What is a Giclee?

You've probably heard the word Giclee (gee clay') if you have met artists who offer high quality reproductions of their original work. And so many people ask me "what is a giclee?"

Even though the word is French, it's not some obscure French printing process. What they are: Giclees are very high quality prints made from extremely high resolution scans or digital photographs, printed on archival (museum quality) paper using archival inks.

Because the resolution is so high, (many pixels to an area) the possibility to reproduce fine art in an archival quality manner is possible. The high resolution allows for almost endless variations and nuances in colors. So the print is  amazingly true to the original - colors, textures - and look almost exactly like the original.

In my case, I use a high quality professional printer to do my reproductions; it's sometimes hard for me to tell the difference between the original and the giclee!

My Giclees are signed and numbered in limited editions, as fine art prints.

For my original watercolors I often use hand-made paper or very fine watercolor paper from France or Italy.

Many people who are looking for fine original art, but don't want to or can't  buy the original (it might be sold), might consider a signed, limited edition archival Giclee.

 If you are interested in my work and want to know more about my originals or Giclees, all questions and comments are welcome.

Anita