Giclee Printing Methodology

Two frequently asked questions are about resolution and color space. Generally speaking we recommend a minimum resolution of 150-200 ppi at the size the image is going to be printed. For an in depth explanation of the difference between ppi and dpi see DPI and PPI for giclee printing.

Not all digital cameras or scanners are created equal. For example, the image created by a professional 5MP digital SLR with pro lenses will produce a much better file that a 5 MP point and shoot. We understand that almost no one has a digital camera capable of producing native resolution for a 30X40 giclee at 150ppi. We can use image interpolation to compensate.

For example, if ordering a 30X40" print, we would generally require to have a file that measures 30X40" at 200 ppi. The color space we work in is RGB. There are different flavors: we recommend Adobe RGB for the simple reason it offers a wider color gamut and therefore better color range. When sending a CMYK file, be advised we convert to our working space. There is no loss going from CMYK to RGB as RGB has a wider gamut than CMYK.

Whether we scan your originals or not, we print with a RIP software designed to apply very smooth curves and achieve the best possible image rendition. We have proprietary profiles designed for the papers we use. RIP stands for Raster Image Processing: software interprets the digital data to apply colors and tones to an extent not possible with printer supplied drivers.

We use an 8-pass, uni-directional pigment layering system we regard to be the best in the industry. There is a belief held by an old school mentality that Iris printers are the best and nothing else is as good. We very much disagree: Iris technology is more than 15 years old and the new generation of printers such as Epson, Roland and others are far better and more sophisticated than Iris. We worked with Iris and although it was a marvel of technology in its time, other guys have come along and lead the way. Another advantage of these new giclee printing systems is that (opposite to the 4 color Iris) they use 6, 7 or even more colors. Metamerism is almost non existent because of the advances in pigment based inks.

If you plan to prepare your scans for giclee printing, there is brief discussion on preparing color corrected files for giclee.

If you would like to discuss the merits of what we outlined in our giclee printing methodology or have questions, please feel free to contact us. There are resources on the internet to help decide if giclee is a viable printing solution for your needs. Our favorites are greatgiclee and giclee-information.org.

A more detailed description of our services is available.

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