'Oak King versus Holly King' reduction linocut print METALLIC edition

'Oak King versus Holly King' reduction linocut print with metallic inks

'The Holly King and Oak King represent the winter and summer in folklore and mythological traditions. The two kings engage in endless "battle" reflecting the seasonal cycles of the year: not only solar light and dark, but also crop renewal and growth. During warm days of Midsummer the Oak King is at the height of his strength; the Holly King regains power at the Autumn equinox, then his strength peaks during Midwinter, at which point the Oak King is reborn, regaining power at the Spring equinox, and perpetuating the succession.'

A two layer reduction print with three colours on Somerset Satin 250gsm paper, printed with Caligo oil-based ink. It measures approximately 38cm x 54cm. A small signature and edition number is located at the right side of the Holly King (not in pics) which allows for either the Holly King or the Oak King to be displayed upright. The edition is 35 with 8 printed in metallic inks and 27 in blue/yellow.

PLEASE NOTE - the metallic inks have been drying for over two months and are 99% dry however if you touch the black ink with a little bit of pressure there will be a faint bit of ink residue left on your finger. With this in mind please handle the prints carefully and during framing make sure there is a tiny gap between the print and any glass. I would recommend this anyway for linocut prints but even more so in this instance. Any questions please contact me directly.

As with all hand-made linocut prints there may be some tiny variations between prints but that's all part of the aesthetic and charm of the medium. The gold ink in particular is occasionally a little patchy in parts but you can see from the pictures it's not too problematic.

The moral of the story is never use metallic inks...

For more process pictures and videos take a look at my Instagram page. https://www.instagram.com/matpringle

Prints will be sent in strong card tubes by Recorded Delivery.