So, what is a Giclee Print?

The word Giclee is from the French verb gicler meaning "to spray". Giclee is used to describe a quality fine art digital print process combining pigment-based inks with high quality archival paper for light fastness and stability. It is most often associated with reproductions of original art works.

Most mainstream home printers use dye inks as opposed to pigment inks. Dye inks are liquid and soak into the paper. Professional art gallery quality printers use light fast dry pigment inks which sit on the surface of the paper. They print at a high resolution and are classed as archival. This means there should be no colour shift or fading for at least 100 years when displayed carefully behind glass, or 200 or more years when kept in an album. The pigment inks have been tested to exacting standards.

The Quality of my Prints

As I strive for the best quality in my products, I use a professional 12 ink quality printer with archival Lucia pigment inks and acid free 100% cotton rag, heavy weight archival papers sourced specifically for fine art reproductions. This means the prints will last a life time and more if looked after. My reproductions are carefully colour matched with my original paintings, and with 12 colour pigment inks, they give a wonderful, accurate range and depth of colour. I keep these high standards for both Limited Edition and Open Series Prints. It costs me the same to reproduce either.  

Whether Limited or Open - My Prints Will Always Be Numbered And Signed.

Where my paintings and art work suit reproduction, whether fixed to limited editions or an open series, each is always uniquely serial numbered and signed, and always comes with a Certificate of Authenticity which can be traced back through my records.

Why are some of my Giclee prints Limited Editions and others Open Series?

My earlier art works are reproduced in Limited Editions, but I moved to Open series reproductions some time ago as it gives me more flexibility to fulfil specific requests. There is also confusion amongst the general public of the understanding between Limited Edition Giclee Reproductions and Limited Edition Prints of individually hand pulled works such as lino, woodcut, screen prints etc. I decided I would not add to the confusion, particularly as I would like to experiment with hand pulled prints myself in the future.

A border is always left around the print to allow for signing, issue number and framing.  As the aspect ratio must be maintained to keep perspective (i.e. not stretching the image) the print will not always cover the entire sheet of paper, (there may be space on two sides, eg if the painting is a square format) but it will be the largest possible for the fine art paper used.

Certificate of Authenticity

Each print will always have a Certificate of Authenticity, giving a description of the art work, the number issued (Open or Limited) and my signature.  If I become famous after my death (she smiles), they might become important!

There will be No Watermark on the Prints You Order

The watermark on the images on this site and in my shop are there purely to safeguard my work on the big wide web as they are shared. Most people who share credit where the image comes from which I am very grateful for.

Prints are Unmounted and Unframed

Most orders fulfilled are unmounted. It is very difficult to send large mounted prints through the postal system without the corners being dented, even though they have been well packed and marked “Fragile”.  Smaller size prints can be mounted on request to fit standard frames, using A4 or slightly larger sturdy cardboard envelopes. However, as each person’s taste is so varied on colour preferences etc., I only offer a neutral Antique White mount which suits pretty much all of my work and different frame styles.

Posting Your Print

My prints always come protected in cellophane, and depending on size, are either shipped in a sturdy hard backed envelope or for the larger sized prints, carefully rolled in a strong postal tube. Simply unroll the print leaving it in the cellophane and flatten it out. You can put a flat weight on it for a while, but be careful not to use anything that might dent or scratch the printed surface, and keep the weight evenly distributed across the print and paper.

For more information on purchasing and shipping please see my Selling Terms

How to Look After Your Print

To keep your print in pristine shape, it is important how it is looked after. As with any fine art, it should not be displayed in full sunlight all day or in damp conditions.

To maintain the archival quality of your print, the type of backing board you use for framing is important. For the smaller prints that are posted I support them with an acid free archival backing board. For the larger prints, I include an acid free heavy weight cartridge paper that is rolled with the print. Keep these directly behind your print and try to use an acid free frame backboard when framing.

It is impossible for me to guarantee the lifetime because I will have no control over how the prints are displayed or looked after, but if you are unsure, there are many references and reviews on looking after quality prints, pigment ink longevity, and fine art papers, that can be researched if you are keen to understand further.

I am confident though, that with care, my prints will last you more than a lifetime.