Comments on: Insider Tips on How to Work with a Giclee Printmaker

By: Artful Color

Artful Color

This is the best outline on giclee printing I’ve ever seen. It’s amazing how often these things are not understood. We have been providing giclee services for 7 years. Our production staff truly has a color science background providing skills that few giclee printers offer. The results for our artists have been stunning. The new Epson 11880’s improvements have also made achieving this much easier.

One comment about this explanation is that artists should be sensitive to the challenge of making money in this business when producing prints in low quantities. Artful Color charges between $75 – $150 to scan and proof. That work is done at a loss. If the artist then prints the minimum $300 in prints and no more, the company has operated at a loss on this job. We produce the finest quality digital capture and proof till near perfect. The investment is greater than the gross margin for these jobs. Giclee printers make their living on artist who print full editions either to begin or over time.

Artful Color is located in the Raleigh NC area where not too many highly successful artists are located. Our challenge is getting the word out on the quality of work and very competitive prices we offer. We are looking for some of the artist who need a high volume of prints and are not happy with the value they are currently receiving. We are confident we could make them very happy. We have the references and are willing to print a sample to prove it. http://www.artfulcolor.com

By: Artful Color

Artful Color

By: Laurel Knight

Laurel Knight

Great advice! I actually just uploaded the first jpeg from my first Giclee to my site. I had never dealt with a Giclee printer, as my work has mostly been commissioned. I did alot of research on many sites, and referenced Barney’s book (my copy is dog-eared and highlighted to the max! LOL) and then went to the printer’s studio to see his set-up in person. I know this is not always an option, but even in my new town of Bend, Oregon, Pop. 80,000 we have several printers. I chose the one I am using by quality of his work, his answers to my questions, and his personality to deal with, NOT by the pricing. I figured that even if it is a bit more per print, I know that I couldn’t put a price on the “headache factor” of dealing with a discount printer. I have a collector base to build, and getting an upfront cheaper price could mean potential problems down the road. Keep in mind that there are limitations to each printers sizes, scanning abilities, etc. My painting is 36″ x 48″ which isn’t too big to scan, but being on canvas, it would have needed to be removed from the stretchers, and it was a gallery-wrap. I chose to have it photographed by a professional he recommended and then he scanned the transparency, so this added an additional cost. As my painting has high contrast between the sky and the dark passages in the mountains,I was then made aware of the fact that a camera can’t make as many “clicks” as they called it, which is the exposure adjustments as a direct scan is able to. In my case, it was alright, but for anyone painting high drama lighting, it is something to keep in mind. In the end, I am looking forward to a long working relationship with my printer, and the upfront time and research I am sure will pay off in time saved in working with a professional.
Thanks for all your information…I read it religiously!