The Heritage Giclee^®Studio is one of the
Founders of the Giclee Industry.

Giclee Explained

The Heritage Giclee Process

Heritage Giclee® prints are available only from Staples Fine Art. The name "Heritage Giclee" represents an exclusive process developed through years of experience, technical and artistic knowledge, expertise in archival processes, and innovative craftsmanship. In fact, "Heritage Giclee®” is the only giclee process that has been granted official trademark registration by the U.S Patent & Trademark Office. The Heritage Giclee symbol is recognized around the world as the defacto standard in digital fine art printing. The following standards apply to all Heritage Giclees®.

Heritage Giclees conform to archival standards consistent with collectible fine art.
Heritage Giclees are produced exclusively using “pigment” based archival inks. No dyes.
All additional materials & substrates used in the Heritage Giclee process are of archival quality and produced by reputable manufacturers.
The Heritage Giclee logo represents the highest standards of connoisseurship, ongoing research and ethical practice in the digital printmaking profession.
Heritage Giclees are produced one-at-a-time, combining state of the art technology with traditional craftsmanship.
Heritage Giclees are produced using a proprietary color management system developed by Staples Fine Art.
In order to continually advance the Heritage Giclee process, Staples Fine Art maintains an ongoing working relationship with suppliers and manufacturers of archival art materials, software & equipment manufacturers. Over the years we have served as a “beta test” site for the development of many new products.
Heritage Giclees are recognized around the world for their peerless quality and beauty. In business since 1996, Staples Fine Art enjoys a reputation for integrity & honesty in the industry & now serves artists, galleries, publishers & photographers in every U.S state and in 8 foreign countries. Heritage Giclee® is a registered trademark of Staples Fine Art LLC.

The Giclee printing (pronounced "zhee-clay") process was born in the early 1990's as rock musician Graham Nash & and his associate Mac Holbert uncovered a new capability of the Iris inkjet printer called the 3047. These early machines had been developed for digital graphic proofing but it had not occurred to the manufacturer that its equipment would be adopted by artists as a digital method of fine art printing. In 1991, thanks to Mr. Nash's vision, the world's first digital fine art atelier opened its doors. Since this early beginning, the technology in equipment, media, inks and craftsmanship have advanced immeasurably.

Giclee printing has many advantages over other printmaking methods. For example, each piece is individually produced allowing you to order one reproduction at a time if desired, so the artist is not obligated to finish an edition. You can order prints as needed without large up-front costs and storage problems associated with offset lithography. This allows you to test market a new idea or image. Giclee printing affords you more control of your career by giving you the ability to start self-publishing fine art reproductions in modest quantities. Artists can build inventory slowly over time in response to the market. We have 6 wide format printing systems so we can accommodate large orders with the same flexibility as a single sheet order.

Giclee reproductions are the perfect medium for established and emerging artists, allowing you much better control of your cash flow. You can order just one reproduction to matte and frame as a display piece. Then order more as orders come in. The technology provides incredible detail and brilliant color. The resolution (DPI or dots per inch) is actually higher than traditional lithography which results in crisp contrast with rich, intense color. With the proper surface treatment, you can even paint on top of the image (retouch the image) to produce another individual "mixed media" piece. Digital artists and photographers find giclee ideal for printing their originals.

All Heritage Giclee® prints are produced on archival quality watercolor papers and canvas (for descriptions of our papers click HERE) , much like an original painting. This gives each piece a similar look and feel to an original work of art. Since the quality is superior to all other printmaking methods you can command a higher per unit selling price for the prints, resulting in higher profits. The mediums we use are acid free. Available mediums are Museo Fine Art Paper, Museo Silver Rag, Somerset Velvet Paper, Innova Photo Smooth paper, Innova Cold Pressed Art paper , 230gsm Arches Infinity Paper (choice of smooth or textured finish), Fredrix Digital Canvas, and DMAX Gloss Digital Canvas. All of these media are treated for use with the inkjet process and produce brilliant, velvety color. Life-span estimates of wide-gamut pigment ink Giclees by third-party testing indicate over 130 years with no noticeable fade. We do recommend that customers treat their Giclee prints the same as they would an original piece of art. If the print has not been coated, it must be protected from moisture by glass. And you should never expose any type of artwork to prolonged sunlight or other harsh conditions.

Just as with any facet of the fine art business, digital giclee printmaking is a very dynamic process. Please feel free to call us for additional information regarding special products or educational opportunities, or frequent our website for current updates.

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