Giclee Prints
Giclee printing (pronounced zhee-clay) is a method or printing which creates high quality prints. Originating from the French term, “la giclée,” it means, “that which is sprayed.” Giclee printing began in the 1980s, when high-resolution digital scans were used in conjunction with archival quality inks. The intention of giclee printing is to produce a product at a higher quality and with a longer lifespan than a standard desktop inkjet printer.
Giclee prints are made with a number of materials and technologies. What makes a giclee print is the combination of high resolution, paper choice, pigment-based inks and an inkjet printer. The first of these, high resolution, requires that a print must be created at a resolution of no less than 300 dots per inch. This ensures that the final print has the sharpest detail and lacks any of the fragmentation that can occur with images of lower resolution. The second crucial factor in making giclee prints is the paper. The paper used must be of archival quality. A professional series of paper will say if it is archival quality, acid free and whether it consists of 100% cotton or rag base. These papers are the best for longevity and color reproduction. Lastly, the difference between a standard inkjet print and a giclee print is that giclee’s are printed using pigment-based inks rather than dye-based inks that are found in lower-cost inkjets. The larger format inkjet printers used for giclee prints specifically use pigment-based inks that have a longer lifespan and hold 8-12 color ink cartridges. Generally, the more inks that are used, the more sophisticated and precise the color range will be on the final print.
Giclee prints are more expensive because the technology and materials used to create these prints are expensive. The color is a more precise representation of the original. If properly cared for by the owner, a giclee print will last at least 100 years without significant fading.