Lithographs:

Printing technique using a planographic process in which prints are pulled on a special press from a flat stone or metal surface that has been chemically sensitised so that ink sticks only to the design areas, and is repelled by the non-image areas. Alois Senefelder invented lithography in 1798, in Solnhofen, Germany.  The early history of lithography is dominated by great French artists such as Daumier and Delacroix, and later by Degas, Toulouse-Lautrec, Picasso, Braque and Miro.

Offset Lithograph:

A special photo-mechanical technique in which the image to be printed is transferred to the negative plates and printed onto papers. Offset lithograph is very well adapted to colour printing. In the process of producing limited editions the finest reprographic techniques are used to split the original painting into the four printing colours. High quality mechanical printing then enables the translation of this image onto paper. The plates are destroyed in order that the authenticity and integrity of the limited edition print is maintained.

Serigraphs - Silkscreen Prints:

These are created by the long established method, which, in simple terms, is a stencil printing process in which colour, ususally paint or ink is passed through a fine screen onto paper. The screen traditionally used comprises a fine weave silk, or similiar, pulled over & secured to the frame. The silk is then masked excepting those areas where the paint is required to pass through. As each individual colour and shade requires a seperate screen the whole process is lengthy and requires considerable skill. Slowly then, screen by screen, with precise alignment the final image is worked towards. The artist involved during the creation of each edition, approving various stages and often making changes and additions, adding to the originiality of the final item.

Iris or Giclee:

Giclee (zhee-clay) is a French term, in this case meaning 'spray of ink'. An Iris ink jet print on watercolour paper is known as a Giclee.

A Giclee os a means of reproducing an original; it is not an original graphic but a fine quality reproduction print. In many cases, that quality is high enough to reproduce an original in a way that many find superior to that of a serigraph or lithograph. Many artists have chosen Giclee prints precisely for this reason. The want the finest rendition of their originals.

It is an amazing print technique that truly captures the essence of an original painting. With watercolour, the washes flow onto the paper, and the colours can be as bold or subtle, as you want them to be. Even the white of the papers shows through in the same way as the original.

With oil, the process captures the true texture of a piece. The Giclee process really saturates the colours, and accurately presents the textures found in an oil painting allowing viewers to feel the quality of the original in the Giclee print.

The professional workmanship provides a high level of quality. The apparent resolution of the digital print is 1800 dots per inch, which is higher than the traditional lithograph print and has a wider colour gamut than serigraphy. Giclee prints render deep, saturated colours and has a beautiful painterly quality that retains minute detail, subtle tints and blends.

A variety of substrates can be used. This includes archival watercolour papers, such as Arches; Somerset, glossy paper and cotton duck canvas. The prints may be hand embellished by the artist using paint, ink and gold foil stamping for a mixed media effect.

Iris Giclee Prints have an impressive exhibition record. They have been shown in museums and galleries throughout the world.

The production of a Giclee print is not an automatic process. The human touch us critical in several phases of the Giclee process.

First Giclee prints begin as original art. Second the work is scanned into the computer, where it is colour corrected. That colour correction requires an experienced eye and touch in making the proper adjustments in tone, contrast, sharpness and the other factors to produce a print that faithfully reproduces the original. Third, in matching the computer image with the final print, a practised eye must make adjustments for the best results.

And last, the printer itself needs steady attention to produce consistent, quality results. In short, the human hand is part of every step of the Giclee process.

Indeed, the difference between a quality printer and one that is not, lies almost entirely in the human involvement and craftsmanship.

When it comes to fine art prints, giclees are not alone in the use of computers. The difference between print medial is less than you may think. For example, virtually all images produced as offset lithographs are scanned into a computer where they are colour corrected before being output as film and press plates. Similarly, a growing number of serigraphs are being printed with silkscreens generated by a computer, from scans made from transparencies of the original works. The true difference between giclee's and these other types of prints lies in the printing device. For offser lithographs, that printing device is offset press. For serigraphs the ink is applied by hand over the computer generated screens. For a Giclee print the printing takes place on an Iris continuous tone ink printer.

With giclee's, the tools have changed as the technology has changed. There is still plenty of human involvement, from the creation of the original, to the choice of using giclees by the artist and publisher, and the maintenance of quality throughout the production cycle by the printer. Specialist light fast inks are guaranteed for 100 years and seal the quality of the product.

Common Art Print Terms:

Acid-Free Paper or Canvas:

Paper or canvas treated to neutralise its natural acidity in order to protect fine art and photographic prints from discoloration and deterioration.

Canvas Transfer:

Art reproduction on canvas, which is created by a process such as serigraphy, photo-mechanical, or Giclee printing. Some processes can recreate the texture; brush strokes and aged appearance of the original work of art.

Limited Edition:

Set of identical prints numbered in succession and signed by the artist. The total number of prints is fixed or 'limited' by the artist who supervises the printing him/her self. All additional prints have been destroyed.

Monoprint:

One-of-a-kind print conceived by the artist and printed by, or under the artist's supervision.

Montage (Collage)

An artowrk comprising portions of various exisiting images such as from photographs or prints and arranged so that they join, overlap or blend to create a new image.

Print Proof Types:

Proofs are prints authorised by the artist in addition to the limited edition signed and numbered edition. The total size of an art edition consists of the signed and numbered prints plus all outstanding proofs. If a set of proofs consists of more than one print, numbers are inscribed to indicate the number of the print within the total number of the particular type of proof (e.g AP5/20 means the fifth print in a set of 20 identical prints authorised as artist's proofs). The artist, as a validation of the prints generally signs proofs.

Artist Proofs:

Print intended for the artist's personal use. It is a common practice to reserve approximately ten percent of an edition as artist's proofs, although this figure can be higher. The artist's proof is sometimes referred to by its French name, epreuve d'artist (abbreviated to E.A). Artist's proofs can be distinguished by the abbreviation AP or EA, commonly on the lower left corner of the work.

Hors d'Commerce Proof:

Print identical to the edition print intended to be used as samples to show dealers and galleries. Hors d'Commerce (abbreviated HC) proofs may or may not be signed by the artist.

Printers Proof:

Print retained by the printer as a reference. Artists often sign these prints as a gesture of appreciation.