What is a Giclee Print?
… and why do I use them?
The term “giclee” is derived from the French for “spray”. Pronounced “zhee-clay”, the term refers to how an inkjet printer works and how these prints are made. These inkjet printers use devices that can spray microscopic dots of pigment-based ink and can match colours with precision. The images that are produced stand way ahead of other standard printers.
Giclee fine art prints are usually made using high-quality, archival-grade inks and papers to produce images that will last for up to 200 years before they start to fade. One of the reasons that these prints are more expensive is due to the cost of these materials, as well as the specialised equipment that is being used.
Giclee is essentially the best choice that there is for producing high quality fine art prints.
High Resolution Images - Creating Digital Assets
A print is only as good as the image that is provided for the printers! It is crucial that the image of your work is produced to a professional standard. This can be done by taking a high resolution photograph of the painting, or by getting the painting scanned, again at a professional standard. The goal is to produce a digital file, or a digital asset as it is often referred to, that can be used in all sorts of ways whenever it is required. Producing a good quality digital asset (file) is extremely useful and once you have done this you will be able to produce prints, or other merchandise, over and over again.
I choose to photograph my own paintings. This gives me more control and is cheaper than paying for the paintings to be scanned or photographed by someone else (once you have purchased the necessary equipment!) There is a variety of technical knowledge and skills required to produce a good image - but none of which are too difficult to master. I will be giving a step by step guide on how to do this in a future blog.
I also use Adobe Photoshop to edit the image and to prepare it for printing. This involves preparing the file to the required size and the correct image resolution, adding a border if required, ensuring the settings are all correct and saving the file in an appropriate format for the printers.
Fine Art paper
Most printing companies provide a range of fine art paper that you can chose from, depending on the sort of finish that you require. These range from Matt paper, which reduce reflections, to glossy finishes, which can add a bright appearance to a print. Fine art printing companies often have sample packs available, which include a range of the papers that they have to choose from. I’ve found that these are provided at excellent prices and give you the opportunity to see what the paper will look and feel like to help you make an informed choice.
For my prints I use Hahnemuhle Museum Etching paper, which is a heavyweight textured paper. The tactile textures of the paper gives the images depth and a three-dimensional quality with outstanding detail. It is a good weight (350 gsm), which enables the paper to hold more ink and gives the print a handcrafted feel.
A sample pack of fine art papers can be bought from most printers - giving you the opportunity to try out various options.
Investment Value
It is worth being aware that Giclee prints, because of their high quality and archival durability, can often increase in value over time. This will depend on the career of the artist to a certain degree, and if the print is part of a limited edition or not, but Giclee prints can be considered as being an excellent investment. These prints closely match the original artwork and can make them important additions to any art collection. Increasing numbers of art collectors are now turning to this market as a more inexpensive way to collect artwork that also has a monetary value.
If you’d like to see more of the giclee prints that I have available please come and have a look around:
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