How does one learn about giclee printing?
Mercury Mercurius
I'm an artist with a ton of computer background and I'd like to tap
into those skills to make prints of my paintings. I know it can be
done -- I've encountered a few artists who are doing just this, but
they're very close to the vest about how they learned this and the
kinds of printers they're using. My web search queries have largely
yielded junk and I would appreciate any assistance or referrals to
books, training courses, schools or universities that offer programs
in this area.
Thank you for your time in responding,
-M
nixjunk
Giclee is nothing more than inkjet printing. The benchmark for quality in
inkjet printing at this time is actually a home unit made by Eposn, the Epson
R800.
Confine your web search to photo inkjet printing for better results. Giclee is
an elitist French word used by stuffy artists. :)
Skip M
news:20040521202254...@mb-m13.news.cs.com...
unattainable with the Epson R800, up to 48" if I remember correctly. But,
otherwise, you are right, it is glorified ink jet printing, with a fancy
name so us artiste types feel better about it...
--
Skip Middleton
http://www.shadowcatcherimagery.com
Gene Palmiter
http://www.large-format-printers.org/
"nixjunk" <tor...@cs.comnixjunk> wrote in message
news:20040521202254...@mb-m13.news.cs.com...
Bill Hilton
>Where does one go for training on giclee output / printing techniques?
"Giclee" is a pretty broad term, you need to pin it down to specific printer
models or at least types. Many of the guys doing early giclee work with the
first IRIS printers (where the term became popular) have switched to Epson
9600s or similar today because the projected print life is so much longer.
>I'm an artist with a ton of computer background and I'd like to tap
>into those skills to make prints of my paintings. I know it can be
>done -- I've encountered a few artists who are doing just this, but
>they're very close to the vest about how they learned this and the
>kinds of printers they're using. My web search queries have largely
>yielded junk and I would appreciate any assistance or referrals to
>books, training courses, schools or universities that offer programs
>in this area.
I'd suggest starting with the book "Mastering Digital Printing" by Harald
Johnson. He covers the basics in broad strokes, including the various models
of printers. This is just an overview but a very good one, I feel.
You'll probably need to learn Photoshop at some point, and learn the ICM color
management workflow to get the best match between screen and print.
For a course in digital printing on the LightJet 5000 and Epson 9600 printers
(which I guess can be considered "giclee" ... at least the Epson) I'd highly
recommend taking a class at one of the labs with these printers. In
California, for example, both Calypso (Santa Clara) and West Coast Imaging
(Oakhurst, near Yosemite) offer classes with well-known experts doing the
teaching.
I took a 3 day advanced Photoshop and digital printing course at Calypso with
Bill Atkinson and Charlie Cramer about 15 months ago and it was exceptional.
Cramer used to do dye transfers and has a wealth of knowledge about various
printing and darkroom techniques, and Atkinson was one of the early software
geniuses at Apple Computer, and is now often called the "Ansel Adams of digital
printing". Worth the time and money, when you're ready for it.
Here are some links ...
http://www.calypsoinc.com/ ... check the workshops link
http://www.charlescramer.com/pages/classes.html (info on the classes Charlie
teaches, some with Bill and some alone)
>Thank you for your time in responding
Hope this helps ... there's a lot to learn, you might consider farming out the
scanning and printing initially until you learn Photoshop and have access to a
wide body printer like the 44" wide Epson 9600.
Bill
nixjunk
Possible with most any inkjet you use at home.
and widths
>unattainable with the Epson R800, up to 48" if I remember correctly.
Ok, they are bigger inkjets then. No need for a different name just because
they are bigger inkjets.
> But,
>otherwise, you are right, it is glorified ink jet printing, with a fancy
>name so us artiste types feel better about it...
>
:)
zeitgeist
when some former rock star, now photog decided to get into digital printing
he got what was a high end digital printer, known as a proofer in those days
(IIRC) and spent a fortune getting it to work, its was basically a drum
printer that had a print spin at high speed which I suppose made the ink
drops smaller. they did some modifications that gave the manufacturer fits
and lawyers wrote stern letters about voiding the warranty on their 100,000
dollar machine.
Since their results were far superior to anything else being put out by what
was typical of inkjets of that era, they tried to come up with a name to
sell it, cause galleries wouldn't think of looking at inkjets. someone
thumbing through a language dictionary found the word zee clay, and sure
enough the good folks with lots more money than taste would buy it up (I
think its the same principles that the french restaurants sell snails for
$20, they call them escargot and hide the taste with a pound of butter and
garlic)
however, it has been revealed that the squirt being referenced in the
original french was more to do with the money shot of a typical porn loop.
and now 'inkjets' from a consumer desk top are superior to the 150 dpi of
the early scitex iris 'proofer' which was designed to print make ups of
magazine pages for preview. the term giclee has pretty much faded as
galleries are now accepting digital imagery more.
so the issues of printing to other media besides the photo papers the
company wants to sell you is called color management, and you can get into
custom profiles, which is a way of making the printer squirt more (and
usually when you are printing to water color paper you are adding more and
more ink) or less of this or that ink to make the color lays on the paper
look somewhat like the color that glows on your monitor or flashes in the
dark recesses of your brain.
you can find some generic profiles, usually offered by makers of alternate
brand inks and papers, you can pay someone to generate a custom profile with
the specific inks you use and the specific paper used, or you can buy the
puck to calibrate your monitor, your printer, and generate your own profiles
for your various papers.
the LINKS page of the z-prophoto mailing list at yahoogroups.com (a list for
professional portrait photogs) has a whole folder for color management
tutorials, consultants, monitor and printer profiler makers, custom profile
makers, generics, and ink/paper sellers.
Also, a lot of colleges offer short courses on digital printing and advanced
photoshop and painter through their extension programs, Jr colleges adult
programs, even some park and recs. Its a popular program at most PPA type
workshop/colleges which are about to go into full swing as most happen in
May and June.
Savidge4
"Giclee" in todays terms means anything that can be considered "Museum
Quality". Museum quality is a lot more than the fact the image is rated for
200+ years. You can have the Epson 9600 or a HP 5500 and make prints but that
does not mean you are making Giclee prints. The minute you are concerned with
climate control, ink density and consistancy, paper consistancy, and a host of
other variables then you can consider yourself a printer of a Giclee image.
I have been doing large format (42" and 60") work now for a few years, and as
time has passed I have graduated from printing en mass banners and POP
presentations, to learning the art of doing what i call "specialty prints."
I personally have learned through trial and error. however I will say that the
FLAAR reports I have purchased have been a great help (
http://www.large-format-printers.org ). I will also say that the people at
PosterJet ( high end RIP http://www.posterjet.com ) and thier USA contact
Scarab Graphics in Ca. ( http://www.scarabgraphics.com ) have been very
supportive and helpful.
One thing to keep in mind... all the Photoshop classes in the world are not
going to give you good prints if you dont know what your printer is doing, or
not doing. Learning to control your printer, or better yet, getting a RIP that
controls your printer is the best path to take. the rest comes down to a
period of trial and error.
Hope that helps!
Bill Hilton
>when some former rock star, now photog decided to get into digital printing
>he got what was a high end digital printer, known as a proofer in those days
>(IIRC) and spent a fortune getting it to work
LOL ... http://www.nasheditions.com/
Mercury Mercurius
been very helpful.
One final question: Can anyone recommend some specific workshops or
schools with classes in this subject area located on the east coast?
-- I live in Pennsylvania, so a flight to California won't be the most
cost effective option for me right now.
Thank you again,
-M
Savidge4
http://www.apogeephoto.com/buyguide/workshops/east.htm I have had a friend
that went to this workshop and said it was rather good.
http://www.photoworkshop.com/double_exposure/publish/cat_index_35.shtml This
site is just full of differnt events from all over and you may find what you
are looking for!
hope that helps!
Chris Brown
Savidge4 <savi...@aol.com> wrote:
>
>"Giclee" in todays terms means anything that can be considered "Museum
>Quality".
IME, the term seems to be often used by people trying to sell prints they
did on their Epson.
Bill Hilton
>schools with classes in this subject area located on the east coast?
>-- I live in Pennsylvania, so a flight to California won't be the most
>cost effective option for me right now.
I think the Maine Photographic Workshops (http://theworkshops.com/ ) has a
nation-wide reputation for quality workshops. I think it's centered in
Rockport. I mentioned Charlie Cramer when talking about California workshops
... I think we also teaches for the Maine group and also the Palm Beach
Workshops.
Also, John Paul Caponigro is a well-known artist and Photoshop expert (he's the
son of famed photographer Paul Caponigro) and he teaches a limited slate of
workshops from his home in Maine, in addition to teaching on the workshop
circuit. He's an exceptional printer and since you mentioned your paintings JP
might be a good fit for you since he works as a painter and photographer. His
Photoshop book is one of the best advanced books available for creative
artists. http://www.johnpaulcaponigro.com/
Bill