Why is a Giclée Valuable?

What is a Giclée?

In its most basic definition, giclée is a French term for “to spray” or “to squirt.” It references the process that an inkjet printer uses to reproduce fine art or photography to create individual copies of the original piece. Not all inkjet prints are giclée prints. A giclée print is a higher quality product that lasts longer than an inkjet print.  There are certain criteria that must be met for a print to be considered a giclée.  To uphold the quality of a true giclée, the resolution must be at least 300 dots per inch (DPI) and the type of printer used to produce a giclée print will impact the quality of the end product.  We partner with a local studio that uses state-of-the-art giclée printers and pigment-based ink to ensure your print will hold up to the exacting standards set for a giclée.

Giclées: Paper vs. Canvas

At Studio Florence Delaney, you have the choice of buying a giclée on archival paper or canvas. For giclée printing, the paper must be archival quality to ensure the longevity of the artwork. Canvas is essentially a fabric that has been specially prepared to handle and retain high-quality pigmented inks. It is sturdy and has archival properties, like archival paper, which means it is acid-free and will hold up to the high standards set for a giclée. The thicker, fabric-type material of high-quality canvas is more expensive than that of high-quality paper. The process necessary to create giclée prints on paper is less intensive and therefore more budget-friendly. To maintain the integrity of a giclée print on paper, it is important to protect the work behind glass. An acid-free mat and quality-frame are recommended as well.  With a canvas print, it is not necessary to have a protective pane or frame to hang it. Depending on your aesthetic preference, you have the choice to hang the stretched canvas free of frame, with a traditional frame, or with a modern floating frame. 

In short, if you want a print and have a limited budget, paper prints may be the way to go.  If you want a giclée that can be customized, has more displaying options, looks more like original artwork, and you have a little more to invest, you should consider buying a giclée printed on canvas. 

Why Choose an Embellished Giclée?

Embellishments are artistic alterations made by artists to the giclée print to customize the piece. Only canvas prints can be embellished and, because of this, canvas prints tend to resemble an original painting more closely than a giclée print on archival paper. Nothing can beat the original edition of an artwork. However, you can still get a giclée that is one-of-a-kind by having an artist add embellishments.

At Studio Florence Delaney, the medium used to embellish canvas giclées is clear gel, which highlights brush strokes that can alter the texture of the print. Clear gel embellishment creates a unique piece of art that breathes authenticity and originality.

All canvas prints are embellished at Studio Florence Delaney.  The biggest reason to embellish a giclée is that it increases the value of the print. Embellished giclées are generally sold for a price between a simple print and an original piece. Because embellishments make the work more original, it becomes more valuable and rare. The high quality and long lifespans of giclées ensure that the prints appreciate in value. As an artist becomes more popular and their work becomes more in demand, their prints will increase in value.