Giclée printing is widely considered as among the best quality printing available in the world. A giclée print reproduces an image with close fidelity to the original, so the colors and resolution possess a high level of accuracy. Also, they last for considerably longer compared to regular prints, without any fading of colours. 

Giclée prints are created using special inkjet printers that spray ink onto the print surface. This fact is reflected in the original French word from which the name is derived, called gilcer, meaning ‘spray’ or ‘spurt’. 

What makes giclée printing superior? 

With giclée printing, you get images with even the finest details just as in the original. However, that’s not the only thing that makes it a superior printing process. There are certain aspects which make giclée prints both qualitatively great and long-lasting. 

Ink used for printing: Typically, dye-based inks are used in regular inkjet printers. But giclée prints require pigment-based inks. They are in a different order of quality compared to regular inks, and help the prints last for a very long time. Depending on the quality of the paper, giclée prints can last for a century or even more. 

Paper used for printing: Giclée prints are made using special quality print papers called archival papers. These are museum-quality papers, meaning they are fit enough for art museums. You will find different brands of papers for archival prints in the market. But they all should meet certain criteria to be considered as archival paper in the first place. For instance, the paper should be devoid of acid or unbleached pulp. Substances like ground wood or brighteners are also taboo in the making of these papers. There are also strict limits to the amount of metallic content in them. The restrictions are in place because the presence of such substances would negatively impact the quality of ink absorption. It would also reduce the longevity of the print. Due to their absence, archival prints are in a class of their own. 

Print resolution: The print resolution is among the most important factors that affect the quality of a print. It refers to the number of dots printed in every inch of the print surface, and is measured in DPI or dots per inch. For a giclée print, this measure should be at least 300. In other words, the original image you want to print should be of 300 DPI resolution at the very minimum. 

Printer: Wide format inkjet printers which use eight to twelve ink cartridges are used for these prints. (In a typical home inkjet printer, we use only three cartridges). The larger number of cartridges helps produce a wider array of colors in the print.  

Who could use giclée prints? 

Photographers: Professional photographers could use giclée prints for multiple reasons. For one, they could use it instead of the original for an exhibition if you have concerns about the original getting tarnished at the exhibition venue due to mishandling. Also, if the original is already sold off, giclée prints give you an additional revenue source. 

Artists: For fine art prints, giclee is an ideal printing method.  All the reasons for which photographers should use giclée prints are applicable for artists as well. Also, for both these users, it’s important their work communicates their ideas as clearly as possible. Giclée printing yields fine art prints that are perfect for that. 

Interior designers: Interior designers have a perfect ally in giclée prints when they want prints to adorn walls inside a space. With the right image, these prints are sure to enchant the beholder. And their longevity means that you don’t have to worry about replacing them frequently. 

Art enthusiasts: Art enthusiasts may often find original artworks at the costlier end of the price spectrum. But they can opt for a giclée print of the same. It would be considerably more affordable while having a high quality. 

Everyone else: You don’t have to be an artist or art lover to make use of giclée prints. A giclée print is an excellent choice for printing images with personal resonance - like a picture of a family holiday or your baby taking its first steps. Since the prints last for long, you can be sure that the memories are preserved at the best possible quality for decades to come. 

A few things to keep in mind for best results

Be mindful of image resolution: As mentioned earlier, the resolution of the image matters a lot for a good quality print. Before taking a photo, make sure your camera has the right settings. And if you are printing from a scanned image, scan the picture at an appropriate resolution. 

Choose high quality archival paper: Ensure that you use archival papers for print. If you don’t know which one to choose, consult with an expert for the same. 

Maximum print size: This is an important parameter, especially with photographs. Usually, there is a preferred maximum print size for an image taken with a camera, beyond which the image may lack in quality. Check with an expert about this size, if you have doubts regarding it.