What are the measurements of the Prints?
What is a Giclée Print?
How does the printing process work?
What paper do you use?
Will my Giclée Print last forever?
What does the print's number mean?
What does 'Limited' mean?
Is a Limited Edition Print as valuable as an Original Painting?
What is the relative value of different types of prints?
Does Sue hand-sign each print?
What is the difference between a painting and a print?
Is a print a good investment?
What is the size of the prints?
How should my print be framed?
How do I know if my print is authentic?
How does light affect my print?
How should I store prints until they're framed?
What are the measurements of the Prints?
Small - 45 x 30cm (18 x 12 inches)
Large - 60 x 45 centimeters (24 x 18 inches)
What is a Giclée Print?
The word giclée, pronounced "zhee-clay" is a French word that means "to spray". A giclée print is made by using a highly sophisticated and very expensive ink jet printer. Its drum based technology creates prints that are almost identical to the original artwork. It is a large printer, capable of printing to extra-large sizes.
Its proprietary ink/ink calibration system results in virtually continuous tone prints. This means that the dot pattern which can be easily discernable on ordinary prints, is much finer, closer together, more random and more precise. The combination of specially formulated inks and unique pre-print system produces museum-quality prints.
The reproduced colours are rich and accurate - a feature particularly visible in both very dark or very light areas. A giclée print falls between a serigraph and a lithograph in quality and economy.
How does the printing process work?
The first step in creating a giclée print is to convert the original art into a digital file. Saved at an extremely high resolution, each file size is very large and is saved to a Zip Disk or CD. Once the art is in a digital format, it can be touched up and perfected in the software program and closely viewed as any corrections in color or clarity are made. It is essential at this stage for the artist and printer to work very closely, ensuring that the digital image is as close to the original painting as possible.
The print paper or canvas is wrapped around the drum of the IRIS, spinning at a high speed. Eight nozzles, each containing a separate color (CMYK) travel along the drum, spraying ink and forming the image. The micro drop size and 1800 dpi resolution compose unquestionably high-quality prints. The time it takes to run off just one giclée print could be as long as 1 hour.
Giclées are appearing in the finest galleries around the world. Understanding this process is becoming a necessity for everyone who wants to be up-to-date on the current state of the art world.
What paper do you use?
Museum quality water colour paper is a heavy porous stock with little or no acid content. Acid is the enemy of art prints, and, with sunlight, is the cause of yellowing and fading. The paper's pores absorb the acrylic inks and cure with highly saturated brilliant color for life-like detail. The giclée prints on water colour paper are best displayed matted and framed behind normal glass, as you would a fine art photograph.
Will my Giclée Print last forever?
Preservation and Longevity - it is not advisable to hang any art in direct sunlight, as this will eventually damage the work (this applies to artwork in any medium, including oils). A certain amount of fading will occur over a period of about 30 years. Provided your prints are not hung in direct sunlight and are correctly framed or stored, they should last you a lifetime.The digital art is sealed with a clear topcoat glaze that protects the vibrant colors from ultraviolet light.
What does the print's number mean?
Each print has two numbers, which appear like this on the print:
The bottom number (in this example, 400) refers to the number of prints in the edition. The top number (26) means that this is the 26th print in a series of 400 prints. Once the stated number of a limited edition has been reached, no more prints are made from that original image. Both the artist and the printer destroy all high-resolution scans of the image, ensuring that no more prints are made. An OPEN edition means that there is no limit to the number of prints produced from the same original image.
What does "Limited" mean?
Limited refers to the bottom number of the print. Once that number is defined, which it must be before the series is printed, more copies of the print cannot be made. The print has had its quantity LIMITED, or prescribed.
Is a Limited Edition Print as valuable as an Original Painting?
No, an original painting is more valuable because it is one of a kind - literally the ORIGINAL.
What is the relative value of different types of prints?
A LIMITED edition is usually much more valuable than an OPEN edition.A smaller limited edition (eg. 40) is usually more valuable than a larger limited edition (eg. 4000) Prints that have the artist's original signature are more valuable than an unsigned or mass-printed artist's signature edition. As always, it depends upon supply and demand.
Does Sue hand-sign each print?
Yes, each print is individually hand-signed and hand-numbered, in pencil, on the bottom of each print. The number appears on the bottom left; the signature appears on the bottom right. If you lightly run your finger over the signature, the pencil should leave a faint residue on your finger.
What is the difference between a painting and a print?
With the sophistication of modern printing methods, it can be difficult to differentiate between an original painting and a print. Under a magnifying glass, you should be able to see the fine dot pattern that is distinctive for a print. The original painting will not have a dot pattern.
Is a print a good investment?
Yes. The investment value of these prints is enhanced by their limited number and by the artist hand-signing and hand-numbering each individual print which is produced. They are not as valuable as the original painting, but will still be a valuable collector's item. In most cases, a limited edition print will increase in value in the same way as an original. For example, a 1984 limited edition print by wildlife artist Terry Redlin sold for $600. Now the same print sells for $2,800.
What is the size of the prints?
SIZE OF LARGE PRINTS
Paper size = 62cm wide by 45cm high (± 24 1/2 inches by ± 18 inches) - slightly larger than A2.
Printed area = 54cm wide by 40 cm high (± 21 inches by ± 16 inches)
SIZE OF SMALL PRINTS
Paper size = 45cm wide by 31cm high
Printed area = 41cm wide by 26 cm high
How should my print be framed?
It is very important for your print to be "Conservation Framed". This method uses acid-free board, tape and glue. Any reputable framer will know about Conservation Framing. It is suggested that the prints be framed behind glass. It is customary to leave a small margin of white space between the printed area and the edge of the framing mount board. This margin of white space is where the signature and number of the print appear.
How do I know if my print is authentic?
If you are in any doubt about the authenticity of a Sue Dickinson limited edition print, please contact the artist directly via the GUESTBOOK. A record of ownership is kept by the artist, with details of the original purchaser of each numbered print. In this way, the prints' "provenance" (or source history) can be traced.
Sue will supply you with a Certificate of Authenticity if required for insurance purposes (please request this when ordering), but if the authenticity of your print is in doubt it is highly likely that your Certificate is a forgery too.
How does light affect my print?
Bright daylight and even bright artificial light can cause colours to fade and papers to discolour and become brittle. Too much light is harmful even when ultra-violet rays are filtered out; so make sure your print is exposed to moderate light for limited hours at a time. Don’t place prints on walls that receive direct outside light for any length of time. Think, too, of rotating your prints from time to time to give them a rest. Strong light has serious effects on prints, with ultraviolet light causing colours to fade and change. Using UF3 plexiglass instead of normal glass will reduce light damage.
How should I store prints until they're framed?
You will receive your print packaged flat, between 2 layers of thick polystyrene. Once you have opened the package by slitting the package where indicated, your print will be safe between acid-free tissue paper, but should preferably be removed from the polystyrene if it’s stored for a long time. Prints should be stored flat, either in or out of mounts, layered between sheets of non-acidic interleaving tissue. Never put your prints on surfaces like corrugated cardboard or wood; not only are these materials acidic, they also have textures that can imprint themselves on your artwork. Loose prints should not be stored rolled up. Prints that have been mailed in tubes should be flattened as soon as possible.
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