Choosing a Giclee Printing Service Part 1
These are some of the most commonly asked question we get at Wild Faces Gallery. (WFG) I am going to include what we do (in italics) to give you an idea of how we handle the process. For more information on our process and pricing you can visit our giclee website WildFacesGiclee.com
Since the post got rather huge, I divided it up into two entries. The remainder of the questions will be posted tomorrow.
What is the difference between a Print and a Reproduction? There is much debate about whether the word “print” can (should) be used as a descriptive of any reproduction created by either offset lithography or giclee. There are some who think the word “print” should be used exclusively as a title regarding photography, relief woodcuts, intaglio (like etchings) lithography (not to be confused with offset lithography) and serigraphy. Each of these methods is considered an original work of art.
For the intents and purpose of this post, (my blog and websites) I use the word print as synonymous to the word reproduction. Perhaps it is because I grew up in the industry, during the decades when Limited Edition Reproductions where having a hay-day. And they (major printing houses) adopted the word print as a descriptive of offset lithographic prints, as did giclee later on. Whether right or wrong it is how I view it, and I use the word print in a like manner.
” . . . even after all these years selling my artwork, I still don’t know which images will sell and which will languish. I can’t predict a successful seller anymore than I can predict this weeks winning lotto numbers.”
Why should I choose giclee over more traditional methods for my art? Giclee printing method is best when large quantities of prints are not required. You can choose to get only a handful of reproductions to see how well they will sell. And when they do sell, you can order more. With giclee printing there is no big financial hit, where you get a 1000 images and hope you sell enough to cover your costs.
The truth is, even after all these years selling my artwork, I still don’t know which images will sell and which will languish. I can’t predict a successful seller anymore than I can predict this weeks winning lotto numbers. So we print a few and see what happens.
Our setup fee for paper prints is $200. That includes scanning complete with a cd copy for you, color correction, proofing, and a $75 credit to go towards your initial print run. Shipping fees are additional.
How do I find a good giclee printer? The best way to find a trustworthy printer is by word of mouth. Either ask your artist friends, who does their printing and why. Or if you have a printer your interested in, you can always ask them for references. No one knows what issues arise, better than other artists.
Do I need to send my original? We prefer to have the original painting so we can create a quality scan. Also it is essential for color proofing. The average consumer grade digital camera files generally don’t provide sufficient resolution for a good quality image. So whenever possible we’d like the original.
What kind of equipment and materials do they use? Bear in mind that any print produced on an inkjet printer can probably legally be called a giclee. So ask what they’re level of experience is, as well as the equipment and materials used.
Since the equipment and papers are constantly being improved and since everyone has a different set of criteria for what they want from their prints, I can’t really tell you what is the best option. So do your homework and find out what will provide you with the best print to supply your needs.
” So to sum up, ask about the files. For the love of God (or whatever spiritual deity you believe in) ask!”
How do they create a digital file. Do they photograph it or scan it. Is their scanner a flatbed or drum? Generally a drum scanner is thought to offer a slightly better scan. We however use a flatbed scanner. This means we can scan canvas paintings while on stretcher bars.
Do I get a copy of the digital Files? Some printers view that as their work and may not give you a copy of the files. We have done some work for one such artist whose previous giclee company went out of business. All the files that they did for her were lost and she had to start from scratch with us.
We make two copies of the files and one is given to the client. We keep a copy as a courtesy, so they can call us up and order more without shipping the cd back and forth. However the copy we give the artist is the important one. We bear no liability if we lose or destroy our copy.
Here is another story to further illustrate my point that having issues with files is not an isolated case. I received a call yesterday from a giclee client whom we did a printing for this past summer. He called to order more prints but seemed to have some trepidation in his voice when he placed the order. I said “sure, we’ll have them in the mail by Monday.” The relief from him was palpable.
He went on to explain that the last giclee company he worked with had scanned the original, run the prints and mailed them out to him. “Okay” I thought, “that sounds about right.” He then goes on to say when it came time to reorder they said “they” didn’t keep any files in house (nor did they give him a set.) They reacted like he was a little out of touch for thinking they would house any files for their multude of clients. They assumed he ordered all he wanted the first time and that was all he was going to get. So to sum up, ask about the files. For the love of God (or whatever spiritual deity you believe in) ask!
Very interesting and informative. Very important point about the retention of the file! Angela