HJM Art Gallery Blog: Giclée 101

I am very happy to present another fantastic article from my blog's contributor and a professional giclée printing studio Artful Color Inc. http://www.artfulcolor.com I hope you find this post interesting and visit my blog again for more great articles and features. Big thank you to Damon and Amelia! Helen

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Have you ever been in an art gallery, museum or online art store and wondered, “what in the world is a giclée?!” Here is your easy to understand, 101 guide to what a giclée is and how they are utilized – courtesy of Artful Color, a fine art giclée studio in N.C.

What is a giclée?

• Giclée, pronounced “jheeCLAY”, is a term used for fine art archival inkjet printing on specialty papers or canvas.
• Artists use giclée printing to create museum quality, exacting reproductions of their original artwork, photos, and digital art.
• Giclées are printed using large-format inkjet printers and archival inks. Ultra high resolution and random patterns are used in creating a giclée so no dot screen pattern is visible in the reproduction
• A wide range of impressive canvases and papers are available for giclée printing. Cotton, bamboo, alpha cellulose (trees) and sugar cane papers as well as poly blend canvases are just a few of the media options available for use in giclée printing.
• Many factors influence the end result of a well produced giclée, so choosing a professional giclée studio is essential. A giclée studio must have expertise in both digital capture and color correction.
• Creating giclée reproductions are not overwhelmingly expensive, as some may believe. The ability to print on demand and utilize more affordable media options keeps printing costs very reasonable.

Who uses giclées?

• Artists – studio, festival and gallery artists create giclées because they produce the closest representation of their original artworks. Artists can print on demand for limited and open editions of their artwork, making their images accessible to a wider audience.
• Photographers – giclée printing is the best way for photographers to produce extra large prints, photo canvases, and prints on specialty papers without compromising color quality. Photo giclées are superior to traditional silver halide and last up to twice as long without fading.
• Museums & Art Collectors -- High quality giclée reproductions of original artworks are necessary for both private and public art collectors. They provide a way to display artworks, while preserving delicate originals. Giclées are also often sold in museum and gallery gift shops.

For more expert information about giclées or inquiries about placing an order, visit www.artfulcolor.com or contact Amelia at Artful Color (Amelia@artfulcolor.com)