Frequently Asked Questions

What is a giclee print?

A Giclee (pronounced ge-KLAY) print is a fine art print made with a high-end inkjet printer. In the giclee printing process the artwork is captured, proofed and printed digitally. These prints are reproduced using incredibly precise printers and archival inks. Giclee prints are quickly being recognized by the world's leading galleries and museums as the finest reproductions available to date.
The word giclee was coined by Jack Duganne in the early years of the digital printmaking business. Giclee was derived from the French word "gicler" which means to spray or squirt a liquid. The term was developed so that artists, galleries, and dealers would not have to market their prints under the generic label of "inkjet" prints. The term giclee is meant to be applied only to archival digital prints made with fine art paper or canvas.

Digital Print Education

What is the process?

There are two basic steps in the digital printing process. First, a digital image of an original art work is created, either by using a high-resolution digital capturing system to make a record of the original art or by scanning a photographic transparency or negative. The digital image is manipulated on a computer to achieve the desired results and proof prints are produced. The goal may be to create a very faithful reproduction of the original art or to change the appearance in a way that is chosen by the artist. Of course, the same digital imaging process can be used to reproduce an image which is created by an artist from scratch directly on a computer. The second step is the actual printing of the image. The digital file from which the final prints are made is saved on a disk so that the artist can order reprints whenever they need them.

Digital fine art prints have a two-fold advantage. When properly made, they offer exquisite image quality. Also, the artist can have prints on demand, keeping initial project costs lower than other traditional reproduction processes. Instead of printing an entire edition at once, the artist can complete a limited edition of prints gradually as the prints are sold.

What makes a good digital print?

Not all giclee printers are created equal. There are many levels of quality in the giclee print business. To get a truly high quality print, you need to consider five major components of the process.

The first component is a good scan. The quality of the scan will determine the quality of your final print. The scan should be high resolution. We recommend the digital file be 300 dpi at the size you wish to print. You should also make sure that the scanner operator is careful to preserve all the detail that is in the original artwork, especially in the highlight and shadow areas. If you are reproducing an original artwork, it is always best to scan the original art instead of a slide or other transparency.

The next three components of a good print are the inks, paper, and the printer. Most serious giclee print buyers will ask for this information before making a purchase. The inks and the paper should be certified archival. The most archival inks are pigment-based ink sets. These are available from several different manufacturers.The paper should be a fine art quality, heavyweight paper. It should be acid-free or 100% rag. We recommend any of the papers that are listed in our paper section. The printer should be one that was designed with fine art applications in mind. We, of course, prefer the Canon imagePROGRAF printers. Beware of commercial printers who say they make fine art prints too. They often use the same printers for your art prints that they use to print banners and ad posters. These commercial printers are designed for speed and not quality or fine detail.

The last major component are the people who actually make your prints. It is always best to go with a reputable printer who has a proven record of quality and dependability. You need a printer with the technical knowledge to make a great print combined with the artistic sensibility to understand the needs of the artist. Anyone can buy a printer and start up a giclee business. They may understand you as an artist, but they probably do not have all of the technical skills necessary to producing a good print. These printers often have lower prices, but they also have limited expertise and resources. Their quality may suffer because they don't have the knowledge that an established printer has or the money to buy the best scanning equipment. It is also common for these types of printers to suddenly go out of business. An established printing studio can offer you the security of knowing that you can return year after year and maintain a level of consistency that guarantees the last print of an edition matches the first, even over a period of years.

We also encourage artists to beware of large commercial printing outfits that offer giclee printing. While these places do have expensive equipment and the technical experience to run it, they don't always have the sensitivity needed to make fine art prints. These places will most often treat your work like they would their commercial graphics jobs. This means "ballpark" corrections with little or no attention paid to the detail and the subtle nuances of your work.

Who retains the rights to my artwork and prints?

You do. Old Town Editions does not claim any rights to your artwork or the prints made from that artwork. Some printers believe that because they have altered or enhanced the digital file used to make the print that they have a legal claim to these prints. We here at Old Town Editions would never make such claims. We only create prints with the verbal or written consent of the artist or the artist's estate. We take all copyright laws very seriously.

Longevity- How long will my prints last?

At Old Town Editions, we are committed to providing you with the highest quality prints possible. When giclee printing was first introduced, the longevity of the inks left something to be desired. In the past decade there have been huge advancements in the permanence of the inks available. We have kept up with these advances every step of the way. We are constantly searching for ink sets that have the highest archival ratings and a wide color gamut. The pigment inks we currently use are not only lightfast, but they are also water-resistant as well. We combine these inks with papers that have similar archival qualities and a proven record of acceptance in the art market. We do not carry any "second-tier" products. Below is a chart of the archival ratings for our Canon ipf9000 printer with Lucia pigment inks on various papers. These results are from Wilhelm Imaging Research, the industry's leading independent testing source.

For more longevity reports and technical information, please visit the Wilhelm web site at www.wilhelm-research.com.

Wilhelm Imaging Research Light Resistance Testing Result (Ongoing*) for Canon ipf9000 with Lucia inks

*The Wilhelm Imaging Research Light Resistance Testing is ongoing. Canon Heavyweight Coated Paper has not reached its endpoint yet (as of March 2007).

Other Topics

Why does Old Town Editions use Canon printers?

With the growth in popularity of the giclee print, many well know companies have started to make large-format inkjet printers capable of fine art printing. We have tested all of the most popular printers and come to the conclusion that the Canon offers us the best print quality possible. The 12-color ink set of the Canon offers us a very wide color gamut. The Canon also allows us to get very rich colors and a deep, dark black. We have found that some other printers that use pigment ink produce somewhat washed out or chalky colors and weak blacks. With the Canon we can make a print that rivals or exceeds the quality that we have been getting on the Iris printers with dye inks. The Canon's color capabilities combined with fine detail and the ability to print 60" wide make it an outstanding printer for giclees.

Should I apply a coating to my Giclee print?

With the new light fast and water-resistant pigment-based inks, giclee prints are much less delicate than they used to be. We do not feel it is necessary to coat the prints made on paper. The paper prints should be treated like any other fine art prints such as etchings or serigraphs. Handle them carefully, store unframed prints in a cool and dry environment, and frame them with archival materials. We recommend acid-free or rag mats combined with a UV protestant glass.
Although it is not necessary to coat the canvas prints, there are benefits to doing so. Because canvas prints are usually stretched and not framed behind glass, they are more in need of a protective coating. The coating can protect the print from minor scratches, oils from the skin, and environmental pollutants. Applying a coating to the canvas prints also has the added benefit of making the print look a little bit richer in color. Coating canvas prints is highly recommended if you intend to embellish the prints.