Giclée printing has become the gold standard for fine art reproduction over the last 30 years—and for good reason. Artists, photographers, and collectors choose giclée prints for their unmatched quality, longevity, and color accuracy. Here’s why this process stands apart from other printing methods.
1. Superior Archival Quality
Giclée prints last. With current technology, a properly made giclée print can maintain its color and clarity for over 200 years. That kind of archival durability comes from two key factors: pigment-based inks and acid-free substrates.
Giclée printers spray pigment-based inks onto specially coated paper or canvas. Unlike standard dye inks, these pigments are resistant to fading and environmental damage. The word giclée comes from the French word giclée, meaning “to spray,” and was coined to distinguish this high-end technique from common inkjet printing.
At Grand River Giclée, we use 100% cotton papers that are naturally acid-free and contain no optical brightening agents (OBAs). OBAs may make paper appear whiter initially, but they fade and compromise archival quality over time. We avoid them entirely to ensure museum-grade longevity.
2. Exceptional Color Accuracy and Range
Giclée printing reproduces color with a richness and subtlety that most printing methods can’t match. Traditional offset lithography, for example, uses only four inks: cyan, magenta, yellow, and black (CMYK). That limits its ability to render fine tonal variation and vivid colors.
Our printers use up to 12 pigment-based inks, including light versions of cyan and magenta, plus orange, green, violet, and multiple black/gray inks. This expanded palette lets us recreate a broader color gamut, with smoother gradients and more accurate skin tones, shadows, and highlights. Whether you’re printing a watercolor painting or a digital photograph, the results are true to your original vision.
3. Flexible, On-Demand Printing
With traditional printing methods, producing high-quality art prints often meant committing to hundreds of copies to keep the cost per print reasonable. Giclée eliminates that barrier. Artists and photographers can offer limited editions or print on demand without sacrificing consistency or professionalism.
Although we do offer discounts for ordering multiple prints, you can order a single print, or several, and each one will match in color and quality. This flexibility makes it easier to manage inventory, fulfill orders as they come in, and avoid waste.
In fact, unless you are stocking up for a show, you can just order prints from us as you receive orders from your customers. Most of our artists have us drop ship their orders directly to their clients! If you have questions about giclée printing, just ask. We understand how important your artwork is to you, and we want to give you quality prints that will best showcase your talent.
Final Thoughts
Giclée printing combines archival materials, top-tier color accuracy, and flexible ordering. It’s the ideal choice for anyone who wants to reproduce their art with precision and care without compromising on longevity or presentation.
If you’re ready to see what giclée printing can do for your artwork, contact Grand River Giclée or place your first order today to get started with professional, museum-quality prints.