Giclée vs. Photo Prints: What's the Difference?

High-quality giclée print on textured paper.

Giclée vs. Photo Prints: What's the Difference?

When you’re looking to reproduce your artwork or photography, you’ll encounter many different terms for printing. Two of the most common are "photo print" and "giclée print." While they might seem similar, there is a world of difference between them in terms of quality, process, and longevity.

For an artist or photographer, choosing the right printing method is crucial. It determines how your work is seen, how accurately your colours are represented, and how long your art will last.

Understanding the Standard Photo Print

Most people are familiar with standard photo prints. These are typically what you’d receive from a high-street lab or online mass-production service. This process often uses dye-based inks and resin-coated papers. While the results can be bright and glossy, the prints are not created for longevity. The colours can fade over time, especially when exposed to light, and they lack the textural depth and substance of a fine art print.

The Indigo Giclée Print: A Mark of Quality

Giclée (pronounced "zhee-clay") is not just a print; it's a process designed to create museum-quality reproductions. The quality comes down to three key elements we have perfected:

1. The Ink: We use the top-of-the-range Epson SureColour printer with a 10-colour set of pigment-based inks. Unlike dyes, pigments are far more resistant to fading, which is why our prints will last for well over 100 years with proper care.

2. The Paper: A giclée print is only as good as the paper it’s printed on. We have handpicked a range of the very best archival papers from world-renowned mills like Hahnemühle and Canson. Whether you need the environmentally-friendly finish of Hahnemühle Bamboo, the delicate smoothness of Hahnemühle Photo Rag, the distinct texture of Hahnemühle German Etching, or the beautiful feel of Canson Aquarelle Rag for watercolour reproductions, the paper itself adds to the artistic quality of the final piece.

3. The Process: It starts with a high-resolution digital file (at least 300dpi). Our systems then match the colour profile of your file to your chosen paper, and every single print is then hand-inspected for accuracy and quality by our team.

A vibrant photographic print with rich colours.

Giclée for Photography & The Verdict

At Indigo Giclée, a professional photographic print *is* a giclée print. We use the same archival-quality process to create prints that have the look and feel of traditional darkroom prints but with superior longevity.

For photographers, we offer stunning papers like Canson Baryta Photographique II with a satin finish or the Hahnemühle FineArt Pearl with its pearl-gloss texture. These papers, combined with our pigment inks, produce dense blacks, smooth tones, and brilliant colours, transforming a photograph into a piece of fine art.

It’s All About Intent

A giclée print is an investment in your art. It ensures that every brushstroke, texture, and hue is displayed with startling accuracy, giving you and your buyers complete confidence in the quality and longevity of the work.

Explore our full range of papers or order a sample pack to feel the quality firsthand.

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