What is a Giclee Print?

What is a Giclee print? This has been typed into search engines millions of times, if you are reading this article you have probably searched it yourself. In which case you will already know that the word 'Giclee' is derived from the French word "le gicleur" which means "nozzle", or more specifically "gicler" meaning "to squirt, spurt, or spray", but what does this really mean?

By definition, a Giclee print is an Inkjet print, which is correct. But what makes it different to an Inkjet print? Can I produce one on my own Inkjet printer?

Giclee prints are used to reproduce Fine Art to the very highest standards. A well produced Gilee print should be indistinguishable from the original art. This is why they are so popular with artists who wish to produce reproductions of their art for short runs and limited editions.

Although 'Photo Quality' inkjet printers can produce excellent results, the resulting prints cannot be compared to Giclee. The first consideration is the printer itself. A photo printer has four inks, CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow & Black). A printer suitable for Giclee printing would have at least nine different colour inks, some have twelve. The additional colours, subtle variations on the basic CMYK, include Light Magenta, Light Cyan, Light Black etc. This, combined with a printer using print heads capable of placing these colours accurately on the paper, produces prints with a tonal range far greater than a Photo printer could ever achieve. Expect to pay in excess of £1500 for a printer capable of producing A2 prints, £3-7000 for larger sizes.

Although the quality of the printer is of major importance, it is not the only ingredient for producing a Giclee print. The inks used in a Giclee printer will be of 'Archival Quality'. This means that they have been tested, usually under accelerated laboratory conditions, to determine their light fastness. Claims of 70-100 years display without fading are claimed. I think we need to be objective about these claims. If a Giclee print is hung on a wall which receives direct sunlight for eight hours a day it will fade. What we do know is that it will last considerably longer than a standard photo print. How long, well, we may not be around to find out!

The paper used will also be of 'Archival Quality' and will be produced specifically for the production of Giclee prints. The paper may well be 'Hand Made', some of the leading manufactures are in Germany. It will of course be 'Acid Free' and will comply to the strict requirements for reproducing fine art. A range of weights, usually between 250-350gsm, and surfaces are available to suit all types of art.

The image used to produce the Giclee print must, of course, be of the highest standard. It is possible to photograph your own art if you have the right equipment and knowledge. If you are uncertain that you can produce an image of the quality required, use a professional photographer experienced in photography of fine art. There will of course be a price to pay for this service, but if you are selling your art as prints to the general public, they will need to be of a high quality commercial standard. Paying for professional origination is a good investment in future sales.

Last and not least is the person who prepares the digital image for print. Balancing and matching to the original art is a very skilled process. This will determine how your art reproduces on your final Giclee print.

I always recommend that you see a proof before you committing to a print run, then you can discuss any concerns you may have regarding how your art will reproduce. If you are ordering online and providing your own image, I will provide you with a free image assessment to check if their are any issues that may affect the quality of your Giclee print.

I hope this article gives you a better insight into 'What is a Giclee Print'. Use this knowledge to ensure that your first prints are stunning, just like your art!

What is Giclee

Art Photography, Giclee Printing & Prices

The prices for Fine Art Photography and Giclee printing can vary dramatically, and it is sometimes difficult to know which supplier to choose. If you are having your Art photographed, then a supplier within easy driving distance is important, but if you already have your own images then you have a large choice of online suppliers.

As far as the photography of your art is concerned, look for a Professional Photographer with experience of working with and handling Fine Art. Many suppliers out there have no background experience of copying art and many do not even use photography. They will offer to 'Scan' your artwork on a flatbed scanner, which I am sure you are familiar with. Scanning can be satisfactory depending on the type and size of artwork. It is not really suitable for Oils if you want to eliminate all surface reflections. Many suppliers use A3 scanners a few A2. If your art is larger than the scanner your image will be 'stitched'. It will be scanned in sections, sometimes as many as four depending on the size of the original. It will then be digitally joined together or 'stitched' to form a full size image. Certainly not the best approach if you want the very best reproduction of your art and physically impossible on large or framed paintings.

You will find that suppliers that scan your art may also offer the option of photography if you request it, but the price will be considerably more than scanning as you need an experienced photographer and in most cases they use an outside provider.

I photograph art to a very high standard and charge less than some suppliers charge for scanning. One reason is that I work from a 'home' studio. My overheads are considerably less, so I can pass the savings on to my customers. I offer a personal 'bespoke' service to my artists, you will be discussing your art and your requirements with the person who will be doing the work, not a face on reception.

Giclee print prices and quality vary from different suppliers. I believe my prices for Giclee printing are some of the lowest out there. But low prices are not attractive if this means low quality. Apart from the basic requirements of high end printer, archival papers and inks, the end result will depend on the skills of the person producing the print. The final print quality of an image is determined well before it even reaches the printer. The digital image needs to be balanced, corrected and matched to the original to achieve the finest reproduction. Unfortunately this is where some suppliers are lacking. To truly understand a digital image and what needs to be done to produce a superb Giclee print needs an operator with a background of dealing with images for print. Again a good professional photographer has all these talents.

http://www.artorigination.co.uk/

Free Image Report

Uncertain if your image is suitable for Giclee printing at the size you require?

I will assess your image and email you a free report to advise you if their are any issues that may effect the quality of your Giclee prints. Just upload your image to my secure server.

Try out the service now.

New Online Service

I have now made a number of services available 'online'.

Although I offer a service to 'local' artists for the photography of their art, many artists already have their own images and require Giclee prints from these.
For artists local and not so local I now offer an easy to use online service for ordering Giclee prints.

Upload your image/s to my secure server and place your order. If you require, a proof will be sent to you (post free) for approval before you place your order.
If you have original images on film, I offer scanning from medium to large format colour transparencies.

I have three types of Giclee paper available, two of which are cotton based 'Museum Grade' papers.
The third which I have just introduced offers a lower cost option without compromising on the quality of the printed image. It is lighter in weight than the other two at 245gsm. Printed using the same 'Archival' quality inks, it is up to 25% cheaper.

Include a Certificate of Authenticity with your Giclee prints. These are a valuable sales aid which will give your customer confidence, available for Limited or Open editions.

If you need to present your prints at the point of sale, you will be interested in my Professional Glicee print presentation. Each print is carefully packed in a Crystal Clear re-sealable envelope with an Oyster backing board (white on one side). Not only does this protect your print, it is the perfect presentation for display and sale.

Have a look at the full range of services now.

Welcome to my Blog

If you have used 'Art Origination' for photography of your art and Giclee prints, please feel free to leave your comments on the quality of the images, prints and the service you received.
I would welcome any suggestions you have for additional services that I could offer that may be of interest. If you have not used my services yet, please visit my website http://www.artorigination.co.uk I would be interested to receive your input on what would make you use, or not use my service and the reasons why. I look forward to reading your posts.