Thanks to
advanced printer technology and the search for new business opportunities, many
print and art related businesses are now claiming to produce giclee prints. Photographers, framing companies, prepress shops and graphics printers are dipping into the giclee
print market with, unfortunately, mixed results. The art of reproducing original
fine art work is a highly skilled technique and should only be trusted to those
who truly understand the science of color. It’s a multi-step process and any
weakness in the chain will affect the quality of the end result.
A great giclee
print begins with a great digital image. When artists are looking for a fine art printmaker, they
should never underestimate the importance of the camera system and the techniques
of digital image capture. This is where many giclee wannabes go wrong. The
beauty in fine art is in the details—those delicate nuances, the swirls of
mixed colors—that give paintings a depth of texture. You simply cannot recreate
that through photography without a scanning back camera system.
The Phase One and
Betterlight scanning back camera systems we utilize at Osio-Brown Editions have
over 384+ megapixels and a unique trilinear array sensor. This gives them a
distinct advantage over single shot digital cameras. The problem with the planer
array sensor used in single shot cameras is that it lacks the resolution and
color fidelity necessary for the highest quality giclee print.
The downside of
the scanning back system is the cost. At around $25,000, many studios simply
are not willing to invest in the best equipment possible. Cheaper alternatives
are out there, but when it comes to the finished quality of your fine art giclee
prints there is simply no better choice. Remember, “A Great Giclee
Print Begins With A Great Digital Image.”
Adam Brown
