'Last Light' - a multiblock reduction linocut - a little lane on the scarp of the North Downs chalk ridge in Kent

One of my favourite views up on the Downs - loosely based on a lane between Charing and Lenham and an old oak tree in the tiny village of Stalisfield. In the background you can see the 'Medway Gap' blending into the clouds and the valley disappearing into the Weald of Kent. The foreground landscape has been shaped by industry - an old chalk quarry has left behind an undulating hillside and a small section of chalk face is still visible.

- original 8 layer multiblock reduction linocut print

- colour: custom Cranfield Caligo Safewash inks. *please be aware that the finish may be shiny in parts of the print - this is caused by the oil-based inks drying more slowly when they are overlaid. This is most visible on the darkest areas of the print (see close up picture).  When framing, ensure that the print does not touch the glass.*

- paper: Bread & Butter printmaking paper, 270gsm, bright white, smooth soft surface. Acid Free. Machine-made. 

- print size: approx 24.3 x 36.3 cm

- paper size: approx 29.5 x 42 cm

- signed, numbered and dated. Unframed.

- This is a limited variablen edition of 25 and no further editions can be made from these blocks due to the reduction print process. 'Variable' denotes that there are minor differences between individal prints caused by printmaking techniques that lead to variations - such as deliberate underinking for the grass chalkland textures, and monoprinting on the tree trunk and hedge.

I design and carve each motif into linoleum before inking the plate and printing it using Alma or Albert, my Victorian cast iron manual book presses. To make a reduction linocut print, the design is gradually carved away from the same linoleum plate, destroying the plate in the process.  All the paper pieces have to be registered to the plate exactly so that the inked up areas fall into the same place on the paper each time. Depending on the number of layers, reduction prints can take several weeks to complete.