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Fine Ink Print
Definition, craft, and care — clarity beyond the buzzword “giclée.”
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What Is a Fine Ink Print?
Short answer: A Fine Ink Print is a pigment-based print made on archival-grade media under color-managed conditions, with transparent disclosure of materials and methods, created for long-term display or collection.
Core Criteria
- Pigment inks (not dye), with published permanence testing (e.g., lightfastness, gas fade).
- Archival media such as cotton rag or high-grade alpha-cellulose; disclose OBA (optical brightener) usage.
- Color management via ICC profiles in a calibrated workflow; soft-proofed rendering intent noted.
- Edition ethics: declared edition size, reprint/variant policy, and certificate/marking details.
- Environmental care: guidance for framing, UV exposure, humidity and handling to preserve longevity.
Why this matters: “Giclée” is imprecise. Materials, process, and disclosure are what make a print fine.
At-a-Glance Checklist
- Pigment inks ✔︎
- Archival paper (OBA disclosure) ✔︎
- ICC-managed workflow ✔︎
- Edition transparency ✔︎
- Display/handling guidance ✔︎
Giclée: History, Hype, Reality
The word helped early on, then became fuzzy. Here’s how to assess quality without relying on jargon.
Read the overview →Quick FAQ
Is every “giclée” a Fine Ink Print?
No. Only if it meets the materials/process/disclosure standards above.
Why disclose OBAs?
OBAs can shift appearance under UV over time; disclosure guides proper display.
Do you sell prints here?
No. This site is educational; purchasing is handled on a separate marketplace project.