With paintings originally being applied through traditional means of drawing, sketching, painting, or sculpting, in the late 1980’s a new discovery surfaced in the form of art on metal. This is done by works of art being transferred to a metal surface by means of an IRIS printer.

Both a musician and photographer, Graham William Nash began to take his photography and combine it with the technological tools offered in the 80’s. First experimenting with graphics software Nash found that he could create vivid detailed images through his computer.

Not being able to use a regular printer to produce his pictures, Nash turned to Fuji, which allowed him to print his images for a while. When Fuji decided to discontinue their support John Bilotta recommended that Nash use an IRIS printer, allowing him to create art on metal.

An IRIS printer was a large-scale printer that produced pictures by continuous-tone ink-jet print, made for pre-press proofing by IRIS Graphics, Inc.

Nash met a Disney color engineer programmer named David Coons who spent his off hours producing 16 large-scale images using a 3024 IRIS model. The images were shown April 24, 1990 at the Simon Lowinsky gallery.

In July of 1990 Nash purchased his own 3047-inkjet printer to set up in a Manhattan Beach house in California near Los Angeles. Nash, having his own IRIS printer began producing 1,750 images to show at the Museum of Photographic Arts in San Diego, as well as other showcases. With his early discovery, Nash paved the way for future generations to use his method and create art on metal.

Although Nash was the one who set the way for ink-jet printing, it was a worker for Nash named Jack Duganne who created the word Giclee. Duganne wanted to rename the printing process to do away with any negative connotations related with ink-jet or computer generated images.

He used the French word gicler, which translated means to squirt, spurt, and or spray by means of ink printing. Due to the discovery of digital printing, the process was found to be usable by also printing art on metal. Even though Nash mainly used paper to produce his portraits, the process of creating art by means of ink-jet printing transferred from paper to printing upon metal sheets.

Regardless of the name change, the process still had many thinking of the IRIS printer when dealing with digitally produced fine art or art on metal. Due to the fact that it was technologically created, the final piece caused the word Giclee to be generally scrutinized in the art community.

Over time the method and definition became more accepted in spite of artists who still had their minds wrapped around the IRIS printing method. With these disagreements developing over time, the Giclee Printers Association was created in 2001.

The GPA had nine standards to be met by its members in order to avoid confusion on what a true Giclee was. Quickly finding that not all artists could meet the standards, the GPA then created a lower form of standards, which applied to true decor.

Although art on metal has been around for some time now, it still has some artists reluctant to the idea. Some feel the process might not give the picture the desired value, or that the final print will not capture the creator\’s original work.

Some artists think that the final print will have shade alterations and that it will take away from the intended feel that an illustrator wishes to project. Other artists that are more accepting of this process think that the method will give a certain edge and actually enhance their work.

The use of the metal can bring another dimension to certain works of art and actually enhance them, creating a whole new form. When used with the right piece, this form can add luminosity and volume.

It can highlight and add depth to areas in the painting or photograph that would otherwise look flat. It is also very durable and can even be hung outdoors on patios or walls and will not weather, adding a nice addition to an outdoor kitchen or garden wall.

Betz Gallery is an expert in Giclee and Metal On Art and prints and reproductions

Please visit us for any art work you may be looking for at http://www.betzgallery.com/

Author Bio: Betz Gallery is an expert in Giclee and Metal On Art and prints and reproductions

Category: Culture
Keywords: Metal On Art, abstract painting, giclee, fine art, impressionist, reproductions