Famous artists do it. Leading galleries do it. World-class museums do it. Even unknown artists do it. What all of them "do" is use the revolutionary process known as giclée or digital printing to create, show, and sell original works of art, multiple originals, and extraordinarily accurate reproductions.

These giclée prints - a blend of fine art and state-of-the-art technology - are a far cry from the earlier Iris prints developed for posters and proofing. Printed on the highest quality archival substrates and inks, the new giclées have all the continuous tone characteristics and color saturation of the original work of art. In fact, when hand embellished by the artists, they are themselves an original work of art.

Blending Art and Technology

Giclée prints can be original art generated in the computer, multiple originals based on artwork created in or out of the computer specifically for the process, or high quality reproductions of original artwork.

For reproductions, the technical part of the giclée process typically begins with either a digital photo of an original art work or a scan of a high quality copy transparency of the artwork. In either case the file is downloaded onto a computer. In many cases the artist and/or publisher sit down with the printmaker at a high resolution monitor to crop, size, adjust softening and highlighting, adjust color, or possibly to manipulate all or selective parts of an image. This is all done with sophisticated graphics software, and the possibilities for experimentation are virtually endless. A series of proofs helps fine-tune the image in preparation for the final printing.

Once the final proof (also known as the bon-a-tirer) is signed by the artist, the actual printmaking process is ready to begin. At this point the paper, canvas, or other substrate is wrapped around a large drum in the printer. After careful cleaning of the substrate, the digital file representing the approved proof is processed by a computer controlling the printer, and the actual printmaking begins.

As the large drum rotates at a very high, controlled speed, a set of four nozzles begins to slowly traverse across the drum. As these four nozzles - one for each of the process colors of cyan, magenta, yellow, and black - move across the drum, a highly controlled, incredibly small stream of ink is directed at the paper. This stream of ink is composed of individual drops, each about three picoliters in volume (smaller than a red blood cell). It is controlled by the computer so that the image is faithfully reproduced on the spinning drum. After 45 to 60 minutes the printing process is complete.

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Choosing the right substrate for the job is critical. Giclées can be printed on most absorbent media - from acid free paper and canvas to silk and leather - up to 35 x 47 inches. The most frequent media is high quality watercolor paper and canvas.

Archival characteristics or permanency is a very important factor in fine art printing. The weight of the paper, its texture and its color are artistic decisions. The size and price of the medium is an economic decision.

Printers belonging to the International Association of Fine Art Digital Printmakers (IAFADP) have agreed to provide customers with all the information required to make informed decisions about the material used in creating their prints.

With an apparent 1800 d.p.i. (dots per inch) visual resolution and no "digital signature," it's not surprising that distinguishing a giclée print from an original is very difficult. And it's only going to become more difficult as new digital print technology produces more life-like prints better, faster and cheaper than ever before.

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The Fading/Permanence Issue

From the beginning, giclée prints have been under the critical microscope, more so than any other art medium. And probably for good reason. The inks used in the early days of Iris printing were beautiful but highly fugitive, meaning they lasted for only two or three years before noticeable fading began. Unfortunately, some printers used these inks when printing fine art prints, which led to the perception that giclées, as a rule, tended to fade.

That was then. Now, thanks to the efforts of Henry Wilhelm of Wilhelm Imaging Research, Inc. and the IAFADP, standards are being developed and accurate information about the archival characteristics of inks and papers is being published. To develop the information, Wilhelm tested the inks on specific substrates in controlled environments that approximated the lighting in an "average" gallery. He found no noticeable fading for 20 to 24 years on the papers most commonly used for fine art printing, and even longer on some papers.

The tradeoff is between the permanency of ink and its color gamut. As inks become more permanent they also tend to have a reduced color range. This tradeoff is very clear today as the two most popular inks for fine art printing each have different strengths. The soon-to-be-released fine art ink set from Lyson has a 65- to 75-year life on some media.

However, the color space of this ink, while acceptable to many, is far smaller than the other popular ink, Equipoise, which is produced by Iris Graphics. The Equipoise inks are very clean and strong in the magenta color range, which translates to cleaner and brighter reds, oranges, and violets. This new information and the explosive growth of the industry has spurred the development of a new generation of fine art inks that offers all the permanence expected of a work of fine art. It has also infused the art community with confidence about giclées and rendered ink permanence a non-issue.

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Choosing the right giclée printer should be like choosing any other long-term partner, since changing horses midstream is an expensive proposition. It's important to get the full picture of the printer's capabilities beforehand. What is the creative process? How much collaboration takes place between artist and technician? How skilled is the printer? Is he willing and able to experiment to obtain the best result? Does he carry a wide selection of the highest quality materials - and can he guarantee their authenticity? Is he capitalized to meet your current and future production requirements?

The Full Spectrum of Printers

The cost, quality, and production capabilities of giclée printers are as varied as the artworks they print. Most fall into one of four basic categories: so-called "celebrity" printers who focus on big name artists, require a high level of collaboration, and are highly service oriented; artistic/value printers who focus on mainstream artists, offering a moderate level of collaboration, good service, and high-quality archival products; service bureau printers who focus on the high-volume/price sensitive market that will accept a low level of collaboration; and traditional pre-press printers who frequently produce a non-archival product by using existing pre-press equipment and materials.

Choose Your Printer Carefully

Even mundane details like shipping are critical. Does this printer custom package to protect the prints? Are prints shipped flat whenever possible? Are they shipped on time?

None of these issues should be overlooked in choosing a giclée printer. Because as more vendors enter the market, most everyone will have the same technology, and it will be the individual skill and craft of the printmaker that will determine the salability of a print.

The Bottom Line

The market for giclée prints is growing fast. In a total fine art print market that's increasing by about 3 percent a year, the market for giclée is growing at more than 60 percent a year. In dollars, that represents sales of $160 million in a total retail market of $2.8 billion where offset lithography and serigraphy are king.

Beyond the aesthetic reasons for this explosion are several basic business reasons. From a practical standpoint, giclée printing is just plain faster and more cost-effective than traditional fine art printing methods.

Images can be reproduced in small quantities and stored electronically. This means a gallery can re-order "on demand," with a consistent product guaranteed every time. Gone is the need for and expense of maintaining a large inventory.

For some galleries, giclée have also opened new opportunities: for self-publishing an artist or group of artists; for testing the waters with works of lesser known, unproven artists; and for experimenting with small editions of works with a narrower market appeal. Giclées have also proven to be a good, affordable way of keeping artists happy by simply publishing more of their work.

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For traditional artists, the giclée process yields beautiful prints as reproductions or multiple originals that are hand embellished. For photographers, giclees are a way of producing work with a painterly quality that eliminates the polyester look and is more accepted by traditional galleries. For digital artists, giclée are a way of creating output of a caliber expected by galleries and customers.

It is doubtful that giclée prints will replace serigraphs, lithographs, or any other art form, but they will continue to capture an increasing share of the fine art print market as they help that market grow. If acceptance of giclée prints by artists, galleries and museums everywhere is any indication, giclée prints could be in your future.

(Michael Brown is president/owner of Hunter Editions, fine art giclee printers in Kennebunkport, Maine.)