F.A.Q.

Why is the thing called giclee?

Well basically a marketing man thought up the term to try
and differentiate between the printer that sits beside your computer and the ones that professional giclee printers use which can cost up to £50 000. He chose the word giclee to give it a French sounding. You know how pretentious the art world can be. If you look in a French dictionary giclee will be defined as meaning "to spray or squirt." Although in France the word has different connotation in colloquial use but as this is a family site we won''t go into that.

So how does this printer work?

Well like the dictionary says it sprays ink on to the material. This can be canvas, paper, wood and even perspex. These printers are very robust. The original image if not already digitalised is first scanned into a computer and colour corrected by a graphic artist. Then a special high-tech ink-jet printer transfers or sprays the image of the original painting directly onto the chosen material literally millions of microscopic dot of colour.

Do the inks last?

At first people were apprehensive about the durability but lab tests have come to a consensus of around 80 years. Today
Giclee Prints have gained wide acceptance and "legitimacy", and are now shown in museums and galleries throughout the world.

Numerous examples of giclee prints can be found in New York City at the Metropolitan Museum, the Museum of Modern Art.

What types of canvas do use?

We use heavy cotton both matte and gloss canvas.

What''s the difference?

It depends on the image when deciding which one to use.
For all family photos we print on gloss as it has a more vibrant effect then we varnish it for further protection.

Are they waterproof?

Yes all our canvases are waterproof.

What wood do you use for your stretchers and how thick is it?

We use fir wood and stretcher sizes measure 3.8cm x3.5cm..

Do you offer a guarantee?

If you are unsatisfied for any reason just return it to us and we offer a full refund.
Remember like any artwork avoid displaying it in direct sunlight. Clean with a soft dry cloth or feather duster.

How long does the process take?

Normally once we have the image the turnaround time is between 5-7 days. Then allow a further day for delivery.


We hope these questions help you.
If we have not answered anything that you need to know then please e-mail us.


sales@canvastown.com