What is Gilcee?

Giclee is a term derived from the French meaning "spray of liquid." This refers to the actual method of printing, which is on an ink jet printer (usually more sophisticated than a typical tabletop home printer). The giclee print is created from a digital file in a computer.

Most early giclee prints were reproductions of work done in oil or watercolor, scanned and reproduced in quantity at a discount price, giving the medium a questionable reputation in terms of fine art. A reproduction is a piece of art done in one medium then photographically copied and mechanically printed in quantity in a different medium. Even though the pieces may be signed and numbered, they are still reproductions, which generally have little value in the secondary market.

Today, however, artists are working directly on the computer from the start, taking advantage of digital technology to achieve results not possible with other forms of printmaking. These works, produced in signed and numbered editions like traditional prints, are considered "original prints," and not reproductions, since there is no "original" outside the computer. Early ink jet prints also faded after three or four years due to ink breakdown under ultraviolet light. Today's giclee technology offers pigmented, UV-resistant inks and specialized papers estimated to protect images from fading for more than 100 years.