• The Definition:  Giclée (zhee-klay) - The French word "giclée" is a feminine noun that means a spray or a spurt of liquid, however, the spray is more like a mist, each droplet being the size of a red blood cell.

• The Term:  Adopted in 1990 by Nash Editions master printmaker Jack Duganne to describe fine-art prints produced by digital spray technologies.  The term  "giclée print" connotes an elevation in printmaking technology and a new method of creating limited edition prints.

• The Process:  A fine art Giclée is created from the artist's original artwork.  Images are generated from high resolution digital scans or photography and printed with archival quality inks onto various substrates including canvas, fine art, and photo-base paper.  Giclée 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, & Hewlett-Packard.  These modern technology printers are capable of producing incredibly detailed prints for both the fine art and photographic markets.

• The Advantages:  Giclée prints are advantageous to artists who do not find it feasible to mass produce their work, but want to reproduce their art as needed, or on-demand.  Once an image is digitally archived, additional reproductions can be made with minimal effort and reasonable cost.  Archived files will not deteriorate in quality as negatives and film inherently do.  Another tremendous advantage of giclée 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 giclée printing process provides better color accuracy than other means of reproduction.

• The Quality:  The quality of the giclée print rivals traditional silver-halide and gelatin printing processes and is commonly found in museums, art galleries, and photographic galleries.  Since the digital image includes every subtlety and nuance of the original - including the  smallest details of light and shadow such as the textures of the paint and canvas or paper -  the fine art giclée is often indistinguishable from the original work of art.  Brush strokes have the appearance of brush strokes, even though they are only two dimensional images on paper.

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2) The Care & Handling of a Fine Art Print . . .

• Handling:  If the work itself is to be handled, support the long sides of the sheet with both hands and, if possible, protect the area to be touched with folded tissue paper.  Only rag board and other high quality acid free materials are to come in contact with works of art on paper.  Do not apply materials containing water to either side of a print, especially in the printed  image area.
   
• Lighting: Works on paper are highly sensitive to the effects of any type of intense illumination and should not be exposed to direct sunlight, unfiltered fluorescent lamps, or the heat of incandescent bulbs. Light levels in gallery and storage areas should be kept low, at 5-8 foot candles.  The eye is capable of adapting to low illumination, and limiting light exposure will protect paper and pigments from chemical and physical deterioration.  Works on paper must never remain uncovered. If not on display or being examined they should be in storage protected from all light.
   
• Relative Humidity and Temperatures:  Maintain 68°- 72° F (20°-21° C) temperatures and 45-55 % relative humidity.  Excessive dampness, dryness, or heat, and fluctuations  in relative humidity and temperature, will have a detrimental effect on works on paper.
   
• Exhibition and Transport:  Experienced persons should do preparation and handling of works on paper for exhibition, matting, framing, storage, or shipment only.