Preparing your artwork for giclée printing

Giclée is our archival fine-art process, pigment inks on cotton rag and fine art papers, colour-matched to your original. Prepare your file to these specs and it prints beautifully first time, with no back-and-forth. New to giclée? Start with our “What is giclée printing?” blog.

File format

  • Best: TIFF, uncompressed, or ZIP compression (please avoid LZW). This keeps the most colour information and the smoothest gradients.
  • Bit depth: 8-bit is perfectly fine for a finished file. 16-bit is welcome if you have it, it gives a little extra editing headroom but it won’t change a well prepared print, so there’s no need to convert.
  • Very large files (over 4 GB) should be saved as PSB, which is Photoshop’s format for outsized images.
  • JPEG is fine if it’s genuinely your only file, saved at maximum quality. It’s 8-bit and lossy, so it won’t quite match a TIFF, but a good high-resolution JPEG still prints well.
  • Please flatten your layers before sending, and avoid heavily compressed JPEGs, screenshots, or images saved from a website or social media. They rarely hold up at print size.

Resolution

  • 300 ppi at your final print size. The number that matters isn’t the ppi shown in the file, it’s the resolution once the image is scaled to the size you want on the wall.
  • Don’t upscale to hit 300. Adding pixels in software doesn’t add real detail. If your file is on the small side, tell us, a slightly smaller print usually looks better than a forced one. Read our blog for the full explanation.
  • Quick check: pixels ÷ 300 = your biggest print size in inches. A 4800 × 6000 px file prints beautifully up to 16 × 20 in.

Colour

  • Work in Adobe RGB (1998) and embed the profile. This is the colour space we print from end to end, and an embedded profile is the single most important thing for accurate colour.
  • Please don’t convert to CMYK. Giclée isn’t a CMYK process - converting discards colour our printer can actually reproduce. Here is our blog explaining why.
  • sRGB is fine if that is the colour space your file started in. The gamut is a little smaller, so deep, saturated colours may sit slightly flatter.
  • We print from your file as supplied. You’ll see a proof before we print - see Proofs and approval below.

Size and layout

  • We print up to 43 in wide (on a 44-inch roll) and effectively any length, so most originals can be reproduced at full size or larger.
  • Our most common sizes are listed on the giclée product pages. Want a size that isn’t there? We’re happy to print custom - just email us.
  • No bleed needed. Unlike flyers, giclée prints to the image, not trimmed to the edge.
  • Borders: we’ll add a 1-inch border at no extra charge if you’d like one for framing or handling - just ask. Prefer an internal border instead? Let us know and we’ll set that up.
  • We print at your file’s own proportions and won’t crop it without asking.
  • Printing on canvas? The requirements differ slightly - see 【LINK: canvas prints page】.

Your file checklist

  • TIFF, flattened (or PSB if over 4 GB)
  • 8-bit or 16-bit - either is fine
  • 300 ppi at final print size
  • Adobe RGB (1998), profile embedded
  • Sized to your intended print dimensions, if you know them

Sending your file

  • Under 10 MB: email it straight to us.
  • Larger: use a file-transfer service such as WeTransfer, then send us a quick email to say it’s on the way and which service you’ve used.
  • Local? Bring it in on a USB stick.

Reproduction rights

By sending us artwork to reproduce, you’re confirming that you own it or hold the right to have it copied. We can’t reproduce work you don’t have the rights to.

Proofs and approval

  • Before we print, we send a PDF layout proof showing your print at size, with any crop, enlargement or reduction, and any borders you’ve asked for.
  • On-screen colour depends on your own monitor, so the proof confirms layout, size and content rather than an exact colour match. Want to check colour on paper first? You can order a hard-copy A4 proof.
  • Please check your proof carefully for spelling, layout, sizing and design. Anything you approve is what we print, errors included. You’re also confirming you hold the rights to reproduce the artwork. Approval is given in writing and is contractually binding for the work. Full details are in our terms and conditions.

Turnaround

Usually 2–3 full working days from proof approval. Larger orders may take a little longer.

Certificates of authenticity

Producing a limited edition? We can supply a Certificate of Authenticity for each print - just ask when you order.

If we come back to you, it’s usually one of these