Fine Art Printing

Fine art printing is the reproduction of high quality representations of an artist's originals.

When quantities of 100 limited editions or more are expected to sell then it is probably more cost effective for the artist/publisher to use a high quality waterless litho printer and acid free paper.

When the quantity is smaller, or if the artist is uncertain to how a particular collection will sell, then they may wish to consider the giclee or gouttelette production methods.

Giclee prints are digitally printed on to archival papers or canvas using a Wide Format Epson Stylus printer and specially pigmented inks. The quality of giclee prints rivals the traditional silver-halide and gelatine printing processes. It is commonly found in musuems and art galleries around the world.

Pictures above show a close up of the same picture, printed using Giclee production (left) and Litho (right).  The resolution of the image in the magnified version of the litho print is much poorer than that of the giclee print.  The litho print shows all the morie patterns & pixels which make up the image, while the giclee print shows really fine details such as the artists brush strokes and the defenition & texture of the paint used in the original.

The life expectancy of a giclee print is in excess of 100 years.  Given normal hanging or storage conditions (hung behind glass in a frame) a giclee print could have a lifespan of up to 200 years without fading or other signs of deterioration).  Care should be taken to avoid exposing them to direct sunlight, excessive heat or damp.

The main advantages of giclee printing are that the artist can order small quantities and test the market. They can then re-order the same print as and when they sell without any further additional set up costs, reducing the risky element of purchasing large quantities of prints and freeing up storage space. The other tremendous advantage of giclee printing is that after the initial set up the digital images that are held can be tailored in a variety of ways and reproduced on to various media, giving the artist the ability to customise his work for specific clients to order.

Photographic prints, watercolours, oil paintings, pastel work....MUSE can find the right media to make the reproduction of your originals look stunning.

Gouttelette (pronounced "goo-ta-let") print is the next stage along the evolutionary chain from the giclee.

Derived from the French word for "droplet", gouttelette is an entirely new digital printing process in which production of the very highest quality and fidelity to the original artwork is possible. The ability to print on both coated & uncoated papers which are excellent for image reproduction allow the ink to travel down the paper fibres more easily and in to the sheet itself (wicking).

This is what makes the results of gouttelette printing so exceptional, with the colour saturation and continuous tones for watercolour & pastel reproductions matching the originals to all but the expert eye.

Muse Print Management can help you identify the best print process for your requirements and ensure best price and best quality is delivered. Click here for a specific quote or give us a call on 0845 219 0012 or email us on quotes@muse-printmanagement.co.uk