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Giclee Printing FAQ
Giclee Printmaking and " digital printing " ...Some
Frequently Asked Questions.
Why use artsales.com Giclees and digital printing instead
of other printing processes to publish limited edition art prints.?
The benefits of using our printing process are
numerous and varied. Two of these benefits are the the ability
to have maximum versatility in subject matter, different mediums
and the ability to experiment readily. Because the initial investment
in setting up an edition published by the Giclee printing process
is minimal, the artist can take more risks to find out what is
acceptable in the market place and will sell to his buying public.
This flexibility allows the artist more creative freedom and helps
prevent costly mistakes. Additionally it is becoming more and
more widely acknowledged that fine art prints produced by Giclee
offer richness, detail and depth that set them apart from traditional
offset lithography.
"Navajo's Driving Sheep t0 Water"
Are there any limits to the size of my order?
No order is too small or to large for us to handle.
You may order one printed sheet at a time if you wish. We have 6
wide format printing systems so we can accommodate large print runs
as well.
What about copyright considerations?
We keep your images strictly confidential. artsales.com
does not allow any images to be printed without the artist’s
or copyright holder's explicit authorization. We will keep an archived
copy of your image exclusively for the production of your edition.
All digital files of an artist’s images can be recovered by
the artists and/or copyright holder as their personal property at
his/her written request.
What is the expected life of a Giclee print?
The most important fact to remember is that all
color fades. As far as fine art prints produced by Giclee are concerned,
some original watercolors & most lithographs will fade faster
than a well-made Giclee. Unlike lithographs and serigraphs, Giclees
have undergone extensive, third-party fade-testing.
While the predicted display life depends on many
variables, under typical home or office lighting , and depending
on the papers used, giclees made with wide-gamut pigmented inks
are estimated to last 35-100 years without noticeable fade. These
estimates are based on laboratory simulations of aging. All of our
testing information comes from independent testing labs and the
manufacturers of the materials we use. artsales.com shall not be
responsible for any damage to our prints from improper handling
or from exposure to extreme environmental conditions.
Do Giclee prints require special care?
We recommend that you treat your
art prints produced by Giclee the same as other original limited
edition prints. It should be protected from water and should not
be place in direct sunlight. Giclees printed on paper should be
frame mounted behind glass or, if on Arches paper, may be mounted
on a panel and varnished. Giclees printed on canvas are treated
with an acrylic varnish to aid in their protection, however careful
treatment is still desirable.
Vermeer's " Girl
with a Pearl Earring"
Image manipulated and restored in Photo shop
for our print archives
See:
Print image archive file for
before and after comparisons
What happens during the proofing process?
Sometimes the original photography of a subject
comes to us in less than perfect condition. We can edit and manipulate
images in photo shop and other imaging programs to eliminate flaws
and upgrade color balance to reflect the condition of the original
art.
After the image is corrected of flaws and balanced
for color the initial proof will generally be on an 8” x 10”
sheet regardless of the final size print you have ordered. This
will be on the media choice you have made, however this is not a
hard and fast rule, we have generated proofs of up 42" in width
to satisfy a customer that the print run will be exactly what they
want.
What about the different types of coatings?
Art prints produced by Giclee on canvas are treated
with a specially formulated fine art coating. This fine art product
eliminates the problems typically associated with other coatings
such as cracking, yellowing & inconsistent texture. Art prints
on canvas are available with a gloss, satin, or low luster finish.
We do not normally coat the surface of Giclees on watercolor paper.
How accurate is the color?
The resolution and color can be brilliant and is
superior to other methods of art reproduction. However, you must
be aware that due to the limitations of process inks, some colors
fall outside of the printable color spectrum. During the proofing
process we work closely with you to achieve the look and feel in
the print that is most appealing and closest to the original as
possible.
I wish to order reprints, what steps are involved?
It's as easy as this to have us produce your art
prints. Contact us by e-mail, standard mail or telephone. Since
we will have your image on file no further set up fee will be required.
What materials do I need to send to get started?
You need to send us one of the following.......Your
Original Artwork, or send a 4"x5" or 8"x10"
"production quality transparency "of your image, a CD
or ZIP (PC or MAC) disc containing a professional scan of your image,
your digital file via our FTP site (E-mail
us for FTP site instructions). Most professional photography studios
have 4"x5" format cameras and equipment necessary to produce
transparencies. (Note: 35mm slides may not provide acceptable quality
for fine art reproduction) If sending a digital file, a reference
print or photo to accompany it is recommended.
When sending transparencies of your artwork it
is very important to remember that we will color match to the transparency
and if it does not look like the original, your fine art prints
will not look like the art either. Examine each transparency carefully
before sending them to us.
On subsequent orders your image is stored via digital
file and is ready for printing.
What are terms of payment?
We request payment in full with your order. You
can send a check or money order.
What distinguishes a artsales.com digital printing processes
for Giclee from other printmaking methods?
Artsales.com art prints produced by Giclee conform
to archival standards consistent with collectible fine art prints.
Artsales.com Giclees are produced exclusively
using “pigment” based archival inks. No dyes.
All additional materials & substrates used
in the artsales.com Giclee process are of archival quality and produced
by reputable manufacturers.
Artsales.com Giclees are produced one-at-a-time,
combining state of the art technology with traditional craftsmanship.
Artsales.com uses giclee digital printing processes
to publish limited edition fine art prints.
Artsales.com art prints produced by Giclee and
limited edition art prints are produced using a state-of-the-art
color management system developed for our Giclee printer.
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How do we get from an original to a Giclee reproduction? |
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Common questions about Giclee printing |
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What does the Giclee process cost? |
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How images are processed for printing |
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Purchase Art Prints using the shopping carts at ARTsales.com |
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