Giclee Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What are there significant quality differencesfrom an authorized dealer, the prints are
between these types of prints?considered to be on the Secondary Market. This
A: In terms of resolution, a giclee print has themeans that the print can be bought and sold by
highest resolution and color range.any dealer or individual, often above issue price,
Giclee printmaking offers one of the highestdepending on supply and demand.
degrees of accuracy and richness of colorQ: What is meant by the term 'Archival' and
available in any reproductions technique. Giclee'acid-free'?
printmaking provides a luminosity and brilliance thatA: Paper or canvas treated to neutralize its
represents the artist's original work better thannatural acidity in order to protect fine art and
any reproduction technique available today.photographic prints from discoloration and
A Serigraph is created when paint is 'pushed'deterioration.
through a silkscreen onto paper or canvas. AQ: Why does it take longer to get my Limited
different screen is used for each color in the print,Edition print than it does to get a poster?
and this results in a print with great color densityA: Each limited edition is ordered from the
and many qualities of the original piece in terms ofpublisher upon immediate demand. Therefore, we
color saturation. This process also adds somemust take shipping time into account. In the event
texture to the final product.that you choose to have your limited edition print
A Lithograph is the least manually intensiveframe then you must also allow time to custom
reproduction technique, and in turn, is not asframe your print to your exact specifications.
expensive as a serigraph or giclee. AlthoughQ: What is an Artist's Proof, or what does A/P
images can have a high resolution, and excellentmean?
appearance, they will not have the same degreeA: A small group of prints set aside from an
of color fastness, resolution or color density as aedition for an artist's or printer's use. Typically
serigraph or giclee.some of the first prints pulled from a limited
Q: Why do Giclee prints have serial numbers?edition of prints, they are marked as an A.P. and
A: The serial number is used to indicate that a[sometimes] left unnumbered. Artist's proofs
limited edition has been signed and numbered bygenerally draw a higher price than other
the artist himself/herself.impressions.
Q: Will the value of a limited edition increase likeQ: Why are Limited Edition prints so much more
other collector's items?expensive?
A: Being limited in number, demand for certainA: The premium price of limited editions is a
limited edition prints can be greater than thefunction of the limited supply of each product, and
number of reproductions produced for the edition.the exceptionally high quality of these prints.
Once an edition is sold out from the publisher,Typically, the more manually intensive the process
which means that the print is no longer availableis, the more each limited edition print will cost.
from the publisher, but they may still be availableQ: What is a Limited Edition?