What is the Giclée System?

The canvas industry is booming as ever larger wallspaces are demanding decoration without the high cost and clutter of traditional framing.  Unfortunately this boom and its corresponding promise of riches has resulted in a decline in printing standards, longevity and advertising accuracy.

Nowadays we see chain stores attempting to print images on canvas using unsuitable signage machines and often so called canvas specialists cut corners by not using a protective coating over what is a very fragile medium.

The issue is magnified by unscrupulous suppliers advertising their products as “The most Archival in the World” without any published attempt at longevity testing.

 

Fade Tested Media is your Guarantee for Archival Life

GMS is concerned about this decline in print quality and is trying to address the issue with education courses and by the supply of a complete system that when used together, produces high quality, truly archival images. Unlike so many media resellers, GMS actually fade tests much of its own art media and ink combinations and is capable of issuing a statement of longevity that has meaning.

Any canvas displaying “The Giclee System” logo must be printed on an Epson, Canon, Roland or Hewlett Packard pigment printer on one of the fade tested GMS canvas types. It must be framed under glass or liquid laminated with Aquathane-UV to the prescribed depth and must be stretched on GMS Gicleebars covered with Aquathane-UV to stop any wood acid or tannin ingress.

The “Giclee System Logo” also applies to art prints printed on Eterna Elite 100% cotton or Crane Museo 100% cotton buffered fine art paper using the prescribed printers and being framed under glass in an archival manner using only acid free or ph buffered mount boards.

During 2007 GMS and its supplier Eterna Media, will enhance the range of fade tested media to include new canvas types and their protective coatings. If you are a GMS customer and supply canvas or prints finished in this manner, please apply this logo with certainty that the products have been tested and their ratings are published on this website. These ratings and the logo may be reproduced on any limited edition canvas or prints made with this media by the prescribed and documented method.

Fade Test Data for GMS Supplied Art Media with Epson K2 Ink
Media Type	Protection Method	Temperature	Resistance to Humidity	Years
GMS Natural Zero	Under Glass	20c	Very High	81
Eterna Elite Lightly Textured	Under Glass	20c	Very high	85
GMS Natural Bright	Under Glass	20C	Under test	Under test
Eterna Cotton/poly Bright	Under Glass	20c	Under test	Under test
GMS Natural Bright	Aquathane-UV	20C	Under test	Under test
Eterna Cotton/poly Bright	Aquathane -UV	20c	Under test	Under test