Posters vs. Prints	What is a Giclée Print ?	Longevity

What is a Print ?

A print is a copy of an original painting produced using any mechanical method which ensures that all of the copies will be identical. Examples of fine art printing methods are : wood block prints, linocuts, silk-screens (also called serigraphs), lithographs, etchings, giclée (also called digital prints). Fine art prints are usually produced in a limited edition which means that the artist limits the final number of prints to a predetermined amount, usually between 100-750. The amount of prints in the edition is one of the factors that affects the market value - a smaller edition size makes each print rarer and therefore more valuable. If each print is individually hand-signed by the artist, it is referred to as a signed print. If the print is on paper, the artist will usually sign with pencil in the white space below the printed area. If on canvas, the artist may sign on the printed area with paint. If each print is numbered (usually in the white space below the printed area), it is referred to as a numbered print. The number 138/250, for example, means print number 138 from an edition of 250 prints. In the case of a print on canvas, since the white space below the printed area will be covered by the frame, the print number will appear on the certificate of authenticity and in some cases on the reverse side of the canvas. A small number of Artist's Proofs may be printed in addition to the total number of prints in the edition (usually not more than 20, and never more than 10% of the final edition). These are preliminary "test" prints, which are not necessarily identical to the rest of the prints. The letters A/P will be written in place of the print number. The last Artist's Proof produced is called the Bon-A-Tirer - the proof approved by the artist as the standard for comparing all subsequent prints. A Certificate of Authenticity should accompany each print (many states require this by law) which states all of the above details that are relevant to the edition. The same original picture may sometimes be produced in two or more limited editions, of differing sizes or mediums. For example, a picture may be produced as an edition of 200 in size 18 x 24, printed on paper, and also as an edition of 150 in size 24 x 32 printed on canvas. The size of both editions should be clearly stated in the certificate of authenticity of each.

Understanding the Codes that Describe a Print Edition

Next to the description of a fine art print you may notice something like the following: S/N 250 A/P 12 Giclée 17 x 22 #AB1103 This means that the print is one of a Signed and Numbered edition of 250 with an additional 12 Artists Proofs. The method of printing is Giclée (see below). The size is 17 by 22 inches. The catalogue number is AB1103.

What is the Difference Between a Poster and a Print ?

Posters, also called Reproductions, or Offset Prints because they are printed on offset printing machines, are not considered fine art prints because of the rapid deterioration of the picture (due to the unstable nature of offset inks), and are therefore priced accordingly (usually under $50). Even if printed on high-quality paper, a poster can be expected to fade within 2 years. Since blue inks are more resistant to fading, whereas reds and yellows fade quickly, the picture will seem to acquire a bluish tint over time. Although a poster may be printed as a signed and numbered limited edition, this does not add to its market resale value, which is virtually zero, except in the special case of rare vintage posters. Since these posters are often mistakenly labeled as "prints" or "lithographs" (a real lithograph will usually sell for over $100), the purchaser must ascertain what method was used to print them.

What is a Giclée Print ?

The term giclée refers to fine art prints created with a digital ink-jet printer. It is derived from the french word for "nozzle" which is "gicleur". Gicler is the french verb "to spray" (as from a nozzle). Most digital printers today use nozzles to direct ink onto paper or canvas, and thus the final product of the "spraying nozzle" is called a giclée. In the early days of ink-jet printing, most giclées were printed on Scitex Iris digital printers and hence were sometimes referred to as "Iris prints". Today, the term Giclée describes a high quality digital print produced from a wide variety of printer manufacturers, the most common being Roland, Colorspan, HP, Epson and Mutoh. These printers produce a print that is very true to the original due to printing with 6 or 8 inks rather than the normal 4 color process (besides the usual Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Black inks, there are two additional inks - Light Magenta and Light Cyan or Orange and Green). Another important factor affecting the quality of the print is the resolution of the printer - usually between 600 and 1200 dots per inch.

Longevity

Possibly the greatest concern of knowledgeable art collectors when considering the purchase of digital prints surrounds issues of stability. The International Association of Fine Art Digital Printmakers (IAFADP) recommends that printmakers should disclose which materials have been used in the manufacturing of the print, including paper and inks. The IAFADP sponsers independent testing research carried out by Wilhelm Imaging Research, whose published lists of the longevity of digital fine art inks and paper/canvas combinations can be viewed on their internet site. The life expectancy of a print, loosely defined, is the number of years before noticeable fading occurs under normal indoor lighting conditions. Since the technological advancement in this field is rapid, and new inks and papers are currently in development, any estimates more than 6 months old may be outdated. Before investing a large sum in a digital print, a collector would be wise to check that the combination of ink and paper or canvas ensures a life expectancy that will protect his investment. Certain pigment based inks can be expected to last between 70 and 200 years, whereas dye-based inks have a shorter life expectancy of 20-50 years. In spite of this, many printmakers prefer digital printers that use dye-based inks because of the exceptionally high quality and vivid color saturation which these printers achieve, as well as the ability to print on rough surfaced canvas which gives a more natural look . So there is a tradeoff between quality and longevity, which is valid as long as the customer is aware of it. Until a few years ago, only Iris printers were used to produce giclées. However, technological advancements have spawned a new generation of high resolution wide-format printers that rival Iris in print quality yet cost much less, along with new pigment based inks that perform twice as well in longevity tests. Today, the top of the line, highest quality giclées (those conforming to the TruGiclée standard of the GPA) are produced with Iris or Roland printers using pigment-based inks. (See TruGiclée ) The next best printers are Colorspan with Endurachrome inks and Epson with Epson pigmented inks. Our Deluxe Edition hand enhanced giclees are printed on a Roland with archival quality pigment-based inks which were tested by Wilhelm Research Institute and found to have an estimated longevity of between 120-130 years on paper, slightly less on canvas. The Classic Edition is printed on a Colorspan printer using Endurachrome archival quality inks on a beautifully textured canvas which other printers have not been successful with. Since these inks are dye based instead of pigment-based , thay give richer, deeper colors with a wider gamut, which many artists prefer for this reason. Their longevity is slightly inferior to the pigment-based inks, but considered satisfactory for giclées in the $500 and under range. The type of printer and ink used is always listed on the Certificate of Authenticity that comes with each print, which conforms to the legal requirements of all states in the US and follows the full disclosure guidelines, in order to provide the buyer with the maximum information possible. At "Art From The Well" we are constantly evaluating the newest technologies as they arrive on the market. For instance, we recently changed to a new improved canvas, although it involved a very costly process of re-proofing and adjusting the colors of each image. For more specific information regarding the inks and canvas used, please call or email us and we will be happy to provide more detailed explanations.

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For further information, please contact Myra Mandel at (972) 3 960-7241 or e-mail me :   joelmn@netvision.net.il