Pixel settings for Giclee prints

Dogdots

I would like to print some of my photos in Giclee print and I don't know how may pixels I should use. Anyone know? Or anyone out there who has used this type of printing for their pictures? The size I will be using is 11x14 and also some bigger--like wall size--bigger then a poster.

Also I'm putting together a portfolio and was wondering what size pictures I should use. What kind of printing too. I'm interested in what printer people use. Their own? Or Ritz or someplace else.

Art Scott

I rely on a local PRO printer for all my work larger than 8 x 10....as for portfolio size.....print the largest size you can afford and also carry, I suggest
at least 16 x 20 inches.........as for printing the larger sizes....the best PRO print houses have uprez software to do an acceptable job, however if you want to get 8 x 10 quality (300dpi) at the larger sizes then you will need a software like genuine fractals to uprez a 300dpi file to what ever your print dimensions are...say 20 x 30 or 30 x 40....by doing this the client doesnot need to be backed away from the print to see the greatest detail with out seeing the grain (pixel dots) that will be seen in a normally uprezed large print that will need to be viewed with a distance of 3 or more feet between viewer and print to make the grain disapper....this is what is know as viewing distance and most of the non "art" educated world does not understand this concept.

arodney

Dogdots wrote:

I would like to print some of my photos in Giclee print and I don't know how may pixels I should use.

Giclee? Kind of an outdated term these days, you mean ink jet right?

At least for the high end Epson's and the like, range should from a low of 180 pixels per inch to a high of 480ppi. More can actually cause quality issues.

Smaller sized prints require a closer viewing distance, use a higher value if possible. Larger prints the opposite.

Dogdots

arodney is Giclee really outdated? I have been to a few sited and galleries when on trips and the artists are using Giclee printing.

Art---carring a 16x20 may be to big for me -- I'm 4'10" . I will check into the prices of the photos before deciding what size. Money is always the factor isn't it . What is the software genuine fractals? Is this something we have or the professional printer has? And if the pro-printer has it, how do we set up our photo before coping it to disc and take it in.

I'm looking at making a big photo of a picture I took this spring for my home. I just don't know how to set it up. I was going to use Giclee printing, but arodney says thats outdated which tells me there may be something better. Hummmm......I don't know what to do now. Back to square one again.

arodney

Dogdots wrote:

arodney is Giclee really outdated? I have been to a few sited and galleries when on trips and the artists are using Giclee printing.

For everyone who'd seriously done fine art ink jet printing, people like Nash Editions who basically invented the term and process (note my buddy Mac Holbert there says he didn't invent the term and hates it). It's French, means Squirt (in polite conversations, ejaculation outside).

IF you want the skinny on what is really fine art printing, from the guys who pretty much invented it, go here:

http://www.nasheditions.com/

And for the real history (including the hype some still use, Giclee):

http://www.nethebook.com/

Dogdots

Thanks for the links arodney--I will check them out.

arodney

To be clear, there's nothing at all tired about fine art ink jet printing. Mac just finished being an alpha and beta for the new Epson 11880 and in fact has been pushing the envelope in this area for years. Its the marketing term, Giclee that's old and tired and anyone using it would seem somewhat suspect in my mind as using the term as a marketing vehicle more than anything else. Look at Mac's client list and history. There are all kinds of shops doing this work, all over the country. But its hardly the hardware, anyone with enough money can buy these toys or call them what they wish. What makes a master printer a master printer his or her skills. If you ever go to a big photos show and view the prints at the various booths, check out those at Epson. Mostly all Mac's work. Then look at the other prints in other booths.

Dogdots

Ok....let me see if I understand this right. Your saying that Giclee printing is something that is "old printing". And that the printers out today can do the same as what is labeled as Giclee printing.

I know there is a marketing push going on for this process of printing. I see printing companies advertising this type of print. Large signs hanging outside of their buildings. I also have been in photo studios where they market the print as being printed with the Giclee process on canvas. I even talked with someone working there and that is all they could talk about.

So...bigger printing companys say they have this type of printing ability-Giclee--to draw photographers in to get their photos printed there, but in essence the photographer can do that with their own printer, on their own papers. All you would need is an 8 ink jet printer or bigger. Right?

I was reading this site. I would like your input on this if you have time.
http://www.gicleeprint.net.abtGclee.shtm

What type of skills makes a master printer? His or her ability to match their work with their photo along with their printers abilities. I have not a clue, but am very interested in it.

Dogdots

arodney--just read part of your book---very good

arodney

Dogdots wrote:

Ok....let me see if I understand this right. Your saying that Giclee printing is something that is "old printing". And that the printers out today can do the same as what is labeled as Giclee printing.

The term yes, the process no.

I know there is a marketing push going on for this process of printing.

There was years ago, now the term is dismissed by and large. Its a fancy term for ink jet printing, something many of us are doing in house, using printers we can buy in town. When you had to drop $100K on an Iris ink jet, way back when, it was an interesting marketing term.

I see printing companies advertising this type of print. Large signs hanging outside of their buildings. I also have been in photo studios where they market the print as being printed with the Giclee process on canvas. I even talked with someone working there and that is all they could talk about.

I have four such printers here, all available at most local photo stores. An Epson 3800, a 4800 and my iPF 5000 are all ink jet printers which if I wanted to, I could market as giclee printers. So what?

So...bigger printing companys say they have this type of printing ability-Giclee--to draw photographers in to get their photos printed there, but in essence the photographer can do that with their own printer, on their own papers. All you would need is an 8 ink jet printer or bigger. Right?

Exactly! That doesn't mean the person handling the files for print will do as good a job. Printing is an art. I may own a Bessler enlarger, the same Ansel Adams used. That doesn't make me a master printer.

What type of skills makes a master printer? His or her ability to match their work with their photo along with their printers abilities. I have not a clue, but am very interested in it.

Someone who produces excellent quality prints from your files. It could be you. It might be someone else. Ideally they have good hardware but as I said, you can purchase this yourself for not a lot of money, depending on the size of the unit. You'd want to have good quality control, have your color management act in order, understand how to produce excellent quality files, how to sharpen them for output. You'd have to be able to produce such a quality print today and in the future should a customer come back and want another matching print. You'd need to know how to archive the data for this kind of work.

What makes someone a master printer is like asking what makes someone a great photographer. It isn't the camera.

Dogdots

Understand what you said completely.

Now, what do you think of the Canon Pro 9000---is it good, but not good enough? Or the Epson R1800? Good or not good enough? I know these may be alot cheaper then some printers, but just wondering what you take is on these.

arodney

Dogdots wrote:

Now, what do you think of the Canon Pro 9000---is it good, but not good enough? Or the Epson R1800? Good or not good enough? I know these may be alot cheaper then some printers, but just wondering what you take is on these.

Can't comment on the Pro 9000, don't have one. I have a 9500, its OK. Slow. I have (now) an Epson 3800, 4800 and iPF 5000. I prefer the 3800 the most but it doesn't do rolls which I don't print from much. For speed and print quality, foot print size and value, its tops on my list. I suspect the new 4880 will be as fast and will have the same quality since it will use the newer ink heads and dither plus if you wish, it will do roll.

Dogdots

I heard doing rolls on your printer are ok, but that you can't really use all the paper because as the roll gets smaller it curls the photos. I see that as really being a problem and a waste of dollars on something you can't use.

I'm looking for a good printer that I can use at home. So I will look into some that you had mentioned.

arodney

Dogdots wrote:

I heard doing rolls on your printer are ok, but that you can't really use all the paper because as the roll gets smaller it curls the photos. I see that as really being a problem and a waste of dollars on something you can't use.

Its great if you want a really big print or panno. I typically don't do that (I have one I did on the 4800 and I like it). But I mostly use cut sheets. So roll capability isn't inherently good or bad, its an option. You do need to be very careful in paper handling. So for some, those that want roll handling, the 3800 is a deal breaker. It also doesn't have a cassette feed like the 4800 (which makes it a lot bigger footprint wise). It is nice to have a box of paper in the cassette but again, if you're not printing a lot of sheets in one session, not a big deal.

Considering the price point and included Ethernet card, the 3800 is a great deal. Its also got a pretty small footprint.

Dogdots

Thanks for the infomation. You have been a big help