What is a Giclee?

“Giclee” pronounced, “zhee-clay”, is a well known French word in the fine-Art world; describing the advanced technology “to Spray pigment” resulting in the highest quality reproductions of Fine-Art available in the world. Giclees have great superiority in beauty, quality and durability.

Limited edition giclee artworks are created by first capturing the original painting as a high resolution digital image. It is then printed using light-fast pigments on museum quality, fine-art canvas with advanced ink-jet technology. The artwork is then hand-signed and numbered and comes with a certificate of authenticity from the artist. A published artwork like this often increases the value of the original.

Museum Quality

To Art lovers around the world, the Louvre in Paris represents the epitome of excellence. Imagine how surprised those patrons would be to know that among the works displayed are Giclee reproductions. According to EDC News, “The Louvre in Paris uses Giclee reproductions for displays of works that are held in the museum’s cellars—works that would otherwise not be shown to the public.”

Dozens of museums have mounted exhibitions or purchased Giclees for their permanent collections. These include The Metropolitan Museum (New York), the Guggenheim (New York), the Museum of Fine Arts (Boston), the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum (Boston), the Philadelphia Museum, the Butler Institute (Youngstown, OH), the Corcoran (DC), the National Gallery for Women in the Arts (DC), the Kennedy Centre for Performing Arts (DC), the Walker Art Centre, the Smithsonian Institution Libraries, the New York Public Library Print Collection, the High Museum (Atlanta), the California Museum of Photography, the National Museum of Mexico and the San Jose Museum, among others.

Ivan Clarke Editions

Ivan Clarke Editions are created in a specialized digital capture and printing studio. This is overseen by master printmaker and artist Paul Cato. Digital photographic capture is by way of 49 Megapixel (7000 x 7000) Hasselblad camera, the same used for archiving images of artworks in Art Museums. Large Reproductions up to 2 x 9 meters are possible.

As the printer of Ivan’s “Lonely Dog Editions,” Paul Cato is considered an expert Fine-Art Giclee Printmaker, this boutique studio has grown to be one of the major producers of giclée fine art reproductions in New Zealand.

What is a Masterwork?

Masterworks (often referred to as A/P’s) are limited edition Giclees on canvas that have been, hand re-touched and textured by replicating each original brush-stroke. Traditionally they are hand re-worked with paints by the artist and his apprentice. This highlights and accentuates the painting in certain areas; to match the original painting. It is then finished with heavy bodied impasto medium which also gives the painting a final protective coating and the texture of an original oil painting. They are hand-finished by Ivan Clarke; personally signing and numbering each work by brush. Artist’s Proofs can be identified by a smaller edition number appearing along with “A/P” (Artist’s Proof) next to the artist’s signature. When compared to an original painting it is otherwise nearly impossible to tell that an Artist’s Proof isn’t the original painting.