Inkjet printers typically call to mind budget printers, desktop printing and all-in-one printers. However, the giclée printing process makes use of professional inkjet printers that are similar in name only. For example, an inkjet printer used to print giclee on canvas makes use of 8 to 12 color cartridges.
Canvas Giclee Proofs and Original
Quality Level
Giclée provide prints that rival silver-halide and gelatin printed materials commonly found in art galleries and museums. The term giclée on canvas printing implies a much higher quality print than that produced by a normal large scale commercial printing process. It implies a beautiful print comparable to an original work of art.
Ink Technology
Two main types of high-quality ink are used in the giclée printing process: archival quality dye-based and archival pigment inks. The archival quality dyes provide the widest range of colors. This makes them better at reproducing unusual color combinations or ranges. Archival pigment inks tend to provide more substrate penetration. When combined with a high-quality canvas surface, pigment inks provide more permanence and water resistance than archival dyes. In recent years pigment ink technology advances have been such that they now rival the range of color that is achievable with the use of archival dyes. A great example of such technology is Epson’s Ultrachrome HDR inks. Epson printers such as the 9900 and the 9980 use these inks and are capable of reproducing the most challenging color tones and combinations.
Epson 9900 Printing a Giclee on Canvas Edition
Applications
One of the most common applications of giclée on canvas is the reproduction of an original work of art. Before the advent of the giclée printing process, an artist might not have been able to keep up with the demand for an original work. However, modern scanning and giclée on canvas printing techniques allow an artist to completely meet demand for any work of art.
A giclée on canvas edition should be well planned in advance. It is important to determine the size of the print as well as the size of the edition. The print can be the same size of the original or smaller. The size of the edition is extremely important and should be a limited number.
Artist Signing a Limited Edition
Limiting the number of prints that are made of an original image is what will make the edition valuable to a serious collector. A limited giclée on canvas edition shows the artist is serious and values his/her work. The exact number of an edition can be determined by the artist and the master printer and it should be done before the first print is made.
Giclee prints have become an accepted part of the art community. These high-quality prints appear in art galleries and museums around the world. Contact us here at Prints Giclee Shop to get started on reproducing your own work of art.
