Giclee Canvas Printing

Question How do I prepare ordinary canvas for giclee printing?
What primers (chemicals) are necessaty to apply to standard or ordinary canvas with a view to giclee printing in a wide format printer using ultra-chrome ink?. What is the application proceedure? Alternatively, who can supply such a primer?

Best Answer From all the research I've done, there is not one "primer" that you can apply to regular canvas to prepare it for printing. Each canvas manufacturer uses what seems to be a closely-guarded formula, and each formula reacts differently with the various printers as well as the various inks. Check out the Parrot DigiGraphic site http://www.parrotcolor.com/store/home.php Also the Fine Art Giclee Printers site: http://fineartgicleeprinters.org/canvas_photographic_paper_media/media_photopaper_artcanvas.html Fredrix makes a variety of papers for wide-format, and you can send away for samples: http://www.fredrixprintcanvas.com/pages/tradeindex.html The manufacturers seem to delight in keeping this technology a mystery... let me know if you get any useful answers from them!

Question What specific model printers are used to make giclee canvas prints?


Best Answer Modern large format printers are capable of printing onto canvas rolls measuring 60" or more. Modern examples of inkjet-based printers capable of printing directly onto canvas are the HP Designjet z6100 and the Epson Stylus Pro 9880. Printers such as these allow artists and photographers to print their works directly onto canvas media.

Question Is a giclee print, art print or stretched canvas print better?
There is a painting I have always loved, but I don't want to get a basic $10 poster. I want something that looks decent but won't cost me an arm and a leg. What is the differences (good and bad) between a giclee print, art print, and stretched canvas print?

Best Answer I think it is best to do a Giclee. Most of the expense is in the scan which is about 50.00. If you can take a good picture yourself of your art you can take a CD with your digital picture into the digital printer and have them print it for you. Then you can stretch your canvas yourself. I have a 16 x16 painting and the giclee was ninety dollars which included the scan (a one time fee) and stretching the canvas. When I took in my digital picture and stretched the canvas myself the exact same size cost $12.00. You can always paint over your giclee to enhance it and then seal it with varnish.

Question Giclee print vs. canvas print vs. oil reproduction?
I want to buy a certain piece of wall art. Would a giclee or canvas print look pretty close to the original or tacky? Is it worth it to shell out $300 for an oil reproduction? What kind of quality can I expect from an oil reproduction?

Best Answer It depends on your purpose really. Do you want a piece of art that will increase its worth in time? Or do you just want something that looks aesthetically pleasing on your wall? Or something that could fool a viewer into thinking it was original? Personally, I think that Giclée prints look more tasteful than canvas prints, but Giclée prints are not pretending to be the real deal, and a canvas print is more likely to fool the viewer (although only an inexperienced one). Generally, the more you pay, the better quality you will get. But sometimes simple is best.