The word “giclee” means a spray or a spurt of liquid. A giclee print on watercolour paper or canvas begins with the original artwork being captured by a digital scanning camera which transmits the information directly into a computer. Ink colours are then matched to the original piece of art and proofs are presented to the artist for approval.
The works of art can be printed in a small run and the prints have a higher effective resolution than lithographs. Another advantage is that artwork can be reproduced to almost any size and on various media, giving the artist the ability to customize for a specific client. Once an image is digitally archived, additional reproduction can be made with minimal effort and reasonable cost. All giclee prints are coated with an ultraviolet ray (UV) inhibitor and have a life expectancy of 100 years.
The artist can also “embellish” the prints thus making each reproduction a unique work of art by the artist. There is still only one original.