A wonderful new process of reproducing an original work of art has emerged in this age of computers and top quality printers. It is another art term using the French lanquage, as in trompe-l'oeil or plein air. It is giclée (pronounced gee-clay).
The most common method of reproducing a work of art is offset lithography. A lithograph, or commonly known just as a "print", is made using color separations. The artwork is photographed and broken down into four colors-cyan,magenta, yellow, and black.A plate is made for each color. These four colors when combined in different values, can recreate any color image. The paper is run across each of the four color plates in turn, laying on the color in an array of tiny dots, creating the final lithography print.
A giclée is possible because of today's computers and scanners. The artwork is scanned and saved as an electronic file. The file is loaded into the high tech, ink-jet printer and the giclée is printed as a continuous spray of ink onto paper or canvas.
The final product of the giclée print looks like the original in texture and color.... You often have to be an expert to tell a giclée from the original.
A representative from a printing and publishing company that specializes in giclée prints, explains, "One giclée takes over an hour on the printer, requires the finest archival inks, canvas and watercolor paper, and is produced in small quantities. Lithographic prints sell from $45-$350 dollars, where giclées start around $350 dollars. You will find giclées in fine art galleries selling right along side originals."