WHAT IS A GICLEE?

Fine art printing has become even more precise with the advent of the revolutionary giclee (pronounced zhee-clay) printing process. Giclee is a French term meaning "spray of ink." In the giclee process, a fine stream of ink (more than four million droplets per second) is sprayed onto acid-free, archival paper or canvas. Exact calculations of hue, value and density direct the ink from four finely-tuned nozzles.

Over 3,000,000 color combinations are possible, created with highly saturated, non-toxic, water-based inks. The giclee process provides color accuracy superior to any other means of reproduction.
 

How long will a giclee last?

Giclee prints have undergone extensive testing by Wilhelm Imaging Research, Inc., a leading authority on the care and preservation of prints, photographs and films. Wilhelm’s testing has shown that under standard conditions, a giclee can easily last over 30 years before fading begins. Some giclee prints have an estimated life of over 200 years!

As with all valuable paintings and photographs, your giclee should be hung in a location which avoids direct sunlight and extremes in heat or humidity.
 

Who collects giclees?

Throughout the world, dozens of museums have mounted exhibitions and purchased giclees for their permanent collections. These include the Metropolitan Museum (New York), the Guggenheim (New York), the Museum of Fine Arts (Boston), the Kennedy Center for Performing Arts (Washington D.C.), and the Smithsonian Institution Libraries among others.