Correct nomenclature for prints

[macmx]

I hope this is the correct forum for this post.

I was wondering what the correct nomenclature for analog and digital prints is? I mean how do you correctly write that a print is an analog silver print or analog color print?

If I were a customer, I would care whether the capture and/or printing medium is digital or analog. But how do you describe this correctly when exhibiting your work?

Should you differentiate between for example silver prints from negative and silver prints from a digital image?

Any help is much appreciated. Thanks! 🙂

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

I hope this is the correct forum for this post.

I was wondering what the correct nomenclature for analog and digital prints is? I mean how do you correctly write that a print is an analog silver print or analog color print?

If I were a customer, I would care whether the capture and/or printing medium is digital or analog. But how do you describe this correctly when exhibiting your work?

The terminology depends on the type of printing technology used.

Traditional silver based BW print on commercially produced BW paper is a Silver Gelatin Print.

Traditional silver-based color print made on RA-4 type color paper is a Chromogenic Print

Inkjet print from either a digital camera or scanned film is called either an Inkjet or Giclee Print. The terms are interchangeable. Giclee is a French term used in the art world to sound more important than Inkjet, but it means just an Inkjet.

Should you differentiate between for example silver prints from negative and silver prints from a digital image?

No. You name the print based on the print technology, not the capture technology. If you think it matters what kind of camera or capture you used, put it in your artist's statement.

 

[Roger Hicks]

The terminology depends on the type of printing technology used.

Traditional silver based BW print on commercially produced BW paper is a Silver Gelatin Print.

Traditional silver-based color print made on RA-4 type color paper is a Chromogenic Print

Inkjet print from either a digital camera or scanned film is called either an Inkjet or Giclee Print. The terms are interchangeable. Giclee is a French term used in the art world to sound more important than Inkjet, but it means just an Inkjet.

Dear Chris,

In polite society, perhaps, but I am informed that in 'real' French it is not unrelated to the manly art of self-abuse, much like branleur (literally 'one who shakes').

I have long suspected that someone is taking the P here.

Cheers,

R.

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

That's true Roger, but the term is widely used in the USA. The word came into use because someone looking for a pretentious name for inkjets looked SPRAY in an English/French dictionary and that was the first definition it gave. He didn't bother reading the rest of the definition!

 

[ampguy]

A local landscape photographer with works in coffee shops, etc. uses the text in the 3rd paragraph below in this link:

http://www.alisonmeyerphotography.com/page.cfm?p=prints

The images look very nice, printed and framed. Heavily processed, but that seems to be what sells these days. The sales price that I noted were around $75-$100 for 8x10s including frames and mats.

 

[ampguy]

Never heard of Giclee Chris

Never heard of Giclee Chris

I have heard of Bruce Lee though ...

That's true Roger, but the term is widely used in the USA. The word came into use because someone looking for a pretentious name for inkjets looked SPRAY in an English/French dictionary and that was the first definition it gave. He didn't bother reading the rest of the definition!

 

[Paul Roark]

"Giclee" is an awful term we ought to try to put out of its misery. It was pure marketing BS.

I think most art uses names that describe the medium in a useful manner. The imaging substance and substrate seem to be the most important variables. If either variable is weak, the print, presumably, has less value.

In this respect, "silver gelatin" seems very appropriate, although I think one must distinguish between RC and fiber based paper. I recently saw a high end photo gallery selling "gelatin silver" prints that were obviously on RC paper. I think this is wrong.

With respect to inkjets, the problem has been that there is a huge range of qualities of inks as well as papers. The dyes were very fast fading. The best pigments are very good. From this perspective, I think "pigment" print is more useful than "inkjet" print to describe, for example, an Ultrachrome print.

Although if good pigments are printed on what Epson once called "Archival Matte," the high acidity of the paper should be disclosed, as it will yellow quickly. Most understand the need for "acid free" materials. However, in addition to this, whether a print contains optical brightening agents is also important. These are dyes that will fade quickly and cause the print to yellow.

As a B&W printer, I've been advocating "carbon on cotton" as the best combination -- 100% carbon pigments on an acid-free (and non-brightened) cotton substrate (paper). Carbon is way more lightfast and stable than color pigments.

Paul
www.PaulRoark.com
http://www.paulroark.com/BW-Info/

 

[Roger Hicks]

That's true Roger, but the term is widely used in the USA. The word came into use because someone looking for a pretentious name for inkjets looked SPRAY in an English/French dictionary and that was the first definition it gave. He didn't bother reading the rest of the definition!

Dear Chris,

Yes, I know it's widely used. I believe it's common in the UK as well as the USA. But I can't help feeling that some of those who urge its use are either branleurs or those who know what branleur means.

Gives a whole new meaning to 'movers and shakers', doesn't it?

Cheers,

R.

 

[ully]

Call em pictures.

 

[dmr]

The images look very nice, printed and framed. Heavily processed, but that seems to be what sells these days.

Around here, at the art fairs and such, there are always some people selling some attractively-framed but heavily photoshopped digicam images. You know they are inkjet, not that there's anything wrong with it. 🙂

(Hmmmm ... will this turn out to be the 2010s answer to heavy oils on black velvet?) 🙂 🙂 🙂

As you say, that's what sells! I'm sure that today's average art-fair-goer could not tell the difference between an inkjet and a silver B&W print, and would almost always go for a punchy-saturated photoshopped color image over a B&W on any medium.

Oh well ...

 

[Roger Hicks]

Around here, at the art fairs and such, there are always some people selling some attractively-framed but heavily photoshopped digicam images. You know they are inkjet, not that there's anything wrong with it. 🙂

(Hmmmm ... will this turn out to be the 2010s answer to heavy oils on black velvet?) 🙂 🙂 🙂

As you say, that's what sells! I'm sure that today's average art-fair-goer could not tell the difference between an inkjet and a silver B&W print, and would almost always go for a punchy-saturated photoshopped color image over a B&W on any medium.

Oh well ...

Perfect!

Oh; wait a minute; we're forgetting the ones on GOLD, or at least yellow or tan, velvet. All we need now is some pictures of Elvis and the Last Supper. Or better still, Elvis AT the last supper.

Hey: that's the first time I've ever wanted to do an 'Installation'. HDR of course.

Cheers,

R.

 

[dmr]

Or better still, Elvis AT the last supper.

ROFL! Elvis at the Last Supper in HDR! 🙂 🙂 🙂

 

[ampguy]

right

right

but these folks are inspiring to me. If you're ever at a fair and see photos like the one below, be sure to stop and say Hi! 😀

Around here, at the art fairs and such, there are always some people selling some attractively-framed but heavily photoshopped digicam images. You know they are inkjet, not that there's anything wrong with it. 🙂

(Hmmmm ... will this turn out to be the 2010s answer to heavy oils on black velvet?) 🙂 🙂 🙂

As you say, that's what sells! I'm sure that today's average art-fair-goer could not tell the difference between an inkjet and a silver B&W print, and would almost always go for a punchy-saturated photoshopped color image over a B&W on any medium.

Oh well ...

 

[Steve_F]

A local landscape photographer with works in coffee shops, etc. uses the text in the 3rd paragraph below in this link:

http://www.alisonmeyerphotography.com/page.cfm?p=prints

The images look very nice, printed and framed. Heavily processed, but that seems to be what sells these days. The sales price that I noted were around $75-$100 for 8x10s including frames and mats.

Some nice images but I've noticed that they can be purchased as a 'Photograph', at what point does an inkjet/Giclee become a photograph as opposed to an image produced on light sensitive paper/medium (whether by pos/neg or digital file)?😱

Still, nice touch be seen looking through a loupe at the slides instead of being sat in front of a monitor.

Steve.

 

[ampguy]

huh?

huh?

I call both my Costco prints, and enlargements, and my home inket prints "Photographs"

That said, if I were ever to buy someone's photograph, I'd want the biggest digital file they had, and a notarized affadavit that no photoshop was used, along with the "Photograph"

Some nice images but I've noticed that they can be purchased as a 'Photograph', at what point does an inkjet/Giclee become a photograph as opposed to an image produced on light sensitive paper/medium (whether by pos/neg or digital file)?😱

Still, nice touch be seen looking through a loupe at the slides instead of being sat in front of a monitor.

Steve.

 

[Ljós]

Dear Chris,

In polite society, perhaps, but I am informed that in 'real' French it is not unrelated to the manly art of self-abuse, much like branleur (literally 'one who shakes'). [...]

That makes a whole lot of sense, actually. On the subject of inkjet prints and printers you often hear how many sheets the printer can - what is the word? - "crank" out per minute. ;-)

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

Some nice images but I've noticed that they can be purchased as a 'Photograph', at what point does an inkjet/Giclee become a photograph as opposed to an image produced on light sensitive paper/medium (whether by pos/neg or digital file)?😱

Still, nice touch be seen looking through a loupe at the slides instead of being sat in front of a monitor.

Steve.

Tired argument. In the 19th century people began making photographic prints using Intaglio printing techniques like Bromoil, Photograuve, etc. that do not involve a light sensitive paper for the final prints. No one has ever said those were not photographs, so why the prejudice against modern non-light-sensitive photo processes?

 

[Roger Hicks]

Dear Chris,

I fear you may have responded too quickly (I've often done the same myself). Bromoil (Wellbourne and Wall 1907) does involve light sensitive paper for the final print. Perhaps you're thinking of bromoil transfer. Neither bromoil nor bromoil transfer is intaglio.

Cheers,

R.

 

[Roger Hicks]

That makes a whole lot of sense, actually. On the subject of inkjet prints and printers you often hear how many sheets the printer can - what is the word? - "crank" out per minute. ;-)

Bunch of crankers...

(Sorry, couldn't resist reinforcing your joke, albeit ploddingly).

Cheers,

R.

 

[rpsawin]

I find most HDR images to be the digital equivalent of the black velvet paintings of the poker-playing dogs. They became increasingly enjoyable after a few hands and, of course, several rounds.

Best regards,

Bob
Bob