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. 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.
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. This has the advantage of creating virtually continuous-tone prints on media that can be cut to almost any length.
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 reproductions of Rose Buckner's original paintings are created on the Roland printer through Nova Art Services. Rose works with a Nova giclée specialist to make sure each reproduction meets her approval. The image is printed on unstretched fine art archival canvas and protected with a final UV coating. Each print has a 1.5 to 2 inch border on all sides to provide you with greater flexibility for mounting and framing as you wish.
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 of Art and the L.A. Museum of Contemporary Art to name just a few.
Longevity of giclee 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 perfromed 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.
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