Roe Deer Lino Print

Back in the summer when I was walking my new pup, I found a roe deer antler lying in the field which is quite a rare occurrence as they are normally picked up and chewed by foxes and badgers, and this one was in perfect condition. The antlers are shed in the late autumn and regrow again in the winter. I see fallow deer much more frequently than roe in the fields as there is quite a large herd in the woods a mile or so from my house and they come down as far as my garden, though thankfully I don’t have anything particularly tasty from a deer’s perspective and the place probably smells strongly of Labrador!

Here is the antler on a 6″ square piece of paper. It’s a young buck as it only has two points:

Roe deer are much smaller than fallow, and instead of the white “M” on their rump, they have a heart or oval shape, and this is their main diagnostic feature when there aren’t antlers and you’re not sure if you’re seeing a small fallow or a roe.

I wanted to make a Lino print in sepia rather than black, and it was fun to do really long cuts either side of the deer in the centre. I like how he looks like he’s in a woodland clearing, or a shaft of sunlight.

My lino prints measure 15x21cm and are for sale at £15 including UK postage (please email me for worldwide shipping).