×

New York

  • Monday - Friday

    8pm - 5am
  • Saturday

    8pm - 2am
  • Sunday

    Closed

Seattle

  • Monday - Friday

    8pm - 5am
  • Saturday

    8pm - 2am
  • Sunday

    Closed

Need Help?

Contact Us

SIGN IN YOUR ACCOUNT TO HAVE ACCESS TO DIFFERENT FEATURES

CREATE AN ACCOUNT FORGOT YOUR PASSWORD?

FORGOT YOUR DETAILS?

AAH, WAIT, I REMEMBER NOW!

CREATE ACCOUNT

ALREADY HAVE AN ACCOUNT?
Need Help? call: 406-498-3401
  • CUSTOMER SUPPORT
  • SHIPPING & DELIVERY
  • SIGN UP
  • LOGIN
  • INFO

Sallie Bowen Studios

  • HOME
  • GALLERY
    • Botanical
    • Butte, Montana
    • Landscapes of the Mind
    • Landscapes of the West
    • On A Small Scale
    • Travel
  • SHOP
    • Botanical
    • Butte Collection
    • Landscapes of the Mind
    • Landscapes of the West
    • On A Small Scale
    • Travel
    • Cards
  • NEWS & EVENTS
  • BLOG
  • ABOUT
    • CONTACT
PROMOTIONS
  • No products in cart.
  • Home
  • Blog
  • Buying Art
  • Giclee? What is it? Questions you should ask
admin
Saturday, 20 January 2018 / Published in Buying Art

Giclee? What is it? Questions you should ask

cherubs flooring in a warm, undefined space

Prints, Reproductions and Originals, and now, Giclee?

Giclee is another word to add to the confusion for new art buyers. In my previous blog, I defined the terms: prints, reproductions and originals. Giclee is a fairly new word, invented in 1991 by Jack Duganne. In French, it refers to the ink spray coming from an inkjet printer’s nozzles.

I see giclees in many frame shops and shows where these are labeled “giclee prints”. Although a printer is used, they are not an art print. A woodblock, silkscreen, or etching are types of prints and are created as such. The artist works on a plate, be it plastic, metal, wood, silk or other material, to create original prints. In most cases, the process of making the print takes a press. Sometimes these are referred to as “multiple originals.”

With a reproduction, a copy is made from an original  painting or drawing.  Often this takes the form of a digital photo. Hence, this process does not have to be done by the artist. They may be sold as posters, cards, postcards or misnamed as “prints”. For example, although C.M. Russell died in 1926, reproductions are still being made of his original drawings, oils, and watercolors. You can visit any museum’s gift shop and find reproductions of many famous artists’ work and these were produced in most cases long after these artists died.

If a giclee is a copy of an original drawing or painting, then the product is a reproduction and not a print. If you ask, “why does it matter?”, I would say that the price should reflect the value of the artwork.  All things being equal, an original should cost more than a print or reproduction. A reproduction’s value should be the lowest of the three types of art products.

  • Tweet
Tagged under: Novice Art Buyer

What you can read next

limited edition print
Original, Print, or Reproduction?
Sallie Bowen Studios Snoqualmie, painted on d'Arches paper.
Buying an Original Watercolor
Pink Roses, fugitive color
Fugitive Colors: What are they? Why does Beauty Fade?

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recent Posts

  • Sallie Bowen Marcus Daly Legacy

    Watercolor Show: Uptown Cafe, uptown Butte, Mt.

      A watercolor show of the work of Patti H...
  • The Chinese Experience: Painting and Culture

    The Chinese Experience: Initial Impressions in ...
  • Personal Style, finding who you are as an artist

    Personal Style in your artistic growth.

        Finding your own Personal Style: Personal s...
  • Imagination in Sallie Bowen's Skullduggery came from playing with the composition, juxtaposing positions, arbitrary color

    Imagination and the Right Brain: setting the stage.

    Imagination and the Right Brain: Imagination wi...
  • Sallie Bowen Studios Rippling Hills, Shining River

    Right Brain/Left Brain: What type of thinker are you?

    Right Brain or Left Brain? Which are You? Are y...

Recent Comments

    Archives

    • September 2018
    • July 2018
    • June 2018
    • May 2018
    • April 2018
    • March 2018
    • February 2018
    • January 2018

    Categories

    • Buying Art
    • Colors
    • Drawing
    • History
    • Inspiration
    • Materials
    • Painting
    • Permanency
    • Right Brain Left Brain
    • Technique
    • Travel
    • Uncategorized
    • Watercolor

    Meta

    • Register
    • Log in
    • Entries feed
    • Comments feed
    • WordPress.org

    NEWSLETTER

    Stay updated with our latest offers.

    NAVIGATION

    • HOME
    • GALLERY
    • SHOP
    • NEWS & EVENTS
    • BLOG
    • ABOUT

    FOLLOW US

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    TOP