Giclee: Allpconline Company Blog
Saturday, October 28, 2006
Giclee turn around time
As we approach the holidays, the normal amount of orders we receive increases considerably. While we normally can print and ship giclees in about 5 working days if supplied with digital files, times can be longer in November and December. If we need to scan original art, the usual turnover is 10 working days. Again, we are also expecting longer periods. The best way to check is to contact us to find out the current waiting times.
Because of our stringent quality controls and color fidelity requirements, our shop does not simply put files through a printer and ship out. There are services that do so and can print and ship in a day or two. We pride ourselves of offering the best possible giclee that can be made. As with all things in life, fine quality work is not instant. This, said, we have holes in our normal printing schedule when it is possible we can send out in a matter of a couple of days.
Besides the preparation and actual printing, we do not package and ship any giclee before the pigments have stabilized by outgassing and curing. Canvas takes an extra day because of coating.
Because of our stringent quality controls and color fidelity requirements, our shop does not simply put files through a printer and ship out. There are services that do so and can print and ship in a day or two. We pride ourselves of offering the best possible giclee that can be made. As with all things in life, fine quality work is not instant. This, said, we have holes in our normal printing schedule when it is possible we can send out in a matter of a couple of days.
Besides the preparation and actual printing, we do not package and ship any giclee before the pigments have stabilized by outgassing and curing. Canvas takes an extra day because of coating.
Sunday, October 15, 2006
Giclee and the question of certificates of authenticity
After a press release we published recently, we have received a few e-mails from engravers and appraisers who question the validity of releasing a CoA for limited edition giclees. The CoA serves multiple purposes for giclee editions: first, many of our clients are digital photographers and digital artists. Giclees are the only prints available since there is in fact no original.
When it comes to actual reproductions from paintings, there is a great deal of feedback from the artists. They are very much hands on as they make decisions on color, contrast and in many cases they create giclees that are purposely different from the actual originals. For example, a painter may decide that the prints should be more saturated that the original, which is a call he or she makes. Although there is no plate to be defaced, the digital file is deleted, and it is virtually impossible for someone else to create a file identical in all aspects. Any skilled appraiser or forensic imaging expert can distinguish two prints created with 2 different files.
Giclee prints from famous artists and photographers have been bought at big house auctions for tens of thousands of dollars.
Our CoA is serialized as a convenience. The CoA not only carries the printmaker's signature, the artist signature but also print dimensions, paper type, print title and printmaker's contact details. It is not our job to assess value of the prints we make. We very strongly suggest that the artist or photographer sign the giclee because CoAs can be lost and we will not replace them.
One can question the authenticy of a reproduction series made by scanning an original. What authenticity means is pretty straight forward. The artist declares the reproductions to be released by him or her, not someone else who violated copyrights and is selling illegal reproductions. The artist signs the prints as well as the certificates. We always give the example of Leonardo da Vinci. He was someone willing to break new grounds, inventing machines well ahead of their time. If he had perfected a giclee inkjet printer, had made a 100 LE of his famous Mona Lisa and signed CoAs as well as the giclees, would an appraiser argue that these giclees have little or no value? Let's go a step further. If the Mona Lisa original was lost of destroyed, what would happen to the value of the LE? As always technology is a step ahead but eventually the community catches up. As you all know by now, black and white film has been discontinued by a major manufacturer. Estimates are that we have reached the very end of product life for black and white traditional photography. Color is following closely. If Ansel Adams was alive today and decided to use a very high resolution digital camera to continue his photography, he would probably choose giclee as his preferred method. Blacks are fantastic, papers are fiber base and archival. Mr Adams used the zone system and burned/dodged prints quite a bit in the darkroom. These are tools that can be used in Photoshop. If Mr Adams created a single giclee print after capture and manipulation, then destroyed the file, would anyone argue the giclee is in fact not an original?
When it comes to actual reproductions from paintings, there is a great deal of feedback from the artists. They are very much hands on as they make decisions on color, contrast and in many cases they create giclees that are purposely different from the actual originals. For example, a painter may decide that the prints should be more saturated that the original, which is a call he or she makes. Although there is no plate to be defaced, the digital file is deleted, and it is virtually impossible for someone else to create a file identical in all aspects. Any skilled appraiser or forensic imaging expert can distinguish two prints created with 2 different files.
Giclee prints from famous artists and photographers have been bought at big house auctions for tens of thousands of dollars.
Our CoA is serialized as a convenience. The CoA not only carries the printmaker's signature, the artist signature but also print dimensions, paper type, print title and printmaker's contact details. It is not our job to assess value of the prints we make. We very strongly suggest that the artist or photographer sign the giclee because CoAs can be lost and we will not replace them.
One can question the authenticy of a reproduction series made by scanning an original. What authenticity means is pretty straight forward. The artist declares the reproductions to be released by him or her, not someone else who violated copyrights and is selling illegal reproductions. The artist signs the prints as well as the certificates. We always give the example of Leonardo da Vinci. He was someone willing to break new grounds, inventing machines well ahead of their time. If he had perfected a giclee inkjet printer, had made a 100 LE of his famous Mona Lisa and signed CoAs as well as the giclees, would an appraiser argue that these giclees have little or no value? Let's go a step further. If the Mona Lisa original was lost of destroyed, what would happen to the value of the LE? As always technology is a step ahead but eventually the community catches up. As you all know by now, black and white film has been discontinued by a major manufacturer. Estimates are that we have reached the very end of product life for black and white traditional photography. Color is following closely. If Ansel Adams was alive today and decided to use a very high resolution digital camera to continue his photography, he would probably choose giclee as his preferred method. Blacks are fantastic, papers are fiber base and archival. Mr Adams used the zone system and burned/dodged prints quite a bit in the darkroom. These are tools that can be used in Photoshop. If Mr Adams created a single giclee print after capture and manipulation, then destroyed the file, would anyone argue the giclee is in fact not an original?
