Giclée Printing vs Digital Printing: Pros and Cons
You’ll often hear the words “digital print” and “giclée print” thrown around as if they’re the same thing. But while giclée is technically a type of digital printing, there’s a world of difference in quality — and in what your print will look like a decade from now.
Let’s break it down.
Let’s break it down.
The basics
● Digital printing is a broad term covering anything printed from a digital file. This could be your standard desktop inkjet or a commercial offset machine. Most cheap posters, marketing leaflets and mass-produced art prints fall into this bucket.
● Giclée printing is a specialised kind of digital printing. It uses high-resolution files (typically 300 DPI or more), pigment-based archival inks, and acid-free, heavyweight papers or canvas. In short: giclée is the high-end cousin of regular digital print.
● Giclée printing is a specialised kind of digital printing. It uses high-resolution files (typically 300 DPI or more), pigment-based archival inks, and acid-free, heavyweight papers or canvas. In short: giclée is the high-end cousin of regular digital print.
The pros of giclée
● Longevity: Thanks to pigment inks and archival papers, giclée prints can stay vibrant for 50 to 100 years.
● Colour & detail: With up to 12 ink colours (vs standard CMYK), giclée prints capture subtle gradients and textures beautifully.
● Serious art quality: Museums, galleries and artists use giclée because it faithfully reproduces original artwork.
● Colour & detail: With up to 12 ink colours (vs standard CMYK), giclée prints capture subtle gradients and textures beautifully.
● Serious art quality: Museums, galleries and artists use giclée because it faithfully reproduces original artwork.
The pros of standard digital prints
● Cost: Much cheaper, making them ideal for short-lived uses — like seasonal posters or kid’s rooms where durability isn’t a worry.
● Speed: Fast turnaround, good for quick marketing jobs.
● Speed: Fast turnaround, good for quick marketing jobs.
The cons
● Giclée: Costs more upfront. It’s a deliberate investment for people who want their art to last.
● Standard digital: Less durable, prone to fading and paper yellowing, colours not as nuanced.
● Standard digital: Less durable, prone to fading and paper yellowing, colours not as nuanced.
So if you’re deciding between the two, think about how long you want to enjoy your print. For fine art that’ll become a part of your home for decades, it’s hard to beat giclée.
You can see examples in our giclée art print collection — all printed to museum standards. Or if you want to explore what makes them tick, dive into our complete guide to giclée art prints. Still not sure how they compare to your typical poster? This handy guide on giclée vs poster prints spells it out clearly.
At the end of the day, it’s about what matters more to you: saving a few quid now, or enjoying art that still turns heads 20 years from today.
You can see examples in our giclée art print collection — all printed to museum standards. Or if you want to explore what makes them tick, dive into our complete guide to giclée art prints. Still not sure how they compare to your typical poster? This handy guide on giclée vs poster prints spells it out clearly.
At the end of the day, it’s about what matters more to you: saving a few quid now, or enjoying art that still turns heads 20 years from today.