The print method explained
What Is a Giclée Print?
Giclée is a term used for high-quality inkjet fine art printing from a digital file. It is valued because it can reproduce detailed photography and artwork on specialist papers and canvas, one print or a small edition at a time. The word alone is not a standard of certification: the file, printer, pigment ink, medium, profile and production decisions determine the actual result.
Five parts
Five parts of a considered giclée workflow
The final evaluation still happens in physical light on the actual material.
01
Source image
Enough genuine resolution, careful editing and a defined crop.
02
Inkjet printer
Suited to fine art output. Lumière uses the 44-inch Epson SC-P9530.
03
Pigment inks
Epson UltraChrome PRO12 in Lumière’s current setup.
04
Print medium
Inkjet-coated fine art paper or canvas chosen for the image.
05
Colour management
An embedded source profile and an output profile for the printer, ink and medium.
Compared
How is it different from an everyday print?
The distinction is not merely printer resolution. Fine art printing pays deliberate attention to source preparation, media quality, the ink set, profiles, consistency and presentation. A fast office or promotional print can be useful for its purpose, but its material and colour decisions are usually different.
Giclée is compatible with both original digital work and reproductions of physical artwork once an appropriate digital master exists. Photographing or scanning the original is a separate capture stage.
Limits
What it does not promise
Giclée does not mean a print will match every monitor, last forever or automatically qualify as “museum grade.” A screen is illuminated; a print is seen by reflected light. Papers have different whites and ink responses.
Longevity depends on the tested combination of inks, medium, framing, light and storage. Treat any lifespan number as conditional rather than universal.
The production setup
The Lumière Print setup
These are concrete production tools, not a claim of absolute accuracy. The aim is controlled colour, smooth tonal transitions and a repeatable specification where a series or edition requires it.
Apple
Studio Display XDR 27-inch (2026)
Reference display for reviewing images and colour before printing.
X-Rite
i1Publish Pro 3
Measurement and ICC profiling for each printer, ink and material combination.
Epson
SureColor SC-P9530 · UltraChrome PRO12
44-inch, 12-channel pigment printer with a PrecisionCore MicroTFP head.
Hahnemühle
Fine art papers & canvas
Selected cotton, natural-fibre papers and two canvases.
Brand names identify the studio’s equipment and materials; they do not imply certification or endorsement.
When to choose it
When the physical print is the final work
Choose this approach for an exhibition photograph, an art reproduction, a limited edition, a portfolio statement or a collected piece. Begin with the image, final dimensions and preferred display. Then decide on paper or canvas and any frame.
Start a print
Have a print in mind?
Send the image and where it will be shown; we will suggest a paper and a specification.
Keep reading
Our print process
Six steps from file to presentation.
How to choose paper
Four variables that decide the paper.
Preparing files
Pixels, formats, profiles and a checklist.