Giclee Information

This chapter will focus both on setting up your giclee printing system as the option to outsource your work to a professional printer.

Giclee printing in house

A total giclee printing system depends in cost mostly on desired output size. If you do not need anything larger than 24" in width, professional grade printers start at around $2000. The next step is the 44" range. Beyond that, 60" printers as well some 72" machines are available. Generally speaking, with the 24" option, you can get away with mid range scanners as well a 10+ megapixel camera. 44" and wider printers require higher end cameras and scanning systems. In order for example to capture a 30X40 or larger piece of artwork you need to go to progressive scan backs or 20, 30 or 40 megapixel cameras such as Hasselblad. Lighting is very important. Pro flash systems start at $2000 and up. Photoshop is a must, as well as a powerful computer with a calibrated CRT monitor. And, of course, the skills to color correct a scanned image are essential. No scan or digital capture comes out perfect.

Hiring a giclee printer

Many printers make giclee but only a handful are true specialists. Ask for recommendations and possibly a couple of current clients you can contact. All printers provide proofs and some send samples out. Take samples with a grain of salt. Samples are good just to see what materials are used but they are worthless if you really need to see whether the company has good calibration in place, not to mention the skills to make your work look good.

My suggestion is to try a proof if you have a digital file available. See how the company deals with you. Are they really looking at the file or do they just print it. If a digital file is not available, send out for a small job. I repeated this throughout the site but I will say it again: stick with specialists. It is a field with nothing in common with other printing areas. It takes the right equipment, right materials and an artistic as well as technical sense that only comes with talent and experience.