One of the things that I get asked the most by my customers is what a giclée print is, so I thought I would clear some things up for everybody.
The word ‘giclée’ is pronounced ‘jhee-clay’ and don’t worry if you’ve never heard of this term before. Giclée printing is a relatively new process, developed in 1991 by printmaker Jack Duganne. Derived from the French word ‘gicler’ (to spray or squirt), giclée printing involves squirting microscopic dots of pigment-based ink onto high-quality, textured paper or canvas, creating a print that replicates the original piece of artwork in both colour and quality.
Why invest in a giclée print?
Giclée prints hold their colour and value for much longer than regular prints. In fact, they are known to last approximately 200 years before they start to fade. They are museum-quality prints that are built to last.
Because of their quality, giclée prints are usually more expensive than regular digital prints. Once signed, labelled or numbered however, giclée prints can increase in value over time, as Artists gain more recognition. Because of their longevity, they are also a cheaper alternative to buying an original piece of artwork.
‘Limited edition’ means that only a certain number of prints are sold in each available size. If an Artist decides to sell 50 editions of a print, for example, then once the 50 prints have sold, they are no longer available to buy. This, in turn, increases the value of the prints.
Did you know that all of my prints are limited edition?
In other words, I will only produce a certain amount of prints and once these have all sold, I will not produce any more. This generally means that limited edition prints are more valuable in the eye of an art collector, and therefore more expensive than open edition prints.
