Published On: September 1, 2017243 words1.2 min read

Some clients have recently asked us to explain how a giclee compares to a hand-painted oil on canvas, and we would answer them by saying it’s like the difference between chalk and cheese.

A giclee is merely a mass-produced print reproduction of a painting or photograph bearing little or no value and largely imported from overseas; inferior giclees of poor quality will frequently fade or even crack with the passing of time. Confusion can arise if oil paint has been added to the giclee, for then it is sometimes mistaken for the real deal, a genuine hand-painted artwork and there are cases where an artist’s livelihood has been negatively affected by this deception.

A hand-painted oil on canvas, however, is a one-of-a-kind original, generally accompanied by a certificate of authenticity. It represents an investment, often financial but certainly aesthetic, and as such it remains a collectible of great value to be passed down from generation to generation. Additionally, the brilliance and texture of colors on an oil painting are visibly palpable, giving its subject a quality of timelessness not present in any giclee, and in consequence there is a sense of appreciation for the heart and soul of the work poured into it by the artist.

The same can be said of our conversion work, and the joy our customers feel when they open the box to view the finished work is priceless.

Flora Habbab, BFA
In Collaboration with David Martin