Most frequently asked questions

We recommend 300 ppi for the final print size. For a 50 x 70 cm format, this translates to a file measuring approximately 5906 x 8268 px.

The most important factor is the pixel count relative to the intended print format. For an image displayed on a screen, the ppi value stored in the file does not determine its quality; what matters most is its pixel dimensions.

The preferred format is TIFF without lossy compression. We also accept JPG files saved at maximum quality and PNG files.

We accept 8-bit files for Gicleo production. If you're working with a 16-bit source file, for example, after professional digitization, save it as a MASTER file and prepare a separate 8-bit version for printing.

Prepare the file in RGB space, most often Adobe RGB (1998) or sRGB, and leave the ICC profile embedded in it.

Don't convert your file to CMYK. You send an RGB file to Gicleo, and our RIP software converts the image data to the ink channels of your specific printer and substrate.

If the file doesn't have an embedded ICC profile, you'll need to assign the correct color space before uploading. For most files without a profile, sRGB is the safest choice.

No. Prepare the file without bleeds, at a 1:1 scale, exactly the size of the target print.

If you plan to include a signature, edition numbering, or white space around your work, include this margin in the final file format. A margin of around 1,5 to 3 cm is most common, but its width is an artistic decision.

Do not place important elements of the composition directly at the edge.

It depends on the format, resolution, file type and compression used.

For example, an uncompressed 8-bit RGB TIFF in 50 × 70 cm format at 300 ppi can weigh around 140 MB.

File size alone, however, doesn't allow for a clear assessment of its quality. A high-resolution JPG can weigh only a few megabytes. The most important factors are the image's pixel dimensions, the target print format, and the compression quality.

Simply changing the ppi value or simply increasing the image dimensions will not restore the missing details.

You have several options:

• reduce the print format to a size appropriate for your file,
• take advantage of the offer available in our configurator AI optimization, which in selected cases allows for better results when zooming in,
• re-digitize the original at an appropriately high resolution.

If you are unsure whether your file is suitable for your chosen format, you can send it to us for review.

Yes. We provide a TIFF template prepared in 300 ppi, RGB, with an embedded Adobe RGB (1998) profile.

Full instructions on how to prepare a file, along with examples of saving settings, can also be found in the Gicleo Academy.

Giclée is a professional pigment printing used for reproducing works of art and photographs.

An image is created by precisely applying microscopic drops of ink to specially prepared paper or canvas. Professional systems use multiple pigment inks, allowing for a wide range of colors, smooth tonal transitions, and excellent detail reproduction.

When combined with the right paper, color management, and process control, this technology is widely used to produce exhibition-grade and collectible fine art prints. Learn more on our giclée printing page.

Offset and giclée are two different technologies intended for different applications.

Classic offset printing most often uses four CMYK process inks and a printing screen. It is highly efficient and economical for large print runs.

In a professional giclée print, an image is created directly from a digital file using multiple pigment inks deposited in microscopic droplets. This allows for extremely smooth tonal transitions, a wide color range, and high quality, starting from just one print.

This is why giclée is particularly well-suited to art reproductions, fine art photography, and short and limited editions.

Professional pigment printers typically use 8 to 12 inks, which is significantly more channels than standard four-color CMYK.

Additional shades, including light versions of primary colors, grays, and gamut-expanding colors, allow for smoother tonal transitions, deeper blacks, and a wider range of color reproduction.

This is particularly important in photography, subtle gradients and painting reproductions.

In dye-based ink, the coloring substance is dissolved in a liquid. In pigment-based ink, the color is created by very fine pigment particles suspended in a medium.

Modern pigment inks are characterized by very high light resistance and are therefore the standard choice for professional Fine Art printing and applications requiring high durability.

The durability of a print depends on the entire system: ink, paper, binding method and display and storage conditions.

In independent tests, professional pigment systems have achieved durability of decades, with some paper and ink combinations exceeding 100 years under specific test conditions.

This doesn't mean, however, that every giclée print will automatically look the same for a hundred years. The materials used and how the work is stored are crucial.

The most important factors influencing print aging are:

• intense light, especially direct sunlight,
• high or unstable humidity,
• high temperatures and their large fluctuations,
• environmental pollution,
• contact with acidic or inappropriate binding materials.

Even a very well-made print can lose its properties more quickly if it is constantly exposed to strong sunlight.

When framing collectible prints, it is worth using materials intended for archiving, especially acid-free passe-partouts, backings and mounting tapes.

Glass or suitable plexiglass protects the work surface from dust, accidental contact, and partially from environmental influences. For valuable work, glazing with additional UV protection can be used.

The canvas stretched on a stretcher bar can be displayed without glass.

No. The term "giclée" alone is not a certificate of quality.

The final result is influenced by factors such as the quality of the source file, the printer and inks, the paper type, color management, profiling, file preparation method, and production process control.

Therefore, it is worth looking at the entire process, not just the name of the technology.

Fine Art printing uses many types of paper that differ in composition, color and surface character.

Most often you will encounter:

• smooth matte papers that reproduce fine details well,
• matte papers with a delicate structure, e.g. velvet,
• clearly textured papers, reminiscent of traditional watercolor papers,
• baryta and photographic papers with surfaces ranging from satin to glossy,
• artistic canvases intended to be stretched on a loom.

There is no single paper best for all projects. The substrate should be suited to the nature of the image and the desired effect.

You will find the full offer in the Papers and Samples section.

In professional Fine Art printing, papers of very different grammages are used, most often from about 180 to 350 g/m².

Grammage primarily affects the stiffness, weight, and handling of the paper. It is not a standalone determinant of quality or durability.

Lightweight, professional paper can have very good archival properties, as can heavy cotton backing.

Smooth, baryta or photographic papers are often chosen for photography.

Baryta paper allows you to achieve deep blacks, high contrast, a wide tonal range and a surface character reminiscent of traditional photographic papers.

Smooth matte papers also work well for fine art photography, especially if we want a calmer image, no reflections, and a more paper-like feel to the work.

The final choice depends on the specific photograph.

Painting reproductions often look good on matte paper with a delicate or pronounced texture and on canvas.

The structure of the substrate can emphasize the materiality of the work and refer to the character of the original technique.

However, this isn't always the case. For images with very fine detail or smooth tonal transitions, Fine Art paper with a calmer surface may be a better choice.

The surest way to choose a substrate is to compare the print on several papers.

Both types of paper can be used for high-quality art printing.

Cotton rag papers are made from cotton fibers and are particularly valued in collectors' editions due to the nature of the surface, durability and tradition of use in art.

High-quality alpha-cellulose papers can also offer very good archival properties and excellent image quality, often at a lower price.

When assessing paper, it is worth looking not only at the raw material, but also at its pH, the presence of lignin, the bleaches used, the coating and the declared archival parameters.

Canvas is perfect when you want a more painterly feel to your work or want to stretch the print onto a wooden stretcher bar and display it without additional glazing.

The visible structure of the fabric influences the perception of detail and color, which is why the effect is different than on Fine Art paper.

Canvas works particularly well for painting reproductions, large formats and works intended for display without glass.

At Gicleo, we use selected papers and substrates from brands such as Hahnemühle, Canson Infinity, Somerset by St Cuthberts Mill, Epson, Solution, and mediaJET.

We offer archival cotton papers as well as high-quality alpha-cellulose, photographic and poster papers, and art canvases.

Gicleo belongs to the international group of Hahnemühle Certified Studios.

There's no single best paper for every project. If choosing one is difficult, we recommend a sample or test print to compare the actual result on several substrates.

A monitor emits light, while paper reflects it. For this reason alone, the image on the screen and the physical printout will never be identical.

Additionally, each device has its own color reproduction characteristics. Color management helps minimize these differences through file color gamut control, device calibration and profiling, and the use of ICC profiles.

If your monitor is too bright, has the wrong white point, or is not calibrated, your pre-print file evaluation may be misleading.

For correct calibration, a colorimeter or spectrophotometer is used.

The following can be taken as a starting point for working with print:

• white point around 6500 K,
• monitor brightness around 80 to 120 cd/m²,
• 2.2 range.

However, these are not absolute values. The target monitor brightness should also be adjusted to the lighting conditions in the workstation and the conditions in which the print is being evaluated.

It is worth performing calibration regularly.

An ICC profile is a file that describes how a specific device or a specific reproduction condition reproduces or interprets color.

Profiles allow a color management system to convert image values ​​between different color spaces and devices in a controlled manner.

Profiles are used for monitors, scanners, cameras and printing systems, among others.

Yes. In printing, an output profile is prepared for a specific combination of printer, inks, print settings, and paper.

The same paper used on a different printer model may therefore require a different profile.

This is why professional Fine Art printing does not use one universal profile for all substrates.

Soft proof is a simulation of what a print will look like on a calibrated monitor.

A graphics program uses the ICC profile of a specific printing system and paper to show how color, saturation, contrast, and tonal range might change when an image is transferred from the screen to a physical substrate.

Soft proof allows you to spot problems earlier and, if necessary, prepare a separate version of the file optimized for the selected paper.

Each of these spaces has a different use.

sRGB is the most universal space and the safest choice for the internet and simple workflows.

Adobe RGB (1998) has a wider gamut, especially in the green and cyan parts, so it is often used in photography and preparing files for Fine Art printing.

ProPhoto RGB has a very wide gamut and works best in a controlled, 16-bit workflow during advanced processing.

At Gicleo, we most often recommend Adobe RGB (1998) or sRGB. The most important thing is to properly embed the profile in the file.

The choice depends primarily on the type and size of the object.

The camera works well with canvas paintings, large works, objects with a strong texture, framed works, and those that cannot be safely placed on the scanner.

The scanner is a very good solution for smaller, flat works on paper, photographs, drawings and graphics.

The most important criterion should always be the safety of the original and the possibility of obtaining a repeatable and controlled image.

The most important thing is stability, uniformity and predictable light characteristics.

When photographing flat works, it is common to use two identical light sources positioned symmetrically on either side of the subject, usually at an angle of about 45 degrees.

Daylight and artificial light should not be mixed. The room should be as well-controlled as possible, and the color temperature of the light source should remain stable throughout the session.

Yes. Varnish does not preclude digitization, and there is no need to remove it or wait for the work to be de-varnished.

However, shiny areas are one of the common challenges in reproduction. Varnish, glaze, metallic paint, or graphite reflect light and can obscure part of the image even in even lighting.

Reflections are reduced during the setup stage: changing the lamps' angle relative to the work, increasing their distance, positioning the lens perfectly in front of the surface, and removing any surrounding elements that could be reflected. Removing reflections only in post-production is much less reliable, as it usually means drawing in a portion of the image.

It is best to take a photo of a uniform neutral test surface with exactly the same camera and lamp settings as during the actual digitization.

You can then compare the values ​​at the center and edges of the frame. This allows you to detect uneven lighting and brightness drops.

If the differences are significant, you should first correct the lighting setup. Correcting such a problem in post-production is much less reliable.

The sample creates a measurable reference point for color, tone and exposure.

Thanks to this, we don't judge reproduction solely by eye. It allows us to control white balance, color consistency between shots, and detect changes in station settings.

It is a good idea to take a test shot at the beginning of the session and after each change in lighting, camera or exposure parameters.

Professional digitization also uses specialized targets to measure sharpness, noise, geometry, uniformity and color accuracy.

Professional digitisation of cultural heritage uses measurable quality control methods.

One of the most important reference points is the FADGI guidelines, which describe the entire process of creating and controlling digital reproductions and image quality parameters.

An important reference is also the ISO 19264 family of standards concerning the analysis of the quality of imaging systems used in the digitization of cultural heritage objects.

In practice, an approach known as the Golden Thread is also used, in which each stage of the process has a measurable reference point and can be verified.

In projects carried out for museums and cultural institutions, we work based on these guidelines and quality control methods.

The archive file should retain as much information as possible obtained during digitization.

In practice, 16-bit TIFF with an embedded ICC profile and no lossy compression is often used. It's worth saving RAW camera files as source material.

A clear project structure might look like this:

• RAW: original source files,
• MASTER: processed archive files,
• OUTPUT: versions prepared for specific applications, e.g. print, web or publishing.

We do not save utility versions in the MASTER file.

For printing in Gicleo, prepare a separate production version from the master in 8 bits, in the target format and recommended resolution of 300 ppi.

Yes, but you need to distinguish between faithful digitization and subsequent interpretation or reconstruction of the image.

In the archival MASTER file, intervention should be limited to activities consistent with the intended digitization process. AI tools should not reconstruct missing fragments of the work, remove its natural texture, cracks, abrasions, or alter the shape of details.

AI can, however, be used in separate applications, such as file enlargement, noise reduction, or other production applications, as long as they are not presented as a faithful recording of the original.

Reconstruction or interpretation versions should always be saved separately from the archive file.

There is no single valid number.

In practice, there are both very small editions of a few or a dozen copies, and larger editions of 50, 100 or 250 copies.

A smaller print run increases the rarity of a work, but does not automatically translate into higher value. Value is also influenced by the artist's standing, the work's significance within their oeuvre, the quality of workmanship, the manner of publication, and collector interest.

The most important thing is to clearly define the size of the edition before starting to sell it.

Fractional notation is most commonly used. For example, 12/50 refers to the twelfth copy of an edition of 50.

If different formats have separate editions, each should have its own unique numbering.

Numbering is most often placed on the work or on the accompanying certificate of authenticity. The method of signing and marking the edition should be established before the sale and applied consistently thereafter.

AP, or Artist's Proof, means an author's copy outside the main edition numbering.

PP, or Printer's Proof, means a printing copy or printing proof.

You may also encounter other designations, such as HC, EA or BAT, depending on the publishing tradition.

If additional copies of the AP, PP, or other editions are produced in addition to the main edition, their number should be determined in advance and clearly communicated. The collector should be able to determine how many authorized copies of a given work exist in total.

It doesn't have to be, but it can be.

It is common practice to run a separate edition for each size, e.g.:

• 40 × 50 cm: 100 copies,
• 60 × 80 cm: 50 copies,
• 100 × 120 cm: 20 copies.

You can also create one common edition covering several formats.

There is no single, universally accepted method. The most important thing is to clearly define the rules before the sale begins, ensure consistent numbering, and provide full information to the collector.

A certificate of authenticity helps identify a work and confirm its origin and belonging to a specific edition.

Most often it contains:

• name and surname of the artist,
• job title,
• printing technique,
• type of paper or substrate,
• format,
• copy number and edition size,
• date of printing or issue,
• signature of the artist or publisher.

Additionally, it may contain a hologram, a dry seal, a serial number or other security feature that allows the certificate to be linked to a specific copy.

If a work has been sold as a limited edition with a specific circulation, this limit should not be increased later.

For example, a declaration of 50 copies means that the collector is purchasing the work with the assumption that a 51/50 copy will not be produced in that particular edition.

Changing the limit after the sale has started undermines the credibility of the issue and the trust of collectors.

If the artist does not want to limit the number of prints in advance, an open edition is a better solution, i.e. a release with no specific limit.

You don't have to create a large catalog right away.

A good start might be a few carefully selected works, e.g. 6 to 12, connected by a common concept, style or story.

It is easier to build a clear collection from a limited number of well-selected works than from a large set of random designs.

Subsequent works and series can be introduced gradually as sales develop, exhibitions or subsequent stages of creativity occur.

The price of printing is not only the result of the cost of paper and printing.

It is worth taking into account in the calculation:

• production cost,
• file preparation,
• certificate and numbering,
• binding,
• packing,
• transportation,
• commissions of galleries and sales platforms,
• taxes,
• artist's participation,
• marketing and sales costs,
• margin that allows you to develop your business.

The artist's position, edition size, format and the significance of a specific work in his or her oeuvre are also important.

You can find our current production rates in the Gicleo price list.

Maybe, but not necessarily.

In the case of limited editions, a progressive model is sometimes used, in which the first copies are sold at a lower price, and as the available pool decreases, the price increases.

For example, an edition can be divided into several price stages.

However, such a system should be planned in advance and applied consistently. The price may also remain the same throughout the entire sales period of the edition.

Print-on-demand means you don't have to print the entire run in advance.

The finished, verified file is stored in the archive, and the next copy is created only after receiving the order.

This allows us to reduce the storage of finished works and the freezing of capital, while at the same time offering a greater number of designs and formats.

The condition for a professional print-on-demand model is a well-prepared MASTER file and a controlled production process ensuring repeatability of subsequent prints.

Tak.

Limited Edition specifies the maximum number of authorized copies. It does not mean that all copies must be printed at once.

You can therefore set, for example, an edition of 50 copies and produce subsequent copies only after they have been sold.

Maintaining accurate numbering records and terminating production once the declared limit is reached is crucial. Monitoring the printing process is also crucial to ensure consistent printing from one copy to the next.

The customer should immediately understand exactly what he is buying.

In the description it is worth mentioning:

• artist's name,
• job title,
• information that it is a print or reproduction,
• printing technique,
• type of paper or substrate,
• the format of the work and the method of providing dimensions,
• information about margins, if any,
• edition size, if limited,
• method of numbering and signing,
• information about the certificate of authenticity,
• information about the frame, if available.

If the work offered is a reproduction of an original work, it should be clearly described as a print and not as an original.

Transparent information increases customer confidence and highlights the collectible nature of a well-prepared edition.