Giclée Applications
A First-Hand View of Giclée Technology
By Kim Crowley & Alexis Golini

Giclée printing can be a profitable new source of revenue for those
in the graphic arts market. Giclée, derived from the French word
which means to spray liquid, is a process that involves the high
resolution capture of one-of-a-kind artwork and its archival,
museum-quality reproduction. Fine art reproductions are in
high-demand due to the convenience, accessibility, and affordability
they offer fine artists and enthusiasts.

With the giclée process, high resolution digital scans made with a
digital scanning back, flatbed, or drum scanner can be reproduced
with eight to 12 color pigment inkjet printers onto a wide variety of
large format media such as canvas, watercolor paper, and
transparencies. The combination of light-fast ink and fine art media
are considered archival, but there are some discrepancies on the
amount of time the prints will last. A survey of some leading giclée
service providers and ink, media, and hardware manufacturers yields
anywhere from an estimated 25 to 35 year lifespan to between 100 and
125 years with controlled light and humidity conditions.

Giclée technology has become tremendously popular among fine artists,
allowing digital images to be reproduced to almost any size, and
giving the artist the ability to customize prints for a specific
on-demand need. Originally developed as a proofing system for
lithograph printing presses, it quickly became evident that giclée
has several significant benefits over traditional lithography. The
giclée process produces brighter, more archival prints with a
non-pixilated tone. In addition, users claim that the color gamut and
color accuracy for giclées is far beyond that of lithography.
It is clear that printers can benefit from artists’ desire to
reproduce and sell artwork. Giclée prints provide a great solution
for both the artist and collectors. Artists are given the freedom and
cost-savings of being able to output projects on-demand, in less
quantity than lithography, with no sacrifice to quality, and pass the
rewards on to their audience. As with any digital printing process,
there are challenges, but there is a growing customer base eager for
giclée services.

Reproductions in the Classroom
Giclée on Campus, a recent exhibition at Endicott College in Beverly,
MA, showcases a selection of student artwork that has been captured
and transformed into giclée prints. Select students participated in a
year-long program through The School of Art and Design and fine art
reproduction company Ditto Editions of Marblehead, MA.

Student works began in a variety of forms, from watercolor to collage
and photography. The art was captured using high definition, low UV,
low heat studio lighting and a digital scanning back from
BetterLight. The files were manipulated with Adobe Photoshop, then
proofed for color accuracy. An Onyx RIP prepared the files for
printing on Epson 9600 or 9800 printers using Epson K3 Ultrachrome
inks on a variety of media.

This collaboration marks an important time for the college as well as
a multitude of fine artists who are beginning to recognize and
explore digital printing technologies. Mark Towner, dean of art and
design and associate professor of fine art at Endicott College, tells
us that the school currently has eight digital printers and is
planning a purchase of an Epson 9800 this year. Perhaps this is the
perfect time to investigate and make a financial commitment to
providing giclée services in your operation as well.

Apr2006, Digital Output

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