From: Jack Fulton (jefulton1@attbi.com)
Date: 06/23/03-12:28:49 AM Z
Catherine:
The term has been employed to convince an unknowing public into thinking
an ink-jet print is something more than it is. I do not know my French that
well but the common translation I've heard is that of "squirt". Ink-jet
printers, originally the Iris printer, squirt tiny drops of ink which are
precisely placed giving the illusion of a continuous tonality.
I believe that purveyors of such prints Vs the photographic print needed
to use some term to substantiate worth. You might remember in the medium of
photography we first sold black and prints. They were called photographs. So
were color prints. Then, as the monetary value rose, dealers began to notice
some images lasted longer. Some photographers then guaranteed their work
through consistent processing . . and on it went. Now we have 'chromogenic'
(color), 'silver gelatin' (b/w), non-silver processes (a misnomer), all
attempts to distinguish what is what. The 'Giclee', originally used by the
Iris prints, faded . and even washed away . . but, they were beautiful.
Apparently the French use the term as a slang word for the male
ejaculation, hence some laughter at the term overall. But, really, any
person with a decent printer these days can call their work giclee prints.
The more pretentious the person the more apt they'll employ the term.
Jack Fulton
Below is a typical web site statement . . .
INTRODUCING GICLEE PRINTS
The art of fine art printing has become even more precise with the advent
of the revolutionary Giclee (ghee-clay) printing process. A Giclee Print is
as rewarding visually as it is technically amazing. For brilliant, exquisite
color and razor sharp detail it is unsurpassed. This type of art
reproduction is quickly becoming the new standard in the art industry, and
is widely embraced for its quality by major museums, galleries, publishers,
and artists.
A Giclee Print is simply the closest duplication of an original artwork
that is humanly, mechanically, or technically possible.
The cornerstone of this process are enhanced digital ink jet printers
which are specifically designed for the rigorous and precise criteria of
fine art collectors and connoisseurs of museum quality, limited edition
prints.
The word Giclee itself is French, and means spurt or squirt, in this case
meaning, "spray of ink". From a hundred of inkjets more than a million
droplets of ink per second are sprayed on a canvas or watercolor paper
spinning on a drum. Once completed an image is comprised of almost 20
billion droplets of ink. The latest Giclee Printing Technology enhanced the
standard 4-color process to a 12-color process.
The resulting print has no perceptible dot pattern, an endless array of
richly saturated color, and every nuance of the original image. The most
archival, water based light-fast inks available in the world are used. The
latest inks offer up to 70-year light-fastness and UV-resistance under
museum archival condition.
> I am curious. A friend of mine told me her very large prints on paper and
> transparency film were glicee prints as the printer kept insisting on
> calling the prints glicee. They looked like ink jet prints to me. He didn't
> tell her what printer he was using. Could someone clarify please? (Sil?)
>
> many thanks
> Catherine
>
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.5 : 07/09/03-08:31:13 AM Z CST