What is a giclée fine art print?

What is this funny word and what does it have to do with fine art prints?

The term “giclée” (pronounced zhee-KLAY) refers to a method of reproducing fine art using inkjet printing technology and archival-quality inks, paper, and canvas. Giclée is a French word meaning a spurt of liquid, referring, in this case, to the inkjet printing process. In the past, lithographs were the most common form of fine art reproductions. They were time-consuming and expensive to make. And they’re also limited in their capability to reproduce certain types of work. But advancements in printing and ink technologies have allowed artists and printmakers to produce super-high-quality prints of their artwork more accurately, efficiently, and cost-effectively.

How Giclées Are Made

Giclées are printed using professional-grade wide-format printers. These printers usually have 10-12 different ink colors which allow them to produce a much larger gamut of color than a typical office laser or inkjet printer. We print from high-resolution images, usually from a photograph or a professional scan, and have the ability to manipulate the image, adjust colors as needed, and print up to 800% larger than the original work in many cases.

Archival Quality

One of the great benefits of giclée printing is “archival quality” materials like inks and paper or canvas. Archival quality is an industry term frequently used in museums and galleries to indicate that a print will stand the test of time without fading or yellowing. Most archival quality inks and papers are certified to last at least 100 years without degrading. Many manufacturers guarantee a lifespan of up to 150-200 years. When you purchase a giclée print, you’re purchasing a product that will likely outlive you.

Our Commitment to Quality

Jen Brandon Studio is a family business run by Jennifer (the artist) and her husband Jared(the printmaker). In 2020, we invested in the equipment necessary to create giclée prints in-house. Every piece of artwork has been professionally scanned, giving us the best possible starting point for top-quality prints. We currently offer two styles of giclée prints—fine art paper and canvas. The print media we use are archival quality and guaranteed to last more than 100 years without yellowing or fading, provided they are displayed in ideal conditions. Every giclée print is made on-demand and with the utmost attention to detail and color accuracy.

Why Buy a Jen Brandon Giclée Print?

There are many places online where you can buy fine art prints—and there are tens of thousands of images from which to choose. But we find two major flaws with this approach. First, your purchase with an online art store does very little to support the artist whose work you’re buying. Second, the print you receive will most likely be created using mass-production techniques and lower-quality materials designed to keep profit margins high and prices low. Perhaps that’s okay when you’re decorating a bathroom, but for a true fine art print, we think there’s a better way. When you buy a print from Jen Brandon Studio, you know that your purchase directly supports the artist. There is no middle man. You can rest assured knowing that your print was hand-made by the same people who created the original artwork. And that it was made to last so you can enjoy it for years to come. We are incapable of mass-production, and for us, that’s a feature, not a bug. Thanks for supporting small businesses like ours!