The Giclée printing technique is now the State of the Art process for producing oil painting reproductions. Giclee prints in limited editions are appreciated by fine art collectors and connoisseurs. Limited edition, museum quality reproductions are included in the collections of many of the worlds finest museums, including the Louvre, the Smithsonian, the New York Metropolitan Museum and the British Museum.

The giclée printing process is a high tech method of printing which can generate prints of digital images of unrivaled quality. As in traditional printmaking and fine art photography, sheets are printed one at a time, and images printed at the highest settings can require more than one hour each. Again, as in traditional printmaking and photography, extensive hand work is required to produce the final print. Like proofing an intaglio or stone lithograph, each digital file must be proofed then adjusted and proofed again. Since the colors of the image on a computer monitor cannot fully match printing inks, it is generally only after extensive proofing, tweaking the digital file, then printing, then tweaking the digital file again, etc., that the final image emerge.
The resulting digital file in essence then can be compared to the printing plate in intaglio or film negative in photography. This time consuming, often tedious proofing ensures that the final print is true to the intent of the artist.

When is a giclée print really a giclée print?

The production of a Limited Edition Giclée Print is far from a straightforward job. It takes a great amount of skill, experience and knowledge of both printing techniques and use of materials. So beware that when you buy your Limited Edition Giclée Print, they are all subject to the following criteria:

a) The original art work (whether painting or watercolour) should be digitized using the highest possible resolution and quality scanner.
Our Master printer uses the CRUSE Digital Fine Art Repro Scanner. The quality and detail that can be reached with this scanner is unchallenged and sets the groundwork for the finest possible end result.

b) The giclée print itself should be completely flawless, as there is no rastering. The ink has been sprayed on the paper or canvas in one continuous flow and you cannot see any rastering – not even with a magnifying glass (unlike for example with posters which have been printed with an off-set technique).

c) Each Giclée Print is made in close cooperation with the original artists, who will check for and approve the colour and the quality of the end product.

d) All Giclée Prints are printed individually (they are not mass produced) and every individual print of the Limited Edition has been checked for quality by both the Master Printer, the artist and by us.

e) Each Giclée Print has been personally signed and numbered by the original artist. The signature should not be simply scanned and then printed with the Giclée Print.

f) Each Giclée Print should be accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity, also personally signed by the original artist. The certificate should at least state the materials used in the print, who the Master Printer was, the size of the total edition and the specific edition number of the Giclée Print.

g) The Limited Edition should be strictly limited to the stated total number of the edition!

h) All materials used in producing the Giclée Prints should be of the highest quality materials, such as long-lasting, non-fading inks and museum quality etching paper.

Our prints are printed with highly pigmented and waterproof inks that have a minimal guaranteed lifetime of 80 to 150 years, depending on the surface they are used on. 

To preserve and guarantee the quality of our giclée prints, they all come with a certificate of authenticity. This way you are ensured to have a real print of Threshold Editions wich is certified and approved of by the original artist.

This is very important because unfortunately modern techniques make it more and more easy for people with bad intent to forge things. In those cases, not only do you get a bad quality product, but you also deprive the artist of an honest share for his or hers hard work and copyright.

Also, our fine art prints are made by printers who belong to the Eurpean Giclee Makers Association. This guarantees the best possible quality of fine art prints there is.

Spoiler content

The Certified Art Giclée™ hallmark from the association Stichting Giclée Printers Europe has been created after the example of the American standard Tru Giclee and the Giclee Printers Association.

Certified Art Giclée™ is a high quality hallmark for limited edition giclée art prints created by Giclée Master printers, who are members of the GPE foundation (Giclée Printers Europe). The Certified Art Giclée™ hallmark is the European standard for original limited edition giclée art prints. This hallmark allows professionals to dissociate themselves from amateurs and guarantees consumers, artists and galleries a high quality fine art giclée print.

All members of the association GPE meet the requirements that apply to the creation of a Certified Art Giclée™. The giclées these craftsmen create are therefore of the highest quality. Each master printer uses the most advanced techniques, highest quality materials and best suitable ink. All members are tested on their craftsmanship, knowledge, service grade, tenability, quality, colour reproduction etc. Because of the close contacts with the American association GPA and the US market, the GPE is always well informed about the latest developments.

For more information look on www.certifiedartgiclee.com