The Science of Giclees

by Canvas Press

2008-04-25 00:00:00

When you first see a giclee print, you might mistake it for an original artwork rather than a professional reproduction. The process of giclee printing on canvas gives such lush color, such sharp detail and such substance that it has become the preferred method of professional artists and photographers for fine art reproductions of their original work.

What is a giclee print? A giclee - pronounced "gee-clay" - print is a professional quality reproduction of original art or photography made using a special 8-color to 12-color inkjet printer. A state of the art giclee printer can spray millions of drops of archival ink per second onto treated canvas or art paper, resulting in a reproduction of stunning clarity and texture. While the process was developed only within the last twenty years, the quality of giclee prints is considered on par with or better than other traditional methods of reproduction.

In the past, artists would create lithographs or serigraphs of their work to make multiple copies. A lithograph or offset lithograph is actually a compilation of dots. It therefore is not a continuous tone image, but something that allows your eyes to view it as one. Newspaper print and images are often created with an offset lithograph press. Serigraphs are simply screen prints, like having T-shirts printed. To fully reproduce all the colors of the original it may require dozens of screens and can be quite costly.

Giclee printing has several advantages over these methods. Not only can a giclee printer infuse more color and detail into a reproduction, but since the original art or photograph is digitally scanned, it can be reproduced to almost any size and adapted to different media. Giclee prints are now found in museums and fine galleries around the world, and have sold for thousands of dollars. You might think that giclee print technology is only available to professionals, but fortunately it is both accessible to amateur artists and photographers, and also quite affordable.

Giclee prints can also be original prints, not just reproductions. For the digital or graphic artist, as well as digital photographer, giclee prints are an excellent way of creating high quality prints for customers.

Canvas Press uses the giclee print process to reproduce your photos on 100 percent cotton canvas. The canvas giclee print is also treated for UV light resistance for lasting protection. Archival quality giclee prints can last 100 years or more, so you are not only creating a work of art, but a family heirloom as well. Once your image is reproduced, the canvas is then professionally stretched on a stretcher frame. Canvas Press offers the options of a standard stretch so the piece can be put into a decorative frame, or a gallery wrap, where the image continues on the canvas which is folded around the sides of the stretcher frame. With a gallery wrap, your giclee print is ready to hang when you receive it, and doesn't require glass or a frame.

Canvas Press makes it easy for you to turn your favorite photos into high quality art prints with their Canvas Creation Tool. There are only five easy steps to follow: 1) Select Photo Direction; 2) Select Size; 3) Select Canvas Type and Color; 4) Select Enhancements (such as red eye removal and color correction); and 5) Upload Photo. For greater control of layout and further enhancements, Canvas Press also offers their exclusive Canvas Design Tool, which offers a larger range of options and previews. Go to our homepage now to turn your photos into professional quality giclee prints. Canvas Press will show you how easy it is to create your own unique art giclee prints.