Anyone heard of giclee varnish?

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jsuth

CGF II, Certified Grumble Framer Level 2
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Jan 23, 2005
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voorhees, new jersey
A customer came in today with a giclee on canvas purchased from a publisher in England. It's very flat looking (at first I thought it was a transfer) and the spec sheet that came with the giclee stated that after stretching it should be varnished with a "non-yellowing giclee varnish." I've varnished plenty of oil paintings using your basic Windsor and Newton gloss varnishes but have never heard of any product specifically referred to as a "giclee varnish." Anyone familiar with this?
 
There are concerns about coating a giclee print. We do not normally coat a print, but when asked by the customer we sometimes do it. We use Clear Shield clear coating. It is waterbased and provides enhanced UV protection (not sure of a %) and resists abrasions. The canvas coating comes in glossy, semi gloss. This is the company from which we purchased the coating.
http://www.dtgweb.com/shop/home.php
 
Why wouldn't it be varnished before stretched? Cracking issues? What if you do a gallery wrap?
 
Any surface coating will only age as well as the layers under it and computer generated imagery is created by laying down successive layers, yellow, magenta, cyan, and black. If the coating penetrates those layers, it will change the look of the image, if it rests on top of them, it may not have a good foundation.



Hugh
 
I have been using Glamour II giclee coating from Breathing Color with good results. It comes in matte and gloss, which can be mixed to achieve any grade of semi-gloss desired. I apply it with a HVLP sprayer, though one can also use brush or roller. What's great about it is that it's self-leveling, which makes brush marks and spray patterns disappear in the drying process.
 
jsuth said:
A customer came in today with a giclee on canvas purchased from a publisher in England. It's very flat looking (at first I thought it was a transfer) and the spec sheet that came with the giclee stated that after stretching it should be varnished with a "non-yellowing giclee varnish." I've varnished plenty of oil paintings using your basic Windsor and Newton gloss varnishes but have never heard of any product specifically referred to as a "giclee varnish." Anyone familiar with this?
Click to expand...

It is not as simple as it sounds. All materils must be matched so damage is not done, and the only persons technically--possibly ethically--allowed to coat a print is the publisher or the artist. They should be handled as you would an original pastel, and frame as received. P

Perhaps additional information may be available by contacting the publisher directly.

Chris
info@designinkart.com
 
It is interesting that in 8 posts, nobody has mentioned that framing with glazing nullifies the temptation to modify and possibly damage the art.

The best varnish on earth could not protect a canvas artwork as well as proper framing with glazing. Glazing offers the same benefits for canvas art/photos/digital graphics that it does for all other framed things. Closing up the frame with glazing and a solid backing not only eliminates soiling, but minimizes the detriment of insects, light, impact/vibration, and environmental changes.

There is only one argument for not framing canvas artworks of all kinds with glazing: visual acuity & reflections. Curiously, that argument is not applied to the framing of other things. Even more curiously, the current technology of optically coated glazing pretty much makes it a moot argument.
 
Below is from the Breathing Color site. Their coatings seem to work well for inkjet prints on canvas which is what Giclee prints are. Jim-p has the link in his answer to this question. I have dealt with them on paper and canvas and they are very helpful and will go out of their way to get information for you. They deal heavily in the high end digital market and not much with the small home and hobby printers. A good resource for information as well as a possible source for you to get canvas to re-sell to some of the giclee printers who want to try it as you become known as the 'go to shop' for their framing and information.
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Post-Print Protective Coatings
Canvas Varnish | Giclee Varnish
Giclee Coating for inkjet canvas

Giclee coatings, otherwise known as canvas varnish or post-print coatings, serve to protect, preserve and enhance fine art and photographic prints produced on digital inkjet printers.

Canvas varnish protects and preserves the giclee prints by inhibiting harmful Ultraviolet light from burning out optical brightener additives and other fluorescent whitening additives, which inhibits the inkjet canvas and/or fine art paper from "yellowing". Canvas varnish also protects against moisture and abrasion.

Canvas varnish enhances prints by increasing density, which brightens the color of printed images. For example, the "gloss" or "semi-gloss" finishes can make blacks darker, reds deeper, and yellows brighter. This intensity of this effect is determined by the intensity of the gloss in a coating, and nearly all giclee varnish coating manufacturers only offer one to three finishes that you are forced to use. If are not satisfied, then your search continues.

It is for this reason that we developed Glamour™ II Veneer (See the Media Coverage of this product), a canvas varnish and/or giclee varnish that is suited for both inkjet canvas and fine art papers. This proprietary giclee coating comes in gloss and matte finishes that can be mixed together to achieve every required "look and feel" known to man. Printmakers who use Glamour™ II Veneer have no limitations. It can be roll-applied, brush-applied, and sprayed. It can even be used as a very effective mounting adhesive.

To assist in the application process, we introduced an innovative roll-applicator system called The RollerFoam Kit (See the Media Coverage of this product). Rollerfoam Kit provides printmakers with a quality coating solution that is affordable (less than $10.00), easy to use (only one coat is necessary), and leaves no streaks. See our Instructional Application Video.
 
One question.............

How do you know what media you are dealing with in respect to giclee, on paper, canvas or otherwise?

We had a waterbase giclee on canvas completely destroyed by a small drop of perspiration a few years ago. (We didn't know it was water based until............) I cannot imagine contemplating the application of any top coat. How could you know if you would end up with a swirl of color if something is incompatible?

In my mind, you would have to know the origin and method used to produce every piece you work on. How could you afford that time? Or, how many customers really know what went into the production of the art they are entrusting to you as the expert?

Rob
 
The spec sheet that came with the giclee indicated a water-based giclee varnish should be used. It's a giclee on canvas. I did speak to a tech support guy from breathing color, who was quite knowledgeable and recommended a water-based, UV filtering coating. I'm not crazy about varnishing giclees - oil paintings are no big deal. I believe publishers who print giclees on canvas should just put a protective coating on them themselves - why push the responsibility off on the customer?
 
jsuth said:
...I believe publishers who print giclees on canvas should just put a protective coating on them themselves - why push the responsibility off on the customer?
Click to expand...

Good question. But for giclees not coated by the publisher, I suggest that the framer also should avoid the responsibility.
 
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