What is Giclee?

A giclee (pronounced zhee-clay) refers to both a category of collectible fine art similar to lithographs and serigraphs, as well as a type of digitally created fine art print. However, not all digital prints are giclees- only prints that adhere to strict printmaking standards can be called a giclee. The word "giclée" dates back to 1989 and is a french term roughly meaning "spray or squirt" which refers to the digital printing process. During printing, millions of microscopic droplets of ink per second are applied to the print media. The best giclee printers provide 1,800 dpi resolution and blend as many as twelve colors of ink. A giclee is a high-end fine art print recognized as "the next best thing to owning the original, or in the case of certain art created by digital artists, each giclee is an "original". Giclee's can be found on display in the world's finest museums and art galleries, often they can be hard to distinguish from originals.