fish, mammal, reptile, or insect? What are its markings? Is it cuddly or proud? Is it wise or playful? Is it thoughtful or cheerful? Get to know your animal. Perhaps it has a name, perhaps it doesn't talk.
7. And, since you are an artist, pay close attention to what it looks like. How would you draw its face? Its body? Its feet? Its tail? The texture of its fur, scales, or feathers?
8. When you have the animal fixed firmly in your mind, you can open your eyes. Don't talk about what you experienced until you've had a chance to draw it.
9. If you didn't get a clear image, don't worry. You probably will find that you have at least a name in mind, even if it doesn't come with anything else. And if nothing else, fake it!