Linocut ABC – T is for…

T is for Tapir. A Malayan tapir mom and her calf is out foraging (and exploring!) as the sun has set. “T is for…” is a part of my ongoing Linocut ABC series – a trilingual animal alphabet, working equally in English, Icelandic and Danish (incidentally though, Tapir is named Tapir in all three languages!) Apart from tapir, T is for all names beginning with T, and it is also for my toddler triplet sons. They love letters, they love animals, and they especially love any and all combinations thereof. This alphabet is a labour of love ♥

This entire series of letters was inspired by golden age illustration, classical picture books and their accompanying tradition of craftsmanship. I have chosen a mainly realistic approach to the animals and plants portrayed, and juxtaposed this form of expression with a playful and organic mode of composition. Flora and fauna intertwines, breaks the frame, and on occasion an animal will try to make a run for it.  Each image in the series also features an element of narrative, so apart from being educational and symbolic of the name they represent, all letters encourages story-telling and imagining, and are easy for young children to engage with and relate to.

All motives are carefully carved by hand, using traditional lino- and wood-engraving tools, and subsequently inked and printed by hand on an etching press, ensuring that each end every print is original and unique. I only use the finest archival quality materials, so these prints can quite literally last for centuries, and makes for a lovely keepsake. The inked image size is approx 24×18 cm (not including the elements breaking the frame), and the paper size varies with the edition and trimming, as does the type of paper.

You can purchase “T is for…” in my shop and on Etsy 🙂