Prints – Frans de Leij

Limited Edition Giclee Prints

What are Giclee prints?

Giclée (pronounced ‘zhee-clay’) is an extremely high quality ink-jet printing process that produces beautiful digital reproductions that last much longer than those produced using ‘commercial’ printing techniques. This sophisticated reproduction technique not only utilises more colours than regular printing, but also has an unparalleled vibrancy and detail. Furthermore the paper that is used has the same texture as watercolour paper, making a Giclée print look very much like an original watercolour painting. This is why Giclee printing is widely regarded as the very best fine art method currently available – and why it has been embraced by many galleries, artists and museums as their preferred method of art reproduction since its ‘invention’ in the late 1980s. The word ‘ Giclée’ comes from the French verb ‘to spray’ – and refers to the ink being sprayed onto paper/canvas at high speed. The inks used in Giclee prints are said to offer up to 70 years light-fastness and UV-resistance

What are Limited Edition prints?

The term ‘Limited Edition’ indicates that the image can only be reproduced up to a specified number of times that is stated on the print. Each print is signed by the artist and tells you the number of the print within the edition. So 2/50 written on the left bottom corner of the print tells you that that is the second print in an edition of 50 prints.

It has to be noted that one print edition refers to prints of a certain size. Therefore another print edition of the same image can be produced provided that the size is significantly different without violating the term ‘limited’.