What is Giclée Printing?
What is Giclée Printing?
Giclée (pronounced zhee-CLAY) is a French word meaning “to spray,” which perfectly describes how this high-quality fine art printing process works. Originally developed for gallery and museum use, giclée printing is now considered the gold standard for artists who want their work reproduced with depth, detail, and long-term durability.
Why Giclée?
Not all prints are created equal. Giclée printing uses pigment-based inks (not dyes), sprayed in microscopic droplets onto archival-grade paper or canvas. This technique ensures:
- Exceptional detail
- Rich, true-to-life colour
- Fade resistance for up to 100 years — when printed with pigment-based inks on archival paper and stored under suitable conditions.
RGB vs CMYK — What’s the Difference?
Most standard printing (like posters or flyers) uses CMYK — cyan, magenta, yellow and black. It’s quick and cost-effective, but limited in colour range.
Giclée printers, by contrast, use RGB colour profiles and often up to 12 different pigment inks — including tones like light grey, green, and orange — offering a much wider gamut. That means:
- Smoother gradients
- More luminous highlights
- Deeper, richer blacks
This makes giclée ideal for reproducing detailed illustrations, photography, and fine art.
The Finish: Luxurious and Lasting
There’s a tactile richness to a giclée print that’s hard to replicate. Whether printed on soft cotton rag, textured watercolour stock, or smooth matte, each piece has a presence — a quiet kind of luxury.
Want to know more about the history and meaning of the term? Read the Wikipedia entry on Giclée.
What You’re Getting with a Cirro Print
When you buy a giclée print from Cirro, you're getting more than ink on paper. You're getting something made to last — to be framed, gifted, admired, and remembered.
