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What Exactly is a Giclée?...
The word Giclee is French for "to spray " or "to sputter" Another translation is "spray of ink". The term is used today to describe a unique modern digital printing technology.
Giclee reproductions were originally developed in 1989 as a plateless method of fine art printing. The images are scanned and digitally stored in a computer and sent directly to a high resolution color inkjet printer.
Unlike other printing methods, each Giclee image is sent to the s output device individually. Giclee prints are produced on fine art papers such as Arches 140lb cold-pressed and Somerset Velvet
The art of fine art printing has become even more precise with the advent of the revolutionary Giclee printing process. In the Giclee process, a fine stream of ink (more than four million droplets per second) is sprayed onto archival art paper or canvas.
Each piece of paper or canvas is carefully hand mounted onto a drum which rotates during printing. Exact calculation of hue, value and density direct the ink from four nozzles. This produces a combination of 512 chromatic changes (with over three million colors possible of highly saturated, non-toxic water-based ink).
The technology provides incredible detail and brilliant color. The resolution (“dpi” or dots per inch) are actually better than traditional lithography (1400 to 1800 dpi for Giclees; as opposed to 1200 dpi for lithographs), showing crisp contrast with rich, intense color. Since no screens are used in Giclee printing, the prints have a resolution which exceeds lithographs; and the dynamic color range is greater than serigraphy. When canvas prints are treated with acrylic varnish, one can even paint on top of the image to produce another individual original piece.
Giclee reproductions are the perfect medium for established and emerging artists, allowing artists much better control of their cash flow. One can order a single reproduction to matte and frame as a display piece; then order more as needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are some of the benefits of Giclee Printmaking?
The benefits are varied and numerous, including versatility in potential subject matter, allowing greater ability to experiment. Since the initial investment in a Giclee edition is minimal, the artist can take more risks to find out what will and what won’t sell in the market. This lets the artist enjoy more creative freedom and helps prevent costly mistakes.
Additionally it is becoming more and more widely acknowledged that Giclee prints offer richness, detail and depth that set them apart from traditional offset lithography.
What is the expected life of a Giclee print?
The most important fact to remember is that all color fades. Some original watercolors will fade faster than a well-made Giclee. Unlike lithographs and serigraphs, Giclees have undergone extensive, third-party fade-testing. While the predicted display life depends on many variables, if using the newest Lyson prototype inks available, Giclee print can last as long as 75 years before noticeable fading begins.
Are Giclees acceptable with prominent museums and artists?
Yes. Jim Dine, Andrew and Jamie Wyeth, Robert Rauschenburg and David Hockney are among the many well-known artists who are having Giclees printed. Also, Giclees are being embraced by dozens of museums around the world, including New York's Metropolitan Museum and the Guggenheim, the National Museum of Mexico, the Corcoran in Washington, DC, and the High Museum in Atlanta to name a few; also, The Louvre Museum (France), The British Art Museum, Philadelphia Museum of Art, San Francisco Museum of Art, Los Angeles Museum of Art and many others.
What Exactly is a Giclée?...
The word Giclee is French for "to spray " or "to sputter" Another translation is "spray of ink". The term is used today to describe a unique modern digital printing technology.
Giclee reproductions were originally developed in 1989 as a plateless method of fine art printing. The images are scanned and digitally stored in a computer and sent directly to a high resolution color inkjet printer.
Unlike other printing methods, each Giclee image is sent to the s output device individually. Giclee prints are produced on fine art papers such as Arches 140lb cold-pressed and Somerset Velvet
The art of fine art printing has become even more precise with the advent of the revolutionary Giclee printing process. In the Giclee process, a fine stream of ink (more than four million droplets per second) is sprayed onto archival art paper or canvas.
Each piece of paper or canvas is carefully hand mounted onto a drum which rotates during printing. Exact calculation of hue, value and density direct the ink from four nozzles. This produces a combination of 512 chromatic changes (with over three million colors possible of highly saturated, non-toxic water-based ink).
The technology provides incredible detail and brilliant color. The resolution (“dpi” or dots per inch) are actually better than traditional lithography (1400 to 1800 dpi for Giclees; as opposed to 1200 dpi for lithographs), showing crisp contrast with rich, intense color. Since no screens are used in Giclee printing, the prints have a resolution which exceeds lithographs; and the dynamic color range is greater than serigraphy. When canvas prints are treated with acrylic varnish, one can even paint on top of the image to produce another individual original piece.
Giclee reproductions are the perfect medium for established and emerging artists, allowing artists much better control of their cash flow. One can order a single reproduction to matte and frame as a display piece; then order more as needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are some of the benefits of Giclee Printmaking?
The benefits are varied and numerous, including versatility in potential subject matter, allowing greater ability to experiment. Since the initial investment in a Giclee edition is minimal, the artist can take more risks to find out what will and what won’t sell in the market. This lets the artist enjoy more creative freedom and helps prevent costly mistakes.
Additionally it is becoming more and more widely acknowledged that Giclee prints offer richness, detail and depth that set them apart from traditional offset lithography.
What is the expected life of a Giclee print?
The most important fact to remember is that all color fades. Some original watercolors will fade faster than a well-made Giclee. Unlike lithographs and serigraphs, Giclees have undergone extensive, third-party fade-testing. While the predicted display life depends on many variables, if using the newest Lyson prototype inks available, Giclee print can last as long as 75 years before noticeable fading begins.
Are Giclees acceptable with prominent museums and artists?
Yes. Jim Dine, Andrew and Jamie Wyeth, Robert Rauschenburg and David Hockney are among the many well-known artists who are having Giclees printed. Also, Giclees are being embraced by dozens of museums around the world, including New York's Metropolitan Museum and the Guggenheim, the National Museum of Mexico, the Corcoran in Washington, DC, and the High Museum in Atlanta to name a few; also, The Louvre Museum (France), The British Art Museum, Philadelphia Museum of Art, San Francisco Museum of Art, Los Angeles Museum of Art and many others.
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