Frequently Asked Questions: All about prints

What is a Giclee?

The Definition : Giclee, pronounced (zhee-klay) comes from the French word "giclée" which is a feminine noun that means to spray or to spirt a liquid. The word may have been derived from the French verb "gicler" meaning "to squirt". 

The Term : The term "giclee print" connotes an elevation in printmaking technology. Images are generated from high resolution digital scans or digital photographs and printed with archival quality inks onto various substrates including canvas, fine art, and photo-base paper. 
 

The Process : Giclee prints are created typically using professional 8-Color to 12-Color ink-jet printers. Among the manufacturers of these printers are vanguards such as Epson, MacDermid Colorspan, Canon & Hewlett-Packard. These modern technology printers are capable of producing incredibly detailed prints for both the fine art and photographic markets.

The Advantages : Giclee prints are advantageous because it allows for the art to be printed as needed or on-demand. Once an image is digitally archived, additional reproductions can be made with minimal effort and reasonable cost. The prohibitive up-front cost of mass production for an edition is eliminated. Archived files will not deteriorate in quality as negatives and film inherently do. Another tremendous advantage of giclee printing is that digital images can be reproduced to almost any size and onto various media, giving the artist the ability to customize prints for a specific client. 

The Quality : The quality of the giclee print rivals traditional silver-halide and gelatin printing processes and is commonly found in museums, art galleries, and photographic galleries. The giclee printing process also provides better color accuracy than other means of reproduction. 

The Market : Numerous examples of giclee prints can be found in New York City at the Metropolitan Museum, the Museum of Modern Art, and the Chelsea Galleries. Recent auctions of giclee prints have fetched $10,800 for Annie Leibovitz, $9,600 for Chuck Close, and $22,800 for Wolfgang Tillmans (April 23/24 2004, Photographs, New York, Phillips de Pury & Company.)

Limited edition Vs. Open Edition

This refers to the number of prints that can be printed of a particular image, where limited edition means that there are a limited number of prints that can be made of a particular image.  For instance if a giclee has a limited edition of 225 then only 225 prints of that image at the specified size can be printed.  Limited edition prints are more highly valued  and are numbered to show which number the print is in the edition size (i.e. 3/225) where anopen edition means that an unlimited amount of prints can be made from that image and are often unnumbered and unsigned but are  more affordable.

Hand Embellished

Sometimes you may hear the term hand-embellished when referring to prints or giclee reproductions and this means that the artist (in this case, Jennifer) actually adds to the giclee by painting over key elements in the art, adding value as well as more of an original look as you can see brushstrokes, texture, and enhanced color.

Signed and Numbered

This term is often used when referring to reproductions of artwork. This means that Jennifer signs the print just as she would an original and gives it a number to show which number it is in the edition.  For example if the edition size is 225 and it is the 3rd one printed Jennifer will write 3/225 next to where she signed the print. Especially on a limited edition print you will want to be sure it is signed and numbered.

Gallery Wrapped

Gallery wrap is a method of stretching an artist's canvas so that the canvas wraps around the sides of the stretcher bars and is secured to the back of the wooden frame. The frame is usually 1.25"-1.5” thick. The result is the hardware and staples used for securing the canvas is not visible on the sides. The sides of the canvas are painted and primed in the same manner as the front of the artwork, which may then be painted a solid color or painted to continue the image appearing on the front. This method of stretching and preparing a canvas allows for a frameless presentation of the finished painting.

In canvas printing, the term gallery wrap refers to an image that appears on the sides of the frame as well as the front. The image on the sides is either a continuation or a reflection of the main image.

Certificate of Authenticity

A valid COA for an artwork will include specific details about the artwork like when and how it was produced, the names of the artist, the work's  title, the dimensions of the art, the edition size and the number of the print in the edition, the value, etc.  The COA also states the qualifications and full contact information of the individual or entity that authored the certificate with his or her complete and current contact information.  If your purchase includes a certificate  of authenticity it will come personally signed and guaranteed by Jennifer herself.