Fine Art Vs. Decor Giclee Printing

When Jack Duganne coined the term "Giclee" (circa 1990) to define the printing of art on archival paper with the Iris line, very few artists could afford the high costs of having their work reproduced. The inkjet Iris machines such as the 3047 model easily cost over $100,000 and had very expensive maintenance contracts. Once inkjet technology progressed, namely with Epson introducing the Pro line of printers, both quality and prices have decreased. As other big name companies like Canon and HP also came to the market with archival printers, the field is now filled with printers vastly superior in all aspects to the now defunct Iris.

When paper and canvas manufacturers realized there was quickly growing demand for giclee printing substrates, a great variety of choices and different quality grades has come to market. The gamut of offerings ranges from the finest papers with archival ratings of more than 100 years to others with more modest pedigrees.

It is important to make a distinction between what constitutes fine art giclee printing and decor giclee printing.

Fine art giclee printing

Only the finest brand name papers and inks are chosen; very skilled printmakers with decades of experience in the field and an artistic background handle the whole process. The result is a print that will last tens of years and will have the best color accuracy possible. The market for fine art giclee printing aims at professional artists, collectors and people who want to buy art that will occupy the walls of designer homes and high end offices.

Decor giclee printing

Many purists have an issue with even calling decor printing a form of giclee printmaking. Because decor printing is done with lower grade substrates and inks, archival ratings are much lower; not as skillful people are preparing the digital files and/or not as much time and care are put into file preparation. Chinese manufacturers have invaded the market with cheap low grade canvas and papers often costing one third of their European and American counterparts.

Although many low cost printers use these materials, for a few dollars more better papers and canvas specifically designed for the decor market can be used. These substrates are made in the US and Europe and do not carry the uncertainties associated with Chines made goods.

Whether you are looking for inkjet decor or fine art printing make sure to ask questions before proceeding; a skilled printing company should be able to answer any questions in a clear manner, including what materials are being used and how color proofing is done.

For further information please visit our giclee print services site.