Tuesday May 2, 2006

Say "Giclee" Sissy

The gallery that currently employs me recently had a photography show. I also participated in this show as a photographer. The photographers that contributed ranged from old shool film users, to new school digital types. However, the majority of the prints were all made using digital ink jet printers. In fact, we all were using Epson Printers with Epson Inks.

Since most of the digital prints could all be categorized the same, I had to decide how to specify to our audience and customers, what "type" of prints we showing. I believe these things are important. So, let's take a look at what options we have to describe a digital print:

How Can We Describe a Digital Print?

1. Digital Print
2. Inkjet Print
3. Giclee
4. Archival Digital Print

1. Digital Print: No big deal. Yes, it is a print, and yes it was printed with digital technology. Purists and snobs might not take you too serious. You better move on.

2. Inkjet Print: Are you serious? Anyone can go to Wal-Mart and buy and Ink Jet printer. That is so Chevrolet, or shall I say Chevy. Never mind that Ink Jet is a proper term to describe the technology used in most professional digital printmaking processes. Tiny little "jets" spray "ink". Where the term Inkjet fails is recognizing the materials such as ink sets and paper. Not all inkjets are created equal.

3. Gilcee: Now your talking. "Gilcee", that sounds so cool. Say it with me....."Gilcee". Kinda rolls right of the tongue. It sounds mystic, like you travelled to the French Alps and had little French fairyies sprinkle magic French print making fairy dust on your art. Also, you are way too good to describe your prints as....gasp, Digital, or heavin forbid, Ink Jet.

4. Archival Digital Print: This is a happy medium in my opinion. It gives the middle finger to the snobs, while describing what type of print it truely is. If archival inks, such as Epson Ultrachrome inks are used in combination with an archival paper, than the digital print is, well, archival. Plus we don't have to use that hainted term "Gilcee".

Be Proud of Your Tools, Materials, and Techniques

Printmakers have never been so blessed. We have available and affordable tools, materials, and techniques to create increadible works of art. We should not be ashamed of what we do by describing our work with lofty words like Gilcee. So stap a set on and call your prints what they are, Archival Digital Prints.