Those who work in the graphic design field will likely be familiar with the term giclee printing. Anytime you want high quality prints giclee printing is the type you want for great results. To understand just what it is and the types and criteria that must be met to be called giclee let’s examine how a print qualifies.
Unlike a standard inkjet printer giclee printing produces a product of higher quality and ensures a longer life span. The term giclee was originally used to describe digital reproductions of conventional artwork ( painting and drawing ) or photographs. It is widely agreed that a giclee print can also be a work created entirely in digital outflow on a modern computer application like creative cloud of Adobe photoshop or illustrator. While some consider applying the term to a work is merely a way to charge more for an inkjet printer still the following 3 criteria must be met in order for a print to be a true giclee.
- Document Resolution. When printing any document as a giclee it needs to be created a a resolution of no less than 300 Dots Per Inch ( DPI ) For a photo or conventional artwork the resolution requires that the camera or scanner used to capture the image can scan the artwork must be able to do so at 300 DPI.
- Choice of Paper. Select a paper or substrate for the actual printing that indicates it is of archival quality. It should indicate this on the box with the words acid free and consists of 100 % cotton or rag base. These are the best paper for longevity and color reproduction so it’s wise to do your research beforehand.
- Use The Right Ink and Paper. The final element necessary is the type of ink and printer used, printers used for giclee printing use pigment based ink rather than dye based ones.This ensures the ink will last anywhere from 100 to 200 years without any signs of fading. Any printer capable of creating a giclee print is usually a larger format model and uses pigment based ink and can hold anywhere from 8 to 12 color ink cartridges. More ink color choices result in a more sophisticated color range for the final output.
When purchasing a print that indicates it’s a giclee be careful to check that it lists the type of paper, ink and sometimes printer were used to be certain your purchase will be stand the test of time. And be sure to see Luminous Prints fine art printing for all your needs.
