Archival/Giclée Printing
What are Archival/Giclée Prints?
Archival prints are high-quality reproductions of original artworks, meticulously crafted to ensure longevity and resistance to deterioration over time. The term “archival” signifies that these prints are produced using materials and processes designed to preserve the artwork’s integrity for generations.
Giclée prints are high-quality reproductions of artwork or photographs created using inkjet printing technology. The term “giclée” comes from the French word “gicler,” meaning “to spray,” which refers to the way ink is applied during the printing process.
Key characteristics of archival prints include:
Materials: They are printed on acid-free, high-quality papers, such as 100% cotton rag, which prevents yellowing and brittleness. The use of pigment-based inks further enhances their resistance to fading and color shifts.
Printing Process: Archival prints are typically produced using high-resolution inkjet printers, ensuring that fine details and subtle tones of the original artwork are accurately captured.
When properly cared for, archival prints can maintain their quality and appearance for many decades, making them a preferred choice for artists, collectors, and institutions aiming to preserve visual art for future generations.
Fine Art Printing
- Utilising a three-level black ink technology that simultaneously employs Grey, Light Grey and Light Light Grey, the innovative Epson UltraChrome pigment inks produce brilliant black density and grey balance in sharp definition.
- On the media surface, the UltraChrome HDX, HD matte, and photo black inks achieve a much higher pigment density, making sure that the pigments do not penetrate too deep when printing on third-party media.
- With the newly-added Violet ink, the Ultrachrome HDX ink achieves a wider colour gamut, allowing it to hit spot and client-specific colours accurately, achieving an unparalleled 99% max certified PANTONE® coverage.
6 Color Printing
12 Color Printing
Overcoat OFF
Overcoat On
The difference between 6-color and 12-color printing primarily lies in the level of color accuracy and detail they can achieve:
6-Color Printing: This setup typically includes the standard CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black) inks along with two additional colors, often light cyan and light magenta. These extra colors help produce smoother gradients and better photo quality, especially for lighter tones.
12-Color Printing: Wider Colour Gamut with 12-Colour Ink Set Utilising UltraChrome PRO 12 ink with the addition of Orange, Green, and Violet colours, the SC-P20530 offers a wider colour gamut, making it ideal for highly accurate and vibrant fine art and photographic prints. This setup expands the color range significantly by adding more specialized inks, such as multiple shades of gray, orange, green, or violet. This results in a wider color gamut, more precise color reproduction, and finer details. It’s ideal for professional photographers, artists, or anyone needing high-end prints.
Superior Black Enhancement
Enhanced black reproduction with Black Enhanced Overcoat (BEO) mode uses Light Grey ink to improve black density, contrast, and tonality, while reducing bronzing (only on glossy paper), making it ideal for high-quality black and white fine art photos.
Archival Inks
- Epson UltraChrome Pro inks are high-quality pigment inks designed for professional printing. They offer a wide color gamut and excellent archival properties, making them ideal for fine art, photography, and graphic design.
Archival Substrates
- Acid-free, lignin-free, and buffered papers to prevent yellowing and brittleness over time.
- Cotton rag or 100% alpha-cellulose papers are common in fine art printing.
- Coated papers with special coatings to enhance ink adhesion and longevity.
Printing Technology
- PrecisionCore MicroTFP technology and a 12-colour UltraChrome PRO 12 ink set for exceptional detail, colour accuracy, and durability.
Longevity Ratings
- Prints are often tested for fade resistance under controlled conditions (e.g., Wilhelm Imaging Research tests).
- High-quality archival prints can last 50–200+ years under proper storage conditions.
99% PANTONE® Coverage
- Achieve unparalleled colour accuracy and impeccable print quality for both colour and monochrome reproductions.
- UltraChrome Pro inks are designed to shine in professional and creative projects where exceptional color accuracy and print longevity are required. Here are some of the best-suited applications:
Fine Art Prints: Perfect for reproducing artwork with vibrant colors and precise details that stand the test of time.
Photography: Ideal for creating gallery-quality photo prints with deep blacks, sharp contrast, and a wide color gamut.
Graphic Design and Illustration: Excellent for producing high-quality posters, designs, or illustrations with stunning color fidelity.
Proofing: Often used in professional print proofing due to their ability to replicate accurate color results.
Commercial Printing: Suitable for marketing materials, banners, and displays where durability and high-quality output are critical.
- These inks are also appreciated for their archival properties, making them a reliable choice for projects requiring longevity, such as museum or collectible prints.
- Photo Rag Bright White [Hahnemuhle Paper] Rice Paper, Museum Etching, Fine Art Baryta, Artistic Canvas, Bamboo Paper, Enhance matte Paper etc are some of the substrates available.
