A giclée or fine art print is an art print produced using advanced inkjet printing techniques, rather than traditional methods. Created with specialized inks, a giclée art print can duplicate the entire tonal range, retain details in both shadows and highlights, and achieve an exceptionally deep black.
The term “giclée” originates from the French word, “la giclée,” meaning “that which is sprayed or squirted.” Giclée printing emerged in the 1980s when high-resolution digital scans were paired with archival quality inks. In 1991, printmaker Jack Duganne coined the term to describe high-quality digital prints made on inkjet printers. While giclée printing is a form of inkjet printing, not all inkjet prints qualify as giclée prints. The goal of giclée printing is to deliver a superior quality product with a longer lifespan than prints from a standard desktop inkjet printer.
The selection of the print material is crucial as it manifests the artist’s intent, enabling the artist to effectively convey the meaning of their work. Museums, galleries, and collectors often exhibit and purchase these types of prints.
Initially, “giclée” was used to describe digital reproductions of traditional artworks (paintings or drawings) or photographs. However, it is now generally accepted that a giclée print can be entirely created in a digital workflow using modern computer applications like Illustrator or Adobe Photoshop’s Creative Cloud editions. Some might argue that the term “giclée printing” is used solely to justify a higher price. However, for a print to be genuinely giclée, it must meet three basic criteria:
High Resolution:
The artwork must be photographed or scanned at a minimum of 300 DPI (dots per inch) to ensure the reproduction possesses the sharpest detail and captures even the minutest elements of an artwork.
Gallery-grade Papers:
The paper must be of archival quality, as the print needs to last for an extended period. Thus, giclée printing requires museum-grade paper (as used by museums and galleries) that is acid and lignin-free, making it resistant to aging. This helps prevent paper yellowing over time and ensures the colors in the reproduction remain consistent for almost a lifetime.
Ink Quality:
Giclée prints use pigment-based inks, unlike the dye-based inks used in common, lower-cost printers. Pigment-based inks are longer-lasting, and specialty printers can use up to 12 different colors, enabling the reproductions to have a more sophisticated color range.
In conclusion, these factors combined make the most significant difference between an original and a giclée reproduction.
