What Is a Fine Art Giclée Print?
Have you ever browsed Riverbed Art fine art prints and wondered what giclée means, how to pronounce it, or why they cost more? I totally get it.
Giclée is a French word.
The é is pronounced AY, like my last name, Chabré.
But my brain wants to send “Gic” straight to my mouth every single time I see the word, so here’s my personal, probably very tacky trick:
J and G had a baby named Zhee Clay.
It prevents “Gic” from coming out of my mouth.
Now that we’ve bonded over spelling and pronunciation, let’s talk about what a fine art giclée print actually is and pretend we knew how to say it all along.
The word giclée (pronounced zhee CLAY) comes from a French term meaning “to spray.”
Not in the sense of C’est Pepe Le Pew giclée ton chien?
But in the way archival inks are sprayed onto paper using professional printers.
A fine art giclée print is a high-quality, archival reproduction of an original artwork. It is created using professional inkjet printers that place microscopic droplets of archival pigment ink onto heavyweight fine art paper.
It makes all the difference.
Why Does It Matter?
Unlike standard prints, giclée prints are designed to last for decades. The inks are archival. The paper is thick and museum quality. Colors stay true. Details remain crisp. The artwork does not fade, yellow, or quietly fall apart over time.
Professional giclée printers use many ink cartridges instead of just a few. Ours uses 10 cartridges at a just about $50 each. Each ink handles a specific color or tone, allowing for smoother transitions, better depth, and more accurate color reproduction. This matters most in nature-inspired artwork and pieces with subtle detail.
In simple terms: giclée prints look better, last decades, and stay closer to the original artwork.
Giclée prints are the buy it for looks, buy it for life version of art print
