Gledhill’s linocut prints are derived from his drawings. These works of art are developed to a high degree in colour and monochrome black and white. Printed by hand in the studio using a large cast iron Victorian ‘nipping’ press they are all individually signed and numbered in limited editions.

The coloured prints are made on handmade Japanese papers, the traditional paper for linocut prints. The black and white prints are made on fine quality acid free papers.

Gledhill enjoys the natural process of working in this medium were the drawing is transferred to the Linoleum by hand and the lino is cut with printmakers gouges and ‘V’ tools by hand using the drawing as a guide. The lino is called the ‘block’. When the cutting is considered complete the block is inked with a roller and a ‘trial proof’ is printed. If further cutting is needed it will be evident from this proof before the final resulting print can be editioned.

Care has to be taken with colour prints that the ‘registration’ is exact so that each layer of new colour ink is in exactly the right place on the image. All the colours are printed, from the one block, working from light to dark, using what is called the ‘reduction method’. As each colour is added more of the block is cut away so that in the end only the last and darkest colour prints. Only the best quality lightfast printmakers’ inks are used for the linocuts.