ABOUT OUR GICLEE PRINTS The term Giclee is sufficiently vague to have taken on multiple meanings so we appreciate this opportunity to explain what it should mean and what it means to us. Fine art digital printmakers have taken a cue from the world of photography. Since multiple copies of photographs can be produced relatively easily it has been difficult for all but the most famous photographers to ask fair prices for their work. Concerned that the same thing would happen in the world of inkjet printing a group of fine artists working in this medium have sought to distinguish their high-quality work from that of casual printer users; thus the term Giclee. Giclee prints have another thing in common with fine photographs; the selection and combination of materials must be correct to insure maximum print life. There are 3 components: Media, Ink and Storage/Display conditions. MEDIA It is generally accepted that the most permanent substrate for inkjet printing is acid-free, cotton fiber paper with an inkjet receiving layer, used with pigment based inks. While it is possible to print on almost any paper, materials that have a proper coating (receiving layer) typically exhibit greater sharpness (reduced dot gain), better D-max (richer blacks), more saturated colors and much greater permanence. An additional issue is the use of UV brighteners. To achieve a brilliant white many papers incorporate agents that fluoresce when exposed to UV light. This sounds like a good idea but is problematic for two reasons. First, since different types of lighting contain different amounts of UV, the appearance of a print will change, depending on the viewing conditions. Second, the UV brightening compounds degrade over time, returning the paper to its original level of whiteness which by comparison, may appear off-white. Accordingly we do not use papers that have whitening agents. Our prints exhibit a warm white and will always do so. While the fine art market seems to demand matte paper there are good reasons to consider semi-matte (luster) or even glossy media. These materials have a resin-coated (RC) base which provides superior drying, handling and print flatness. These materials also feature sophisticated receiving layers that can enhance permanence and provide other conveniences like “instant” drying. (More about this in the Inks section). Equally important, glossy and semi-matte papers exhibit deeper blacks and more saturated colors than matte papers. Due to customer demand we use matte papers exclusively but one can argue that, where gloss level is concerned, matte and semi-matte/lluster papers look about the same when under glass. A recent development is special “archival” coatings that are applied to the surface of prints. It is claimed that these products increase durability while enhancing both appearance and permanence. While these products do make the print surface more durable, we would like to see more data, from multiple sources that these products are safe and beneficial. INKS If you’ve read this far you are probably familiar with the two types of ink used in inkjet printing. The vast majority of small format “desktop” inkjet printers use dye based inks. The good news is that dye inks yield great blacks, a beautiful color gamut and blend easily to produce intermediate tones and subtle colors. The bad news is that, with the exception of certain inks manufactured by H.P. (which must be used with specific papers) prints made with dye based inks will have a pretty limited lifespan. The solution, for now, is to use pigment-based inks which are inherently stable on almost any substrate. One manufacturer, Epson, has led the way with pigment ink printers and not surprisingly, these units are the choice of most fine art users. We use Epson printers for almost all our work. Incidentally, Canon has produced a few pigment ink printers but does not appear to be pursuing this market segment actively. Before we leave inks a final note on ink/paper combinations. Because dye inks are totally liquid, dyes are easily absorbed into any porous material or receiving layer. Pigment inks, on the other hand, contain small particles and require either a paper with a rough surface (matte papers qualify) or a special receiving layer known as microporous, microceramic or nanoporous. Papers with this type of coating contain pores that are the correct size to trap pigment particles. This makes them ideal for use with pigments, which are drawn into the pores resulting in an “instant” drying effect. However the highly absorbent nature of this type of receiving layer can also attract atmospheric pollutants. Since dyes are quite vulnerable to these pollutants, these “instant drying” papers are a poor choice for use with dye based inks. STORAGE AND DISPLAY When properly stored or displayed, inkjet prints can have a very long life. Inkjet prints have two potential areas of vulnerability, UV and atmospheric pollutants. UV light affects just about everything and over time will cause deterioration. For this reason, all works of art should be kept from direct exposure to UV if possible. Prints should be framed, using glass or acrylic (Plexiglas). Glass provides slightly better protection from UV but generally not enough to justify its weight and risk of breakage. Contrary to what is said on some sites, UV-filtering acrylic sheets do not provide a dramatic increase in UV protection but are admittedly somewhat more protective than regular acrylic. Dye inks and to a lesser extent, pigment inks can be affected by contact with atmospheric pollutants. Examples include propellants, solvents and ozone. While it might seem advantageous to have a constant supply of “fresh” air circulating over the print, in fact the reverse is the case; images that are framed and therefore not exposed to many air changes will have the longest life. SUMMARY Prints described as “Giclees” should, at a minimum, exhibit the highest technical quality and be made using materials that are generally accepted to provide the maximum possible permanence. Not surprisingly, these materials usually cost the most, making fine Giclees expensive to produce. We strive to make our prices as reasonable as possible and to protect your investment, many of our prints are made in small quantities as limited editions. Thank you for taking the time to read this.