Giclée Prints: What They Are and Why Artists Choose Them

When you see a print that looks like the original painting—rich colors, fine detail, no pixelation—that’s likely a giclée, a high-resolution inkjet print made for fine art reproduction using archival inks and materials. Also known as fine art inkjet prints, giclées are the standard for artists who want to sell multiples of their work without losing quality.

Giclée printing isn’t just about printers. It’s about fine art paper, specialized cotton-based or canvas substrates designed to hold pigment without fading, and archival inks, pigment-based inks that resist UV light and last decades without turning yellow. Unlike cheap posters or laser prints, giclées are made one at a time, often signed and numbered by the artist, turning a reproduction into a collectible piece. This is why galleries, museums, and collectors trust them. You won’t find giclées in mass-market stores—you’ll find them in artist studios, print shops, and exhibitions like those featured in Pembrokeshire.

What makes giclée different from other print methods? It’s the control. Artists can tweak color profiles, choose paper texture, and test small batches before printing an edition. It’s not magic—it’s precision. And it’s why so many artists in our collection, from those painting landscapes to those working digitally, turn to giclée when they’re ready to share their work beyond the original. Whether you’re an artist looking to print your work or a collector trying to understand what you’re buying, knowing the difference matters.

In the posts below, you’ll find real guides on how to get your artwork printed professionally, what paper types work best, and how giclée fits into today’s art market. No fluff. Just clear steps, honest comparisons, and insights from artists who’ve been there.