What Is Giclee Printing? Why It Matters for Coastal Wall Art That Lasts
I get asked this question a fair bit. Someone's browsing the site, they see the words "giclee archival inks" and they think, what does that actually mean? Is it just a fancy word to justify the price? Fair question. So let me break it down properly, because it genuinely matters, especially if you want coastal wall art that still looks great in ten years.
Giclee Printing, Explained Without the Jargon
Giclee (pronounced zhee-clay, if you want to impress someone at a dinner party) is a high-end inkjet printing process that uses fine art archival inks and premium paper or canvas. The word comes from the French for "to spray," which describes how the ink is applied in millions of tiny droplets across the surface.
What makes it different from a standard print you'd get at a photo lab? A few things. The ink itself is archival grade, meaning it's designed to resist fading and yellowing over decades, not just years. The paper or canvas it goes onto is also a factor. A cheap print on basic stock looks great in the shop, then starts to shift in colour within a few years. A giclee print on proper fine art paper is a completely different product.
All my prints use giclee archival inks. That's not a marketing line. It's a baseline requirement for anything I'd put my name on.
Why It Matters for Coastal Wall Art Specifically
Here's the thing about coastal homes: they get a lot of light. Morning sun off the water, afternoon glare through big windows, sunrooms that are basically greenhouses half the year. That UV exposure is brutal on cheap prints. I've seen framed photos from bargain print shops turn orange and patchy within two or three years in a beach house.
Archival giclee inks are built to handle that. The colour you see on day one should still be there on day one thousand. That's why every print I make, whether it's an unframed print on 250gsm premium matte art paper or a premium shadow box with 308gsm Hahnemuhle Rag Mount Smooth paper and 11-colour giclee inks, uses archival materials throughout.
If you're putting art in a room with a lot of natural light and you want extra protection, the Point Addis Art Print I framed in the premium shadow box is worth a look. The Tru Vue Museum Glass in that option blocks 99% of UV and nearly eliminates glare, which is genuinely useful in a bright coastal room. Or if you'd rather skip glass altogether, the floating frame canvas has no glass at all and zero reflections. Both are solid choices depending on your space.
For more on which framing option suits which room, this post on framed vs unframed prints walks through the practical differences.
What Paper Makes a Difference To
The paper weight and texture affect how the final print looks and feels. My unframed prints and classic framed prints use 250gsm premium matte art paper. The standard shadow box steps up to 270gsm fine art paper. And the premium shadow box uses 308gsm Hahnemuhle Rag Mount Smooth, which is a museum-grade paper that gives the colours real depth and richness.
The floating frame canvas is different again. That's printed onto 400gsm Hahnemuhle Daguerre stretched canvas, which has a beautiful texture and works especially well in living rooms and hallways where you want something with a bit of presence.
The Bells Beach Art Print I on a floating frame canvas, for example, is one of those prints that becomes a talking point in a room. The colours in that shot, all that clean blue water and white spray, come through beautifully on canvas.
Bring the Coast Home, and Keep It There
I print to order from Victoria. Every print is made fresh when you place your order, with archival materials that are built to last. No mass production, no sitting in a warehouse fading under fluorescent lights. Free shipping across Australia, ready to hang when it arrives.
If you've been thinking about a coastal print for your home or beach house, check out the Point Roadknight Art Print II, one of my most popular prints, starting from $89. Or browse the full range and find the spot that means something to you.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is giclee printing in Australia?
Giclee printing is a professional fine art printing process that uses archival inkjet inks and premium paper or canvas to produce high-quality, long-lasting prints. It's widely used in Australia for art reproductions and photography prints because the archival inks resist fading and colour shift over time. Most quality art print shops, including Local Breaks, use giclee as the standard for all prints.
How long do giclee prints last?
Giclee prints made with proper archival inks and fine art paper are rated to last well over 100 years under normal indoor conditions. In practice, a well-made giclee print in a home setting should hold its colour for decades without fading or yellowing. For rooms with heavy direct sunlight, a framing option with UV-protective glass, like the premium shadow box with Tru Vue Museum Glass, adds an extra layer of protection.
Is giclee printing worth it for coastal wall art?
Yes, especially for coastal homes where high UV light exposure can degrade cheaper prints quickly. Giclee archival inks are specifically designed to hold colour under these conditions, so the print you hang on your wall today will still look great years from now. If you're investing in a framed print for a beach house or holiday home, giclee is the only standard worth considering.
What is the difference between giclee printing and a standard photo print?
A standard photo print uses dye-based inks on basic photographic paper, which can fade within a few years, particularly in bright rooms. Giclee printing uses pigment-based archival inks on heavyweight fine art paper or canvas, which are far more stable and resistant to UV light and humidity. The colour accuracy and detail in a giclee print is also significantly better, which is why it's the preferred method for fine art and photography prints.
Questions? I'm easy to reach. Every print is made by me, shipped from Victoria, and backed by a 10-year warranty on all framed products.
