The Language of Art

Giclee – The French word “giclée” is a feminine noun that means a spray or a spurt of liquid. The word may have been derived from the French verb “gicler” meaning “to squirt”. The term “giclee print” connotes an elevation in printmaking technology. Images are generated from high resolution digital scans and printed with archival quality inks onto various substrates including canvas, fine art, and photo-base paper. The giclee printing process provides better color accuracy than other means of reproduction today.

Limited Edition – A limited number of identical prints numbered in succession and signed and supervised by the artist. Any additional prints have been destroyed.

Artist’s Proof (AP) – Print intended for the artist’s personal use. It is common practice to reserve approximately ten percent of an edition as artist’s proofs, although this figure can be higher. The artist’s proof is sometimes referred to by its French épreuve d’artist (abbreviation E.A.). Artist’s proofs can be distinguished by the abbreviation AP or E.A., commonly on the lower left of the work. A lot of artists today are opting for printing their work on demmand as Giclee prints. They signed their work as AP.

Serigraphy (Silk-screen) – A printing technique that makes use of a squeegee to force ink directly onto a piece of paper or canvas through a stencil creating an image on a screen of silk or other fine fabric with an impermeable substance. Serigraphy differs from most other printing in that its color areas are paint films rather than printing ink stain.

Etching – Printing technique in which a metal plate is first covered with an acid-resistant material, then worked with an etching needle to create an intaglio image. The exposed metal is eaten away in an acid bath, creating depressed lines that are later inked for printing.

Lithography – Printing technique using a planographic process in which prints are pulled on a special press from a flat stone or metal surface that has been chemically sensitized so that ink sticks only to the design areas and is repelled by the non-image areas.

Offset Lithography – A special photo-mechanical technique in which the image to be printed is transferred to the negative plates and printed onto paper. Offset lithography is very well adapted to color printing. Offset lithographs are usually printed in high editions.

Mixed Media is a very flexible term and literally means using more than one kind of medium, such as acrylic paint and pencil or placing found objects in an oil painting. Most Giclée print substrates like watercolor paper or canvas can be painted on and the simplest way to create added value to a Giclée print is to simply paint over it to some extent. This embellishes the art work itself and if done well can enhance a print with it’s own personality and make it an original artwork itself.