If you work in graphic design then there is
little doubt that you have come across this term before in passing. But do
you know what it means? This article will help outline the types and
criteria that must be met for a print to be called giclee.
The first thing you need to know is that it's
pronounced 'Zhee-Clay'. The word is taken from a version of the French word
'la gicl?', meaning 'that which is sprayed or squirted'.
Giclee printing is a type of inkjet printing ?
but importantly, not all inkjet prints are giclee prints. Giclee printing is
meant to produce a product at a higher quality and with a longer lifespan
than a standard desktop inkjet printer.
We only use the CANON Lucia Pigment process technology. It utilises 12
pigments (not dyes commonly used elsewhere). These ensure the ultimate
colour gamut & archival permanence.
Originally, the word was used to describe
digital reproductions of conventional artworks (painting or drawing) or
photographs. Today, it is generally accepted that a giclee print can also be
a work created entirely in a digital workflow on a modern computer
application like Creative Cloud editions of Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator.
The last element in a true giclee print is the type of ink
and printer used. The biggest contrast between a standard inkjet print and a
giclee print is that giclees are printed using pigment-based inks rather
than the dye-based inks found in lower-cost inkjets.
Pigment-based inks have a longer lifespan, and can last anywhere from 150 to
200 years without significant fading. The type of printer used to create
giclees is usually a larger format model that specifically uses
pigment-based inks and will hold around eight to 12 different colour ink
cartridges.