A Handbook of Celtic Ornament by John G. Merne

John G. Merne’s A Handbook of Celtic Ornament is one of the clearest early books on Celtic design. First published in 1931, it came before George Bain’s later and more widely known work, which makes it an important early source in the serious study of Celtic art.

This book helped me a lot in understanding how to draw Celtic art, especially spirals and key patterns. George Bain’s book is an absolute masterpiece, but I found parts of it harder to translate directly into tattooing. Books like Merne’s break things down more simply, and that has been a big help to me. These days I use a mixture of different methods from different sources rather than following one single way of working.