Looking up the word Giclee in a dictionary does not tell the full story of how it became synonymous for a fine art reproduction created using an ink jet printing process. Although not a new process, this way to reproduce art has grown in popularity, now is a common alternative to lithographs and serigraphs.

The history of the Giclee dates back to the late 1980’s with the advent of IRIS printers. These printers made commercial grade full color proofs, allowing print shops to easily produce replications.

The color quality of these prints caught the eye of former Crosby, Stills and Nash alum, Graham Nash, who by 1991 was producing digital reproductions, coined the word Giclee to describe this type of digital reproductions, which needed to be separately classified from other, more arduous reproduction methods.

Nash Editions coined this term from the French word that means to spit, just as the ink jet spits the ink on to the canvas, or more commonly paper. There was great thought put into word chosen to describe these reproductions. They knew words like digital or computer were not words that conveyed quality and would not pass the art worlds scrutiny.

Other words were tried such as digigraph, which was accepted in some areas of the community, namely photography. But, the artists still did not embrace the idea or the technology, and still had the IRIS printer in mind.

As time has gone on, the word and the method had gained some in the marketplace, despite those artists who still think of the old IRIS printer that started this niche. The Giclee is a permanent fixture on the reproduction landscape.

Many others see the term as being a generic word that represents a bigger market behind it. It is describing a way to reproduce fine art, and do it digitally without having a plate that will wear down and change the piece over time.

These disagreements that developed over time caused the creation of the Giclee Printers Association. They required their members to adhere to a specific standard however there were very few that could meet the standards. In response, the GPA came up with a second set of standards that were far less rigorous, and deemed that to be part of the decor art market.

Computers have changed the printing landscape for good. From 1980 when Jon Con started to see that there were digital ways to make a print through the present artists. Some are reluctant to enter this marketplace because they feel that the reproduction cannot capture their original work.

Some say that the colors alter when making the digital copy and they shy away from it, only offering original pieces. Others however have embraced the technology and use it to enhance their artwork.

The modern printer can print to canvas, add texture and the appearance of brush strokes, and can use as many as 11 colors blended together to create truer shades and hues, making the reproduction a high quality piece. Often the buyer will receive a signed and stamped letter of authenticity.

Author Bio: Betz Gallery is an expert in Giclee and abstract paintings and prints and reproductions

Category: Arts and Crafts
Keywords: paintings, giclee, impressionist, reproductions, prints, abstracts