An Artist Is...

Defining what being “an artist” is, is a challenging if not impossible undertaking. By definition artists often defy classification altogether. While we may agree on some main common characteristics, how these characteristics impact our lives, the importance we place on one characteristic versus another and what we consider of primary or secondary importance, is of course very subjective. It varies according to our unique situation, on our personality and on our individual experience. Someone who has been an artist all his or her life does not see being an artist the same way than someone who is just becoming aware that being an artist is a possibility.

In the end all artists are unique individuals and each of them has a different idea of what being an artist is. That having been said we might all agree that being (or becoming) an artist is a decision that requires a high level of commitment.

Giclée From Wikipedia Encyclopedia

Giclée (pronounced "zhee-clay") 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.

:::This Week's Recommended Reading:::
“301 Inkjet Tips and Techniques: An Essential Printing Resource for Photographers"
(Digital Process and Print), by Andrew Darlow Amazon.com

What is a Giclee Print? How are Giclee art prints made? By Denise Macgregor

In Giclee printing, no screen or other mechanical devices are used and therefore there is no visible dot screen pattern. The image has all the tonalities and hues of the original painting. Giclee (pronounced Gee’clay) is a French term meaning to spray or squirt, which is how an inkjet printer works. However, it is not the same as a standard desktop inkjet printer, and is much larger. Giclee prints are a little over a meter wide and are often affectionately referred to as a “knitting machine” as they look very similar.

Do Giclee printers use ordinary printers inks?
No. They use special light-fast inks, which, if kept out of the sun, will remain true for up to 25 years. The way the image is scanned is different also. The original is scanned directly on a drum scanner. In my printer’s case, it can scan flexible images up to 500 x 700 mm. If the image is larger, or cannot be taken off the stretcher frames, then a large format transparency must be taken of the piece, and this is then scanned. I have done one this way and find that it works quite well, but you must factor in the cost of the professional photograph and the additional time it takes.

What kind of printing paper is used for Giclee prints?
Giclee prints can be produced on any paper as you wish and printers generally have several specific ones to choose from. I chose to print on to canvas. Canvas prints are much more durable than paper as they do not crease when rolled for mailing.

How many Giclee prints did you have to make?
One of the advantages of Giclee printing is that once the scan is made you can order as many or as few as you wish. My printer has a minimum order of one meter (they usually do charge by the meter as canvas is expensive and generally comes on a roll a meter wide). I could easily have gone larger, but I sized my Giclee prints 11 x 11” (28 x 28 cm). The main reason for this is that this particular size would fit standard Ikea frames which are the best I could find for the money and they are very popular. As there was spare canvas left over, we printed small ones too…5 x 5” (12.5 x 12.5 cm) to use up the extra canvas. My original intention was to use these small Giclee prints as samples perhaps to someone who was considering purchasing an original, but surprisingly they have become very popular so I have included them in the limited edition count. Again, they fit in standard frames.

How much to charge for your Giclee or art prints is the big question. How do we ever decide on pricing art?
I took the scan cost plus a meter’s prints and the cost of mailing tubes etc. and divided it by the number of prints per meter. I then marked it up to double my cost for my basic price on my website and for selling directly through my exhibitions. The large ones worked out at 45 pounds (UK) each, the small ones 15 pounds (UK). I chose to keep the cost low to increase turnover.

How else do you market your Giclee or art prints?
Besides my website and exhibitions I have been steadily finding art shops to sell my work. My local art shop has a mini exhibition every three weeks and I was asked to display in there. I sold eight Gilcee prints in that time. I have also found another three retail outlets that have been willing to frame my work for their own display. Obviously, they need to make a profit too so I offer them the prints at a discount. Of course, once my initial costs have been covered then the profit margin will increase. I am also considering venturing on to E-bay.

How did you choose the paintings to print?
As I had to be selective because of the cost involved I asked people who came to my exhibition which paintings they thought would sell the best and made my decisions based on the response. My first one was “Wild Tulips.” Many liked that one. I hung a print beside the original in the exhibition and it did quite well. I then went on to make another three (“Two’s Company,” “Silver Dollars,” “Light of Day” ) all of which fit on to the drum scanner and then another, “Weathering the Storm,” which I had to [resize to fit the roller].

How does the limited edition concept work with art or Giclee prints?
I did some research on this and decided to limit each edition and sign each one. Usually the smaller the edition the higher the cost, but you can do any amount you wish. I decided on 500 and kept the cost low. The one thing I have noticed about limited editions is that I have to be disciplined about recording where each one went, how many I have available, etc., and I do this in a simple manual catalogue. I use an off-the-shelf order book when I make a sale and use this to periodically bring my inventory up to date. It is easy to review my sales from this system and I can reorder when my stock becomes low. I do not have to carry a large inventory or have the whole run printed at once as in days of old. I get what I need when I need them. I developed a certificate of authenticity which I attach to each print I sell.

Did you have any difficulties in the printing process?
Yes. It was my printer’s first time for this and we learned a lot together. They were very helpful indeed and although mistakes were made we worked on acceptable solutions. It was a joint effort. I am quite picky about these things having worked previously in corporate communications so I knew what was possible and would not accept anything less. I am delighted with the results.

Do you plan to produce more art prints in the future?
Yes. If someone sees one of my paintings that has not been printed yet, I would be willing to consider printing it. When I sell [an original piece], a piece that I think would work well as an art print, I can have it printed before delivery. In that way, the original will finance the art prints to generate an income long after the original has gone!

About the Author: Denise Macgregor is an artist who produces both paintings and prints. Her website is at: Denise Macgregor

On the other hand I am uneasy to recommend giclées to anyone who has not tested the market for their work. Try first to create interest in you art. Have shows. Listen to people by talking to them and even "spying" by gathering reactions while they view your work. If you have family and friends have them stay at the viewings "incognito" to collect more information. Not many people will say in front of you: "I LOVE your work but it is too expensive". They are afraid to offend the artist. A comment such as this is a very good telltale sign that a limited edition signed print will sell.

Finally, if you decide it is time, find a giclée printing company with low startup costs. I see companies charging a set up fee even if a digital image is provided. Nothing wrong with this but I have always thought that the price of color correcting and setting up something already in digital format should not be charged to the client. Other companies call "set up fee" the cost of scanning and color correcting original art. This is a common and justified practice because of the price of the hardware involved and the time spent to capture the image.

Try to stay away from printer' s contracts which bind you and your art. They may be a cheap way to start giclée printing but it may affect your wallet in the long run. These "printer contracts" essentially tie the artist into allowing the printer to sell some of the artwork. It may seem a good deal but what happens is that you are giving control to someone else in exchange for a discount. The third party can do whatever they deem fit to market the giclees, including lowering the price and going to places the artist may not find fit to show. If you are a digital artist, a photographer or a traditional artist with ready to print files, a high quality direct inkjet print service that does not charge set up fees is the most financially sound choice. Be advised though that if you need a printer who will adjust color and possibly manipulate files before printing, you will need a full service company.

Source: GREAT GICLEE

A YouTube Snippet "Art:21—Art in the Twenty-First Century" Season Five Trailer (Fall 2009)

In MOCA’s New Media Gallery
Flash Slideshow by Banu Haznedar “Hymn to Pan”

IN-BOX

In response to the Commentary “Can Art Be Taught?” Des Kilfeather offers the following...

"Craft can be taught, colour theory and practice, composition and representation are all taught formally from an early age and informally absorbed through experience within our own cultural environment. Art on the other hand is more elusive. In "The Artworld" Arthur Danto wrote "To see something as art requires something the eye cannot descry an atmosphere of artistic theory, a knowledge of history of art an artworld". This would suggest that art can also be taught, but when we extend our attention to the less obvious, such as Duchamp's Fountain, the reasoning falters. For me the greatest challenge is to answer the question "why". For me the quest is to harness my thinking and that is my exclusive artistic objective. Almost certainly never to be realized. Can this be taught? I do not think so, the best we can hope for is to refer to the past and engage with the many contemporary philosophers and artists that can be accessed through art schools, galleries and other institutions."

Quote

“When one door of happiness closes, another opens; but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one which has been opened for us.”
:::Helen Keller :::

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