Giclee Printing Process

The term “giclee” is a French term that literally means a spray or spurt of liquid. It is used to refer to advanced printing technology that involves the reproduction of scanned, high-resolution images using long-lasting inks on canvas, fine art paper, or photo paper. Basically, the giclee printing process results in better colour accuracy as compared to other forms of printing. Giclee canvas prints are growing in demand among professional and individual customers because the technology allows not only the reproduction of artworks and photographs, but their long-term preservation as well.

Giclee printing quality is commonly seen in art galleries, museums, and photographic exhibits. Giclee canvas prints are extremely beneficial to artists and photographers who need to reproduce their masterpieces for commercial purposes or as needed. One main advantage of having images reproduced through giclee canvas printing is that the artworks and photos are archived digitally – secure and readily accessible at any future time. The archived digital files may also be resized and printed on media other than canvas, allowing the artist several options and great flexibility.

Melbourne-based company Tonal Reproductions specialises in the production of archival quality giclee canvas prints that meet the demands of professional artists and photographers, as well as the most discerning art collectors and enthusiasts. Offering cost-efficient solutions to its clients, the company prints using the Epson 9900, a ten-colour photographic printer that produces images at breathtaking resolutions. Together with fade-resistant pigment inks and protective laminate finishes, giclee canvas prints possess amazing detail and richer colours. Customers may choose from poly/cotton canvas or 100% cotton canvas for their giclee prints.
The unique art of giclee printing took its earliest form in the 80s when Iris Graphics printers used the first giclee prints for colour matching before final production. Modern digital printing technology and highly improved inks has made it possible for prints to last longer – up to decades and centuries even – spurring a new trend in fine art reproduction. Virtually any two-dimensional fine art piece, including photos, oil paintings, sketches, and watercolours, can be scanned, digitized, resized, and printed on canvas or any other preferred medium. The longevity of the image would depend on many factors such as canvas quality, laminate finishes, and the type of ink used.

Tonal Reproductions devotes its resources to supplying the best possible quality in printing materials – while maintaining competitive pricing – for its customers. Because professionals depend on us, we in turn, depend on only the finest manufacturers in the business. We only use independently-tested Canson archival canvases with better dynamic colour range, reflective-free surfaces, and certified archival quality. We print using Epson UltraChrome pigment inks, highly resistant to water and wear damage, to match the capabilities of our Epson printers.

Our employees exercise extreme care all throughout the entire printing process. We pay very particular attention to detail aided by a tried-and-tested colour management system with calibrated custom colour profiles for every combination of printer, ink, and canvas type. The system significantly improves our efficiency. Once the image has been finalised, we send a soft proof (hard proofs upon request) to our clients for their approval before the image is finally printed. Customers may have their prints mounted with our specially designed round-edge stretcher bars. Shipments are securely packaged, with hanging wires and backing tapes included so that the canvas prints are ready for display immediately upon arrival if client so desires.

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About the Author:
At Tonal Reproductions, we work with the end in mind. We listen to all your requirements and constantly communicate with our clients from start to finish of the giclee printing process in order to achieve the desired results. Our giclee canvas prints are covered with a money-back guarantee. Orders may be placed directly on our company website, http://www.tonalrepro.com.au/.