A
Giclée
(ghee-CLAY), is an individually
produced, high-resolution, high-fidelity,
high tech reproduction done on a special
large format printer. Giclees are produced
from digital scans of existing artwork.
Also, since many artists now paint only
digitally, there was no "original" that can
be hung on a wall. Giclees solve that
problem, while creating a whole new vibrant
medium for art.
Giclees can be printed on any number of
media, from canvas to watercolor paper to
vinyl, to transparent acetates. Giclees are
superior to traditional lithography in
nearly every way. The colors are 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 giclees is far beyond that of
lithography, and details are crisper.
Since giclee printers can use media in
rolls, large print sizes are available,
limited only by the length and width of the
roll. Billboard sizes are possible. Giclees
are typically sold by the square inch or
square foot.
Lithography uses tiny dots of four
colors--cyan, magenta, yellow and black--to
fool the eye into seeing various hues and
shades. Colors are "created" by printing
different size dots of these four colors.
Giclees
use inkjet technology, but far more
sophisticated than your desktop printer. The
process employs six colors--light cyan,
cyan, light magenta, magenta, yellow and
black (sometimes TWO blacks)--of lightfast
(fade resistant), pigmented inks and finer,
more numerous, replaceable printheads
resulting in a wider color gamut, and the
ability to use various media to print on.
The ink is sprayed onto the page, actually
mixing the color on the page to create truer
shades and hues.
They are priced midway between original art
and regular limited edition lithographs.
Limited edition litho prints are usually
produced in editions of 500-1000 or more,
all at once; but giclees rarely exceed
50-100 high-quality reproductions, one at a
time.
Giclees were originally developed as a
proofing system for traditional lithographic
printing presses, but it soon became
apparent that the presses were having a hard
time delivering the quality and brilliant
color of the giclee proofs. Giclees evolved
into the new darlings of the art world. They
are coveted by collectors for their fidelity
and quality, and desired by galleries and
artists alike because they don't have to be
produced in huge quantities with their large
layout of capital and storage.
In addition, Giclees are produced directly
from a digital file, (which can be remotely
uploaded,) saving generations of
detail-robbing negatives and printing plates
used with traditional litho printing.
NOVASPACE has our own giclee printer and
operator, allowing for more flexibility,
experimentation, quick turnaround and lower
costs (no middleman) to our customers.
NOTE: We are NOT a commercial printer for
hire. Our giclees are produced only for our
clients.
Back to Bette Myers
Art!
Original
Giclée
Reproduction
A
Giclee (ghee-clay) print is a machine-made
reproduction of very high quality made by an
Iris digital ink jet printer. A Giclee print
has extremely small pixels of color, with no
perceptible dot pattern, that may equate to
resolution of a digital print at 1,800 dots
per inch. A Giclee print may be hand signed
and may have dabs of paint applied by the
artist to enable the print to be sold as an
original work of art.