What is a Gicleé

Giclée is a French term meaning “to spray” or “to squirt”. It references the process that a 12 color inkjet printer uses to reproduce an image. Gicleés have sharp details and high resolution, displaying a full-color spectrum, capturing every shade of an original work.

Gicleés are made using pigment ink rather than the common dye inks. Pigment inks closely resemble actual paint.  The Gicleé printer sprays the pigment inks onto archival paper, or canvas, one colored layer at a time, with different layers overlapping the other where needed.  This process closely resembles spray painting and is the closest method to getting paint onto canvas like an artist would with a brush or airbrush.

The pigment inks used are based on super-small particles of pigment color that float around in a liquid (water, alcohol, etc.). The liquid eventually gets absorbed into the paper or other surface, but the pigments don’t. The particles stay on the surface and adhere to the fibers. This allows pigment inks to be hugely resistant and provide exceptional durability.  Pigment inks are used for archiving because they hold color much better over time and can withstand factors such as moisture and sun rays better.

The paper or canvas used for the Gicleé must be acid-free, and of archival quality, to ensure longevity.

Giclées allow art collectors to enjoy their favorite pieces of art.  So, go ahead and buy Gicleé prints, support an independent artist, and HAVE FUN shopping!