Print/Reproduction Terminology.

There has often been confusion surrounding prints—usually in telling the difference between an “original” print or a mechanical reproduction or copy of an original work. If you are unable to tell whether you have an original print or a reproduction or copy of a print magnify an area on the piece and look for a dotted or pixel-like pattern. If you find a dotted and/or a pixel pattern, you can safely assume it is a mechanical reproduction.

An “original” print is always made from the original block, stone, plate, or screen that the artist himself has created. There are several kinds of printing types that artists will use, such as lithography, etching, engraving, pochoir, intaglio, photogravure, etc.

Giclée (zhee-klay) Print.

The French word "giclée" is a feminine noun that means a spray or a spurt of liquid and may have been derived from the French verb "gicler" meaning "to squirt". Thereby giving rise to the printmakers term "giclée print". Images are generated from high resolution digital scans or photographs and printed with archival quality inks onto various substrates including canvas, fine art and photo-base paper. The giclée printing process provides better color accuracy than other means of reproduction. These prints are produced by using high resolution professional ink-jet printers which are capable of producing incredibly detailed prints for both the fine art and photographic markets.

Serigraph / Silkscreen Print. 

A stenciling method in which the image is transferred to paper by forcing ink through a fine mesh in which the background has been blocked.