If
you’ve been to a gallery or museum lately, you may
have noticed the word “giclée” on the
identification tag of a painting or photograph. Giclées
have become more accepted during the past several years
as a method of reproduction for artists and photographers.
Pronounced “zhee-clay”, a giclée is an
upscale inkjet print, using technology similar to any home
or office inkjet printer. The original giclées were
actually Iris prints, where the media is attached to a spinning
drum and inks are sprayed on at a very high speed. The Iris
3047 (“Intense Resolution Imaging System”) printers
were, and are still, used for digital graphic proofing prior
to putting a job on press, as well as for giclées.
One story is that rock musician Graham Nash and his associate
Mac Holbert came up with the idea of using Iris prints for
fine art reproduction in the early 1990’s.
During the past decade, other manufacturers have produced
equipment for giclée output. Roland DGA Corporation
has a printer that sprays ink using “micro-piezo dot”
technology onto media from a long roll. This has the advantage
of creating virtually continuous-tone prints on media that
can be cut to almost any length. (Prints done on drums must
be cut to certain sizes based on the limitation of the drum
circumference.)
Whatever the history, giclée technology has changed
during the past ten years and continues to improve. You
will find giclées printed on a variety of materials—gloss
or matte heavy photo-type paper, watercolor paper of all
textures and thicknesses, and canvas. Giclée prints
offer the artist an economical alternative to lithographic
reproduction, since prints can be ordered one at a time
after the original art is scanned, color-corrected and archived.
Artists can build their inventory more slowly over a period
of time as demand grows and can also add more paint or textured
surface medium to enhance prints.
As demand for giclée prints has grown, the Giclée
Printers Association (GPA) was formed out of the necessity
for standards in fine art printing. Members of this association
adhere to strict guidelines and standards of giclée
production consistent with that of a collectable fine art
print. The association has also recognized and certified
only certain inks, substrates and output printers as valid
for production of true giclées. The Roland printer
mentioned above is one of these few devices certified as
GPA “TruGiclée”.
Giclée prints are exhibited at many fine galleries
and museums. Look for them at the Louvre, the British Museum,
New York Public Library, Metropolitan Museum, and the L.A.
Museum of Contemporary Art, to name just a few.
Longevity of giclée prints is an issue that has not
yet been resolved. Ink and paper manufacturers warrant their
products for anywhere from 30 to 90 years (assuming prints
are handled and displayed properly). Since this technology
has only been in existence since the early 1990’s,
tests are performed using intense exposure to light under
controlled conditions. These tests are said to mimic conditions
similar to exposure to sunlight over a period of many years.
As with any work of art, you must treat your giclée
with care. Although inks and media are
acid-free and treated with UV resistant pigments, and final
prints are often coated with additional UV protective agents,
giclées need to be displayed away from direct sunlight.
They should also be protected from exposure to extreme temperatures.
If framed without glass, you should avoid rubbing the print
and should never use any type of water, cleaning solvents
or chemicals on them.
If you are an art gallery or museum enthusiast, expect to
see more and more giclée fine art reproductions in
the future which, like their original counterparts, may
increase in value over the years. If you are an artist looking
to have your work reproduced, be sure you select a printer
who understands the giclée process and works with
GPA-certified products and equipment.
©2003-2004 Nova Graphic Services
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