Our Process

Our Process

Here's the Wikipedia definition for Giclée

Giclée (pronounced [Ê’iːˈkleɪ] "zhee-clay" or /dÊ’iːˈkleɪ, from French IPA: [Ê’iˈkle]), is an invented name (i.e. a neologism) for the process of making fine art prints from a digital source using ink-jet printing. The word "giclée" is derived from the French language word "le gicleur" meaning "nozzle", or more specifically "gicler" meaning "to squirt, spurt, or spray"^[1]. It was coined in 1991 by Jack Duganne^[2], a printmaker working in the field, to represent any inkjet-based digital print used as fine art. The intent of that name was to distinguish commonly known industrial "Iris proofs" from the type of fine art prints artists were producing on those same types of printers. The name was originally applied to fine art prints created on Iris printers in a process invented in the early 1990s but has since come to mean any high quality ink-jet print and is often used in galleries and print shops to denote such prints.

A breakdown of the Dean Davis Editions process for fine art reproduction.

Capture

We begin with a high res digital capture of your artwork along with a color reference.

For extremely high res capture we capture multiple images and stitch them together.

If you, the artist, provide us with a digital file that is ready to print then much of this process is streamlined. Capture and most if not all editing costs can be saved.

Editing

We edit the digital file first by using our color calibrated Eizo monitors to soft proof the color and make adjustments if necessary.

The image file is inspected for dust or other particles present on artwork at time of capture and spotted if necessary.

Next, any artist requested editing is done; signature removal, edge treatment, edge extension for canvas gallery wrapping etc...

Proofing and Printing

Using the substrate you select we produce a proof of a section of your artwork or photograph.

We use this proof to determine if the final output will be up to our standards.

After you sign off on the proof we are ready to go to print.  If you waive the proof we will judge the proof ourselves, make adjustments if necessary, reproof and move on to printing.

Finishing

After printing your artwork we offer several finishing services.

• Trimming - Your prints are hand trimmed to your specifications
• UV coating - UV coating is recommended for canvas printing.  We use a HVLP system to apply an eco friendly UV coating that also adds rugged protection against water and scuffing.
• Canvas stretching - We hand stretch your canvas here in our studio to ensure the best finished product
• Certificate of authenticity - For limited edition prints we can produce Certificates of Authenticity for each print in the edition and track the edition.
• Packing for pickup or delivery - we can pack flat, rolled or framed art and offer shipping through FedEx.

Disclaimer: Giclée reproduction colors may not exactly match your original.  As an artist you have an incredible spectrum of colors you can select and mix to create more colors.  Our task is to reproduce the hue and density of your colors as precisely as we can, using pigment ink.  Our printers and software are incredible tools for this task, but some colors simply cannot be exactly reproduced.   If you are unsure about how your image will reproduce digitally, please request to have our staff review your piece and recommend the process which will perform best for your work.