Common questions about Giclée Printing
Understanding the Art of Fine Art Printing
Giclée printing has become a buzzword in the world of fine art printing. But what exactly is it and how is it different from a regular print? In this article, we will explore the basics of giclée printing, its benefits, and how you can tell if you have a giclée print.
What is the difference between a giclée and a print?
A regular print is typically produced using a mass printing process, such as offset printing or screen printing. These prints are usually of lower quality and have a limited lifespan. On the other hand, giclée printing is a high-quality fine art printing method that uses an inkjet printer and high-quality pigment-based inks to produce long-lasting, accurate prints.
What is giclée art printing?
Giclée art printing is a printing process that uses specialized inkjet printers and pigment-based inks to produce high-quality fine art prints. The term "giclée" originated from the French word "gicler," which means to squirt or spray. The process of giclée printing involves spraying microscopic droplets of pigment-based ink onto fine art paper, producing an incredibly detailed and accurate print.
Are giclée prints worth anything?
Giclée prints can have significant value, especially if they are produced by a reputable fine art printer. The value of a giclée print depends on several factors, such as the artist, the subject matter, and the printing process used. In general, giclée prints that are produced using high-quality materials and equipment, and are signed and numbered by the artist, can have a higher value than regular prints.
Why are giclée prints better?
Giclée prints are considered to be of higher quality for several reasons:
They use pigment-based inks that are much more stable and long-lasting than dye-based inks used in regular printing.
They are produced using high-resolution inkjet printers, producing incredibly detailed and accurate prints.
They are printed on fine art paper that is specifically designed to meet the needs of artists and photographers.
The printing process allows for a wide color gamut, making it possible to produce more accurate and vivid colors.
How can I tell if I have a giclée print?
To determine if you have a giclée print, you can look for the following:
The print should be produced on fine art paper, such as 100% cotton rag or acid-free paper.
The inks used should be pigment-based inks, not dye-based inks.
The print should have a high resolution, with sharp details and accurate colors.
The print should be signed and numbered by the artist, indicating that it is a limited edition print.
Are giclée prints high quality?
Yes, giclée prints are considered to be high quality. The use of pigment-based inks, high-resolution inkjet printers, and fine art paper, make giclée prints some of the highest quality prints available. However, the quality of a giclée print depends on the materials and equipment used, as well as the skill and experience of the printer.
In conclusion, giclée printing is a method of producing high-quality fine art prints that are long-lasting and accurate. If you're looking for a printing solution for your fine art photography or digital artwork, giclée
General set up and colour calibration information.
Should I add borders?
We print full bleed unless otherwise instructed, this means that if you want a border then please add it to your file but be aware that it will add to the cost of the print as we charge for the sheet size used and not just the image area.
Do not gang up images onto a sheet, add crop marks or add a bleed
We will handle all printing marks and layout. We trim by hand so no additional image area is required.
What is the preferred file format?
For best output, we prefer uncompressed files in 16 bits, flattened TIFFs, PSDs or Highres JPEGs files.
What is the preferred iCC colour profile for your printers?
Files should be supplied as RGB and assigned preferably with Adobe RGB, but sRGB is also a fine colour profile, although it is not the best. If you are unsure please contact us.
What is the minimum Resolution (PPI - Pixels per inche) I can supply?
Smaller the print, more close to your eyes it will be seen, so, more PPI (Pixels Per Inch) will be required. Printing images with 300ppi at 100% real size is best.
Bigger the print, more distance you will take to see the full image, so, less PPI is needed in order to print. Large prints as 44x29” size can be printed at 150ppi without any noticeable loss in quality.
For photoshop files the resolution decreases in equal proportion to any increase in the dimensions, so when resizing the file avoid resampling to preserve the quality but keep the resolution above a minimum of 150dpi.
What is the maximum recommended dPI?
As a general rule, files don’t need exceed 300 dpi at print size. Files larger than 300 dpi have an increased size yet with no noticeable improvement in printed resolution.
Should I supply RGB or CMYK?
RGB for sure. CMYK is only used for 4 colours printing process, which is not our system, our colour printer uses 11 Colour Pigment Inks and the Black and White one (Piezography) uses 7 Light Grey to Full Black Inks
What is Absolute and General colour correction?
Absolute colour correction is required for identical color rendering. To attain faithful colour reproduction in the giclée process, we must print a proof of the artwork, evaluate colours; tweak and adjust selective colors and then reprint until the color values approximate a visual equality. These colour issues can be resolved with time spent using expert-level Photoshop techniques.
General colour correction is much easier and consequentially less expensive. This method for many giclée projects is all that is necessary. For some artists, this process can serve as an enhancement to the original, and the enhanced giclée colours create a more marketable print.
How do I calibrate to your printer?
You don't calibrate directly to our printer. You calibrate your monitor to a standard and neutral state at 5000K temperature and download and load the .icc profile correspondent to the paper you want to print into your Photoshop, so It can simulate the paper colour reproduction.
What is the best way to create a black and white print?
There are several ways in Photoshop to create black and white. While the different ways can create different levels of contrast, the end result is still a file without any colour information. It is important to make sure even black and whites are setup as RGB files, not greyscale, with assigned profile Adobe RGB (1998) to preserve your colour settings when printing.
Ordering Information
Do you have a minimum order?
No.
Delivery Costs & Turnaround
Prints ordered online are dispatched within 2 working days. All deliveries are sent via courier & tracked. Delivery time calculated from time of dispatch. All items are carefully packaged to ensure they reach you in perfect condition.
Visiting our Studio
We encourage visitors to our studio to see the process and our products. However, as we are often busy with production, visits are by appointment only. Please contact us by email to arrange an appointment: info@imageprintcentre.co.uk
Do you offer a delivery service and do you deliver to countries outside the UK?
Sure. Check below our packaging and delivery costs within mainland UK:
Prints up to 85cm on the shortest side: £5.50 + VAT (2+ days via Second Class Royal Mail or Economic 3+ Days Hermes), £11.50 + VAT (Special Delivery using Royal Mail).
Prints up to A3 size goes in a thick cardboard envelope.
Prints larger than A3 goes in a heavy duty tube.
Prints larger than 85cm (33”) on the shortest side: £11.95 + VAT (Next Day Delivery via DX24) per tube containing up to 5 prints.
For deliveries outside the UK, please contact us with full address for quotation.
Customs Charges: Products delivered abroad may be subject to taxes, fees, levies or other charges, due to local legislation. Any additional charges incurred, including import duty, formal customs entry, taxes, levies and other charges will have to be paid by the recipient of the goods. If you are ordering prints to be delivered somewhere else, please make sure that the recipient is aware and that they will be responsible for paying any extra. We are sorry but we have no control over these charges, so we’re unable to offer any assistance on these processes. Please check the import charges applicable in any country before ordering products to be delivered there.