Giclée Printing
When browsing art prints at Form Shop & Studio either online or in our Humber street shop you’ll notice that many of them are labelled with the term ‘Giclée’ along with the name of the piece and the artist. When it comes to illustration reproduction and fine art printing, you’ll see this term pop up a lot, particularly across our website with the description “Giclée printed” or describing our printing service. Here’s a quick blog explaining what exactly Giclée printing is, and exploring why it has become such a prominent method for our artists.
What does the term Giclée mean?
Giclée (pronounced zhee-klay) is a French word that translates to “spray” or “spurt”, referring to how the ink is distributed during this high-quality printing process. The process uses archival inks and substrates to produce prints of exceptional quality and longevity. Archival inks are used because they last a long time in archives, giving a lasting and good quality colour, which is why they’re perfect for preserving artwork.
How Does Giclée Printing Work?
This is not your average colour printing! The process of Giclée printing involves high-resolution inkjet printers that spray microscopic droplets of the archival pigment-based inks onto canvas, fine art paper, or photo paper. These printers can accurately reproduce the colours and details of the original artwork, resulting in prints that closely resemble the original piece.
Why do artists choose Giclée printing?
- Accuracy: Giclée printing offers exceptional colour accuracy, allowing artists to reproduce their original artworks with high detail and clarity.
- Longevity: Prints produced through Giclée using archival inks and acid-free paper and other materials can last for generations without significant fading or deterioration. Some say a giclee print can last over 100 years!
- Lightfastness: Lightfastness refers to the ink's resistance to fading when exposed to light. If you’ve ever noticed a print fading while up on your wall - this is because it’s not giclee but standard digital/inkjet print. The pigments in giclee printing are lightfast and can hold much better against sunlight, even in a bright conservatory.
- Variety: Giclée printing allows artists to choose from a variety of mediums, including canvas, fine art paper, and photo paper, providing versatility in presentation options.
- Customization: Artists can work closely with printing professionals to customise aspects such as size, medium, and colour correction to ensure that the final prints meet their exact specifications.
Examples of Giclée prints available at Form Shop & Studio
Isobelle Cochrane: This ‘Hull Indies’ print pays homage to the locally famous cafes and eateries around Kingston upon Hull, including Flour and Feast which is a stone’s throw from our shop. Originally painted using traditional Sennelier inks, these building fronts are boldly replicated with the giclee printer.
Joseph Cox: This digitally created image has been vividly reproduced with Giclée. The fine details and strong colours of the ‘Hull Music Room’ are printed on Platinum Etching 285 fine art paper, showcasing the richness and depth of the Hull-centric music scene.
Lucy Sherston: ‘Floral Burst’ is a stunning floral study reproduced using Giclée printing on fine art paper, capturing the vivid colours and textural details of the original piece.
Giclée printing has revolutionised the way artists reproduce and distribute their artworks, and with its ability to capture the essence of original pieces, Giclée printing has become the preferred choice for artists seeking to share their creations with a wider audience while maintaining the integrity of their work. So the process may be more expensive than your standard inkjet print but the quality makes it worthwhile.
Here at Form Shop & Studio we offer a Giclée printing service allowing artists to reproduce their work accurately in an accessible and affordable way. Explore our giclee printing options here.