Laura is proud to announce she is now offering Giclee print reproductions of her fine art paintings. Laura takes great care to assure the reproduction is as close to the original as possible with today's technology. All of Laura's Giclee prints are printed on heavy-weight 100% cotton rag fine art paper. Each print comes with a Certificate of Authenticity. Limited edition prints are signed by hand.

What is a Giclee print?

This type of print is produced by digitally scanning the original artwork. There are many qualities of Giclee prints in today's market. The quality of the digital "capture" equipment, printing equipment, ink and paper used all influence the quality, and longevity, of a Giclee print. Laura insists upon the highest quality reproductions of her work. Professional scans are created using the Better Light scanning camera. Prints are created using Epson 9000 series printers. All prints are produced with archival inks and are guaranteed to last over 100 years when properly displayed indoors.

While Giclee prints are durable in the extreme the surface can be quite delicate - care must be taken during the matting and framing process. Prints should be protected from moisture, light and dust until framed yet must be allowed to "breathe". For more information see the section on The Care And Feeding Of Your Giclee Prints below.

Limited Editions vs. Open Editions

Limited Edition print runs make a lot of sense when it comes to the lithograpy print process. Four separate plates are created to reproduce the original artwork. Lithography is a painstaking process, each plate is meticulously reviewed and adjusted to insure color and detail accuracy. As more and more prints are run across these plates the quality of the plates, and prints, degrade. This is why the earliest prints in a lithograpy run are more valuable. With the Giclee process this is no longer an issue, you can expect as high a quality for print number 1000 as for print number 1.

Laura does have some limited edition prints on offer. There are various factors in regard to this decision. It may be that she wishes to limit the number of reproductions for personal reasons. It may be an issue of respect for others who have graciously provided photo references or have ordered specific paintings. In instances such as this Laura will limit the number of prints available. These limited editions are usually small.

When there are no such considerations Laura offers open editions. The open editions are also numbered and come with a Certificate of Authenticity. The quality of the open edition prints are exactly the same as the limited edition prints.

Edition Limits for different size prints

Laura may offer reproductions of the same painting in different print sizes. Different edition sizes are offered for different size prints which is an industry standard. For instance, a full-size reproduction may be offered in a limited edition of 50. A medium size reproduction of the same piece may be offered in a limited edition of 100. A small size print may be offered as a larger limited edition or an open edition.

Shipping your Giclee Print.

Laura takes great care to deliver any work to you in the best possible condition. Prints are shipped in an archival pH neutral crystal clear bag. Multiple prints are shipped with interleaves of glassine to protect each print surface. Prints are shipped flat with rigid support and at least 2" of space between the artwork and the box on each side.

It is possible to order prints matted and/or framed. This can significantly increase the shipping charges, especially when considering the added bulk and weight of a frame. Framed prints are shipped in a double-box for added protection.

The Care and Feeding of Your Giclee Prints

Laura prefers a mat border that is at least 3" wide with a centered window. For larger pieces a wider mat may present the work in a better light. If you are hanging the piece above eye-level it may help to "weight the bottom": the bottom border is 1/2" wider than the other borders yet appears to be the same. She urges you to treat your Giclee prints as the fine art that they are: use the best materials possible when matting and framing Giclees.

Matting

The best choice for mat board is Museum board which is made from 100% cotton rag. This eliminates tanins that are found in more common acid-free paper mats. All paper products contain tanin which causes yellowing, a discoloring we all recognize when looking at old newspapers. Fine art papers are buffered to protect from this type of degradation however you must make certain the mats and backing boards used in framing are buffered as well. (Buffering is separate from neutralizing pH elements.) Most quality frame shops will use an acid-free foamboard as backing. It is possible to obtain 100% cotton rag foam board however this is not as important for prints as the foamboard does not contain tanin.

Hinging

The best method for mounting fine art and Giclee prints is "archival hinging". This allows the work to breath as expansion and contraction occurs with fluctuations in temperature and humidity. Linen or rice paper tape is used to attach the work to the back of the mat board. Work should be attached to the back of the mat board. Artwork should never be mounted, glued or taped to the backing board. This causes the work to warp or wrinkle over time.

Frame types

Wooden frames come in a wide variety of styles and prices. Materials quality is an issue with frames as well. With the scarcity and expense of wood frame moulding manufacturers are turning to medium density fiberboard (MDF) to manufacture frame moulding. Those who are sensitive to off-gassing of these types of products should make certain their frames are made from solid wood. Every wooden frame should be sealed on the back with framing paper. This protects the work from dust and insect damage. (Moths love to eat watercolor and fine art print paper.) For any valuable artwork it is best to have the interior "seat" sealed as well. A good frame shop will use a wide framing tape to protect the artwork from any chemical reactions with the wooden frame.

Metal frames are also appropriate and their use elimiantes many of the materials issues. Sealing a metal frame is a bit more difficult, most framers do not seal metal frames unless you specifically request it. There are two ways to seal work in a metal frame. Framing tape is a wide tape that will adhere to most surfaces and seals the space between the back of the frame and the backing board. The other option is to tape the edges of the glass/mat/backing "sandwich". The tape must be trimmed from the front of the mat to ensure it is not visible when framed. This can be a delicate finicky task many framers shy away from.

Glazing options

The choice between glass and plexiglass is another consideration when framing. Glass is more fragile and heavier. UV protection glass is easy to find. Non-glare glass is also readily available, just be aware that colors can be dimmed slightly under non-glare glass. Museum glass is beautiful, protects agains UV rays, has no glare and is extremely clear.

Large pieces are frequently framed behind plexiglass due to weight considerations. Plexiglass is more expensive and can scratch easily. The best way to clean plexiglass is to use soapy water, a soft dampened cloth should be used taking care that moisture does not enter the interior of the frame. There are products available to remove slight scratchs or repair heavier damage from plexiglass. The process can require quite a bit of elbow grease so many prefer to have this done professionally.

Where to hang your new print

As with any fine art it is best to display Giclee prints indoors out of direct sunlight with limited exposure to moisture. An hour or so of direct light per day will not be a big problem but the work should be framed under UV glass or plexiglass to preserve the color intensity of the original. It is possible to hang work in areas of high humidity such as the bathroom. A professional framer should frame the work to withstand these conditions.