Giclee Prints?

[Chris Stegner]

My wife and I were at a little gallery (mainly art) here in town the other day and I ran across a couple of photog's booths that printed using the Giclee process. I really loved the look of the prints. Nice saturated colors, lots of detail, very "gallery" like. That being said...

My wife asked about gallery fees and they said I get an 8' x 8' wall for $100 a month (+ 12% of sales). I'm considering trying it for a month or so. This gallery is in a large entertainment/restaurant/shopping/drinking complex with quite a bit of local traffic as well as out-of-towners. I've told myself to stay away from the "business" of photography, but I've also been told to give it a shot, so why not? I know...

Anyway, I've decided I'd like to try the Giclee printing method. I have found a site on the web that appears to be legit but you never know. Has anyone ever used:

The Giclee Factory - Home

If not, anyone have suggestions, comments, warnings, success stories on Giclee printing?

Thanks in advance!

 

[KmH]

Uh, Giclee is just French for "inkjet".

From wikipedia.org: Giclee

Giclée (pronounced /ʒiːˈkleɪ/ "zhee-clay" or /dʒiːˈkleɪ, from French [ʒiˈkle]) is an invented name (i.e. a neologism) for the process of making fine art prints from a digital source using ink-jet printing. The word "giclée" is derived from the French language word "le gicleur" meaning "nozzle", or more specifically "gicler" meaning "to squirt, spurt, or spray"[1]. It was coined in 1991 by Jack Duganne[2], a printmaker working in the field, to represent any inkjet-based digital print used as fine art. The intent of that name was to distinguish commonly known industrial "Iris proofs" from the type of fine art prints artists were producing on those same types of printers. The name was originally applied to fine art prints created on Iris printers in a process invented in the early 1990s but has since come to mean any high quality ink-jet print and is often used in galleries and print shops to denote such prints.

 

[Chris Stegner]

Uh, Giclee is just French for "inkjet".

From wikipedia.org: Giclee

Giclée (pronounced /ʒiːˈkleɪ/ "zhee-clay" or /dʒiːˈkleɪ, from French [ʒiˈkle]) is an invented name (i.e. a neologism) for the process of making fine art prints from a digital source using ink-jet printing. The word "giclée" is derived from the French language word "le gicleur" meaning "nozzle", or more specifically "gicler" meaning "to squirt, spurt, or spray"[1]. It was coined in 1991 by Jack Duganne[2], a printmaker working in the field, to represent any inkjet-based digital print used as fine art. The intent of that name was to distinguish commonly known industrial "Iris proofs" from the type of fine art prints artists were producing on those same types of printers. The name was originally applied to fine art prints created on Iris printers in a process invented in the early 1990s but has since come to mean any high quality ink-jet print and is often used in galleries and print shops to denote such prints.

Well, don't I just feel like an idiot!

 

[Derrel]

Collectors want to purchase Giclee prints because Giclee sounds so much more exclusive and highbrow than the word "inkjet" sounds. Proof that B.S. knows no boundaries.

 

[craig]

8' x 8' wall for a 100 a month. What does +12% of sales mean? Even though the area gets a lot of traffic you will have to figure out if the traffic is art buyers or food/drink buyers. How much you are charging per print will help determine if this is a viable plan.

Giclee is not for all photos. What kind of work do you do? Are you positive that it is appropriate for that medium?

Love & Bass

 

[Giclee101]

Well, you shouldn't feel bad, there is a lot more than just "inkjet" that goes into a giclée print. It needs to be printed on archival paper, certified by the fine art trade guild and also printed form a printer that uses archival certified inks. Canvas giclees must be varnished with non-yellowing archival varnishes. There are many more facets to a high quality Giclée Print. I like to use GicleeToday.com, they use certified archival papers and inks and the service is quick and affordable. Best of luck! Kind regards

Giclee101

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

What is french for DyeSub?

Oh, cool!!! This thread is from 1/2010!
Vintage threads are fun!

 

[CCericola]

 

[mishele]

Good catch, BJ!!

 

[KmH]

High quality chromogenic prints made by most pro labs are also made on archival paper, can also be certified by any fine art trade guild, and use an CMY emulsion, not inks. Once developed, chromogenic print emulsions can be removed from the paper and put onto canvas too, and are also usually coated for additional protection and longevity.

There are many more facets to preparing an image for making a high quality chromogenic print. I like to use Millers Professional Imaging, www.millerslab.com, and their Kodak Professional Supra Endura VC Digital Paper that's standard archival value is 100 years for in home display, and 200 years in dark storage. I also like to use the Endura Metallic because it features a unique pearlescent surface suitable for many images including fine art applications and has the same standard archival value of 100 years for home display and 200 years in dark storage.

Miller's and their other outlet - MpixPro - also make fine art giclée prints.
Chromogenic color print - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Giclée prints are typically much more expensive than chromogenic prints because a giclée takes much longer to print, and the volume of expensive archival inks used to inkjet the print.

 

[FavillePhoto]

Not sure if the OP is still in the business of photography and printing, but, vintage forums can often help alot of new users as well, that may be coming across these posts in Google searches, so, from the owner of a small Giclee Print shop, here is my two cents:

I own a small giclee print shop in Mesa, AZ. The majority of our customers love ordering giclee prints. Sure, "giclee" is just a fancy word for an inkjet print, and you can create inkjet prints from a $40 inkjet printer that you can go buy at any old store. Giclee prints, however, have a couple of key differences. First, as described earlier, there are certain quality standards that need to be achieved to be considered a giclee print, like 100% acid-free materials, which makes them "archival". Second, giclee printers print at a much higher resolution, so your image appears in finer detail and alot more crisp and clear. And, finally, giclee printers print with anywhere from 7 to 12 different colors, as opposed to the typical 4 on a home inkjet printer. This offers a much wider color gamut. This means your images are going to look more photo-realistic, as well as more saturated, and better color detail in the printed image itself. In short, you definitely get what you pay for when you order a giclee print.

I ALWAYS recommend giclee prints for professional artists and photographers. And, in most cases, the general public can even benefit from ordering a giclee print. It's a great way to take your favorite family photo and put it on display in your living room. Consider a giclee on canvas for your living room - excellent decor, and meaningful as well.

If anyone that comes across this post ever has any questions about giclee printing or needs advice about art shows, gallery exhibitions, starting up a photography business, etc, etc, please don't hesitate to contact me. My information can be found in my signature below. Like I said before, I actually own and operate a small giclee print shop. We work with local clients, as well as clients around the country. We're always available and willing to help. And, one of the best benefits is, you'll either hear from my wife or myself. We run the place ourselves, so you don't have to deal with any under-trained employees who can't answer questions.

Hope this helps. Good luck to all those who consider giclee printing! You won't regret the decision to go "Giclee"!