Giclee Printing

Giclee (pronounced gee-clay) comes from a French word meaning to spray or squirt liquid. When used in terms of printing it refers to a technique of reproducing an image that is usually associated with works of fine art.
The process of giclee printing is fairly simple. Using digital technology similar to that of an ink jet printer, a high definition scan of an image is taken and reprinted on premium paper or canvas. Unlike ordinary household devices, however, giclee printers use special inks that can retain their true colors for decades. They can also usually scan much larger images. What the two types of printers do have in common is their manufacturers: familiar names such as Hewlitt-Packard and Eppson.
Giclee printing is primarily utilized as a method of mass producing visual work. It is easy for an artist to make as many reproductions as necessary at a low cost, or to make them on-demand as the need arises. They can also create reproductions in various sizes and formats, making the piece accessible for virtually purpose, outlet, or custom project.
Because giclee prints are able to resist deterioration exceedingly well, archiving is another perfect application for them. They stand up to UV exposure and are smudge- and waterproof. For these reasons giclee printing has replaced lithography as the main method of preserving the images of notable paintings, sketches and photographs.
The quality of giclee prints is evident in the fact that they are on display at prominent museums around the world, including the British Museum in London, The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., and the Los Angeles Museum of Modern Art, to name but a few.
Many retail galleries sell examples of quality giclee printing that can make lovely additions to any home décor or amateur art collection.