THE GICLEE PROCESS

"GiclÈe" is a French word meaning "spray with ink." GiclÈe prints are created by scanning original artwork digitally and printing them using a color printer that sprays tiny, precisely controlled drops of ink onto paper or canvas.

The process guarantees a highly faithful reproduction of the original work in nearly continuous tones at a very high resolution.

The GiclÈe process stands at the forefront of a long line of artistic experimentation into using new media. Albrecht D¸rer created some controversy among artists of his time when he used the printing process to produce etchings in the 1500s.

Nineteenth-century artists began creating artwork from photographs. In the Twentieth-century, some artists such as Warhol, Lichtenstein, Rosenquist and Rauschenberg returned to screen processes to create their artwork.

Unlike traditional printing media such as stone, wood, metal, and screen, there should be no noticeable difference between the 250th art print and the first one because the digital image and printing process does not degrade with use.

Though digital printing is still in its infancy, it is rapidly replacing silver based fine art photography in producing the highest quality prints from original art.

I use Notre Dame Graphics and Fine Art, Inc. for museum quality archival prints using acid free watercolor paper, artist canvas, the finest pigmented inks, and one of the best GiclÈe color printers available. Given proper care, your GiclÈe print should last for up to two hundred years or longer.

How to care for your GiclÈe print
You can extend the life expectancy of a GiclÈe art print by not hanging it in direct sunlight or in rooms with excessive moisture. Care for it as you would any fine artwork on paper and it will reward you with many years of pleasure.