Giclée (pronounced "zhee-clay")
reproductions were originally developed in 1989 as a
digital method of
fine art printing. Virtually any medium can be reproduced
including watercolors, oils, acrylics, pastels, photographs
and pencils, just to name a few.
Normally, giclées
are produced in smaller editions than lithographs. By limiting
your
print runs to fewer numbers and utilizing the superior
quality of a giclée, you will increase the value
of the print and realize a greater profit from your edition.
Giclées do not require enhancement! Giclées
are the closest thing to an original available, but unlike
other reproduction methods, giclées can be enhanced
after printing if you choose to do so. Some artists wish
to add re-marques or are interested in a mixed media effect,
and choose to hand embellish their giclées. This
adds to the value of the giclée and increases
your profit dollars.
To produce a giclée print the artwork must be digitized.
For work of the best quality a high resolution scan will
be employed to capture the digital file accurately.. To
reproduce a 24" x 30" image
the file size required will be between 129 to 185 megabytes--a
very large file ( no hand-held digital camera can provide
the required quality).
Small artworks can be printed larger and large pieces can be printed at smaller
sizes, often several at a time. We will produce a set of proof prints for the
artist to approve. After approval, the digital file can be printed to the artist's
specifications and then stored for future use, allowing the artist to get prints
on demand as their sales warrant.
A little history:In the late 80's artists began to see
the potential in the Iris printers as a way of accurately
reproducing their artworks at a greatly reduced cost. Any
material that could be wrapped around the printer's drum
could be used to receive the inks. Fine art printers using
the Iris printers began offering their services to artists.
The cost of these printers, around $60,000, meant that
only a few places could offer Iris prints. These prints
soon became known as giclée, (pronounced "zhee-clay"--French
for sprayed, squirted or spurted) prints.
Now, a variety
of printer makers manufacture printers, large and small,
that will produce stunning prints on
a variety of substrates, including canvases and watercolor
papers. Artists can faithfully reproduce their artworks
in large or small editions and on an "as required" basis.
The reproductions can be same-size, larger or smaller
than
the original and have expected lifetimes of 100
years and more.
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