As an artist, you know what happens when an artwork gets sold: it means you earn from that work only once and only one buyer gets to enjoy the beauty of your work. The inflow of money stops there, and you have to create another piece to sell.
But that is no longer the case with the availability of giclée printing in Salt Lake City, Utah. A lot of artists today can earn a steady income through reproductions of their artworks. By reproducing their art, they can get the most from their beloved works, and at the same time, they get to provide for buyers who may not have the means to get the original piece.
The Rise of Giclée Prints
“Prints” is the term used for the replica of a piece of art. It covers the art of printmaking, wherein a flat plate is used to make lithographs, monotypes, screen prints and more.
If you want to make prints of your own artwork, you must consider making giclée prints. Giclées (read as zhee-clays) is a French word, which means “to spurt” or “to squirt.” The term was coined in 1991 by an American printmaker named Jack Duganne. Giclée pertains to the use of inkjet printers in producing prints.
The process relies on the use of large-format inkjet printers with small sprayer features that allow precise matching of colors and spraying of ink. The result is a high-quality replica of the original artwork. These prints are more expensive to create than the conventional four-color offset lithography process.
But the higher cost is understandable because of the quality of the output. Other than better print quality, giclée also involves a minimal turnaround time, and the artist has better control in terms of the choice of paper and color altering.
Finding a Giclée Printer
There are many companies out there that offer giclée printing. Keep in mind though that not all printers are created equal. Good research is necessary if you want to work with a reliable printing company.
Start by asking your fellow artists. If you belong to an artist guild or community, ask them for recommendations. Once you get a few referrals, visit them one by one to inquire about their service. Ask about their offers and check out their sample products. Feel free to ask about their equipment (printers), printing techniques, and the qualities of their materials (ink, paper, frames, etc.).
A good printing company should also be able to guide you in the process of reproducing your work. This is especially important when you are just starting out in this endeavor. They must help you decide on creating editions, determining the right quantity to produce, and maybe even pricing your product.
Look for a printer that you can build a solid professional relationship with, pretty much like a partner in reaching your artist’s goals.
Giclée printing opens up great opportunities for artists to make the most out of their art. With the help of the right printer, artists can reproduce their works, expanding their sale opportunities and reaching wider markets for their art.
