What is the difference between a giclée on canvas, embellished giclée on canvas, a paper print, and an original? This is a question I often get from clients in the gallery, so today I'd like to explain the difference in printmaking methods.
To begin, let's talk about original paintings. An original starts as a blank canvas. The artist then uses paint or other materials to render an image. Lindsay Ekstrom uses acrylic paint on canvas to create her portraits of rebels, founders, and icons that don't exist anywhere else in the world. Original paintings are done by the hand of the artist from scratch. They are completely one-of-a-kind, irreplaceable works of art.
So what is a giclée on canvas? A giclée is an exact replica of the original work onto stretched museum-quality canvas using the highest caliber of ink so that it has the look, appearance, and sheen of paint without having to pay the full price of an original work. LX Artworks prints and stretches all of our giclées in-house to ensure the quality and integrity of the work.
Similar to a giclée on canvas, a paper print is a high quality reproduction of an original work, but on paper instead of canvas. The paper we use is museum-quality archival paper, which captures every detail seen in the original work. No matter if it's a 5x7" or a 20x30" paper print, the result is a premium-quality fine art reproduction. We also do all of our paper printing in-house to museum-standards.
Finally, we also offer embellished giclée on canvas prints. The point of an embellished giclée on canvas is either to deepen the tones and richen the appearance of the giclée print by making it look more lifelike and similar to the original, or to change large details and make the piece completely one-of-a-kind. If you were to commission or purchase and embellished giclée, you could ask for bespoke details such as a change of an item of clothing, and even the addition of a piece of meaningful jewelry.
Hopefully many of you have been able to find this post useful! For inquiries about commissioning your own original work or embellished giclée, reach out to kenzie@lxartworks.com. Standard paper prints and giclées can be purchased via our online shop.