What Is Giclee
Giclée (zhee-KLAY) is a term coined in 1991 by printmaker Jack Duganne for fine art digital prints made on special large format printer inkjet printers. The word is based on the French word gicleur, which means "nozzle". The verb form gicler means "to squirt, spurt, or spray". A Giclée is an individually produced, high-resolution, high-fidelity, high tech reproduction of an original work of art that was created by conventional means (painting, drawing, etc.) and then reproduced digitally.
Early giclée prints were originally produced on an IRIS ink-jet printer, capable of producing millions of colors using continuous-tone technology. Today the technology has improved greatly. The machines capable of producing these high quality works have also grown to include inkjet printers produced by Epson, Canon, HP, and others.
Giclées are a sophisticated printmaking process. The Giclée printer squirts over 4 million microscopic droplets of ink per second onto canvas or paper. The quality of the Giclée print rivals traditional printing processes and is commonly found in museums, art galleries, and photographic galleries. In Giclée printing, no screen or other mechanical devices are used and therefore there is no visible dot screen pattern. The image has all the tonalities and hues of the original painting.
Giclée prints can be produced on any number of media, from canvas to watercolor paper to vinyl, to transparent acetates. The pigment inks used on giclee brighter, last longer, and are so high-resolution that they are virtually 'continuous tone', rather than tiny dots. The range, or "gamut" of color for Giclées is far beyond that of lithography, and details are crisper. Using archival materials and inks, under normal conditions, Giclée prints should not fade for at least 60 - 200 years, depending upon the environment in which the print is displayed. It is not recommended hanging the finished work in direct sunlight. For even better longevity, many companies coat canvas Giclée prints with a layer of anti-fading UV protective coating.
Giclée are produced from digital scans of existing artwork. Since many artists now paint only digitally and there is no "original" that can be hung on a wall, Giclées solve that problem, while creating a whole new vibrant medium for art. Since each piece is individually produced one reproduction can be created at a time if desired, therefore the artist is not obligated to finish an edition.
Giclée canvas prints can also be stretched onto a frame and displayed as a gallery-wrapped canvas. Gallery wrap is a method of displaying art wrapped over thick wooden bars. There are no visible fasteners (e.g., staples or tacks). It is a finished product that is intended to be hung unframed.
Giclée prints have also opened up an opportunity for any artist who wants to create prints of their original work as reproductions. Personal photos of people, places and memories can be converted into custom art in a short period of time. High resolution scans or digital photos can be reproduced as needed without large up-front costs and storage problems associated with other fine art printing methods. A search for Giclée printing will yield a wide list of companies all across the country which specialize in the process.
A great place to find examples is at the Clothesline Art and Fine Art Treasures gallery in downtown Stone Mountain, Ga. Artwork from Les Scarborough, a local photographer, and paintings from local senior artist are featured as giclée canvas print reproductions.
Clothesline Art and Fine Art Treasures gallery in downtown Stone Mountain, Ga. features artwork by local senior artist as well photography by Les Scarborough, the proprietor of the gallery. All are available as Giclée prints
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