Ulbster in blue

George Bain seems to have been fascinated by the continuous knotwork design in this small cross on the Ulbster stone. He drew it in various forms. Here his note shows that he wanted people to be able to follow the knotwork easily. He achieves this aim by drawing the design as a narrow blue strand. This makes it very clear that the knotwork is created from a never-ending line.

On many of his posters Bain emphasises the importance of the single continuous line. It was a vital feature of Pictish interlace design, representing eternity in the early Christian context.