Giclee printing is a high-quality digital printing process that is used primarily to produce fine art prints on paper or canvas.
The word Giclee comes from the French word Gicler, which effectively means to “squirt” or “to spray” and Gicleur, which is a term for a nozzle or jet. Giclee, which is pronounced as gee-klay was initially coined by a French printmaker by the name of Jack Duganne in 1991.
The process of Giclee printing today involves the usage of a high-quality printer and pigment-based inks which are printed onto paper or canvas.
Giclee printing is very popular among artists and photographers because they tend to offer exceptional colour accuracy, strong detail, and a quality that is difficult to achieve with more traditional printing methods.
The print above was printed on Hahnemühle FineArt Pearl, 285gsm paper.
Combining high quality pigment inks and archival grade papers or canvases Giclee printing is exceptionally durable and resistant to fading. It is for this reason that Giclee printing is an excellent option for artists and photographers who are selling their works to end customers.
What is the difference between Giclee and other printing technologies?
Many traditional printing technologies [such as lithography] use a classic CMYK colour combination [4 main colours]. Giclee printers on the other hand use up to 12 individual colours.
This gives a much smoother gradient transition and wider colour gamut. In simple terms, it provides more depth and richness to the completed print and can make it almost impossible to tell the difference between an original artwork and printed reproduction.
What type of images are best suited to Giclee printing?
In our opinion there’s no real limitation on the type of images that can be printed using Giclee printing. It is often connected with the process of printing fine art reproductions or higher end printing, but it is equally accessible and relevant for producing digital download prints you might buy from popular sites such as Etsy for example.
Printing above was produced on Hahnemühle German Etching, 310gsm
If you are looking for a high quality print output and the option to choose from a range of quality and interesting papers and canvases, then Giclee printing is a great option.
Are there any downsides to Giclee printing?
When it comes to general printing, there is no real substitute for the quality that comes from Giclee printing, but there is some situations where there is better alternatives.
Giclee printing is best suited for printing on papers and canvases. You would not use Giclee printing for printing on materials such as fabrics, for example printing onto a t-shirt.
Giclee printing is also generally not suitable for outdoor applications.
Lastly, there could be some scenarios where cost might negate the usage of Giclee printing. This is perhaps more relevant on larger print runs where you may be producing 100-500 copies.
Pricing will differ based on the size of your print and your choice of paper or canvas.
Only the best Giclee printing materials
We specialise in Giclee printing and use both Canon & Epson printers, official manufacturer inks, and a range of exceptionally high-quality papers and canvases from Hahnemühle.
Check out our fine art printing or canvas printing pages for more information and pricing.
If you are interested in coming to check out our paper and canvas samples in person, feel free to make an appointment to visit our showroom at 120 Lower Delta Road, #08-01/02 Cendex Centre, 169208.
