What Makes a Giclee

In general terms giclee is a French term meaning that something is being squirted on. It has to do with the fact that papers are being sprayed on with pigments by nozzles with an approximate diameter of one millionth of the diameter of a hair. Sounds pretty interesting, doesn't it?

So, when it comes to the question "What is a giclée print?", the answer is: a digital printer makes it, similar to the inkjets many have at home. Contrary to a popular belief, there are some major differences between a home inkjet and a giclee printer.

1) The number of colors. These printers can have 4, 6, 7, 8 even 12!

2) The number and quality of nozzles. Nozzles engineering varies from piezo heads (nozzles vibrate with a crystal, no different than a quartz watch) to other systems which are all proprietary.

3) The format. These printers can print up to 72" wide. No limit on the length.

4) The number of substrates that a giclee can be printed on.

The beauty of a giclee print is determined by a few factors. First and foremost, there is an old saying in digital imaging: (Garbage in, garbage out). In other words, a giclee print is only as good as the file used to make it.

Start with a good scan or the best results simply cannot be achieved. Another factor to have the best possible print made is the paper. Is the atelier using the top brand names to make your giclee? To name a few, Hahnemuhle, Arches, Fredrix. Make sure these papers are profiled for the printer used. A paper which is not profiled for the printer is like diesel fuel put in a gas powered engine: they are a misfit!

Of course the giclee printer is another important factor. The truth is, all the major players such as Canon, Epson, Roland etc make excellent prints. Companies that use plotters and market giclees along with outdoor displays etc are usually not specialized in fine art printing. Plotters are good at what they do: plotting. Not fine art reproductions.

© 2006, AllPCOnline.com, Inc