Giclee Workflow

This particular workflow is for fine art giclee. Fine art photography does best with a slightly different workflow. Decor is then again a distinct workflow (shares common elements, but decor is not giclee and not fine art photography). What's the difference?

The new HP giclee printers are sufficiently revolutionary that an entirely new workflow is being designed for them. The 11-color (12-ink-line) Canon iPF5000 is a single printer with no particular workflow designed around it. The Epson printers are popular worldwide, but again, do not have their own workflow (they use a traditional common-sense workflow).

So at FLAAR we are tabulating the workflow for each situation: for giclee, for fine art photography, and for decor: for Epson, for HP, and for Canon. The workflow for Roland and Mimaki is similar to that for Epson. The workflow for an Iris or Ixia is slightly distinctive, but fewer than 50 giclee ateliers still use these older technologies. Solvent ink printers (yikes, but yes, people do use them; but we accept them only for decor) and UV-curable inkjet printers, each have slightly different stages at certain points.

As you expect (if you know our inherent drive to cover new technology), we will address each aspect one by one.

Then which workflow for the innovative HP system; which workflow for the fledgling Canon printer; which workflow for the basic Epson printer? The particular workflow we show here on this page is based on the HP innovations, except that it is polite to wait until HP itself exhibits the details. So we restrict our workflow diagram specifically to those portions which have been shown to the general public at Art Expo Atlanta 2005 and Art Expo New York 2006.

FLAAR has independent full-color reports in PDF format on each of these pivotal industry events.

FLAAR is working on describing the workflow for both fine art giclee, fine art photography, and fine art decor all summer and autumn. You can find the resulting FLAAR Reports on www.wide-format-printers.NET, in the appropriate links in the column of links at the right.

Giclee workflow concept design, path, and steps copyright Nicholas Hellmuth, FLAAR, 2006.

Available by May 2008 Available by May 2008 Available by May 2008 Available by May 2008 Available by May 2008

Medium Format Digital Camera Initiative For over 30 years Nicholas Hellmuth has used Rolleiflex and Hasselblad cameras to record the flora, fauna, and Maya archaeology of Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico. Now, for the last six years, he is extending his medium format experience to digital photography. Since FLAAR works both in a studio as well as out on location, we are an ideal focus for judging portability. We have experience with large format digital scan backs (the excellent BetterLight) and we also use Nikon (D300) and Canon (EOS 5D) digital cameras. A full-service digital pro should have at least one medium format digital system and should consider large format digital options as well. FLAAR also has an 80-megapixel large format camera (yes, they do exist, we have a Cruse). Although we started with a Leaf Valeo 22 coupled with a Mamiya 645 AFD body and lenses, we are open to showcasing all bodies as well as other digital backs. Indeed we tested an Imacon 4-shot back on a Hasselblad H1 body. For a month (February 2006) it was possible to evaluate a MegaVision black-and-white dedicated back for fine art photography. We are also considering the Rolleiflex 6008 AF, one of the outstanding medium format cameras that still offers European precision. However in the last 40 years we have not received any Rollei (or Franke & Heidecke) equipment for evaluation, so we can comment only on the Hasselblad and Mamiya (loaned briefly two years ago by Mamiya America). Camera resellers or manufacturers who wish to have their cameras, lenses, and backs included in the digital photography evaluation initiative are welcome to send their equipment for evaluation. Curently all the medium format backs are coming from Global Imaging Inc, Greg Lamb, CEO (contact 800 787-9802, press 4, fax 212 722-0988). This is one of the few camera stores in the entire US or Canada that offers ALL major brands of medium format (so they have no incentive to push one brand over the other). However we are also open to receiving medium format backs directly from the manufacturer. Over 381,154 visitors came to this www.digital-photography.org web site to learn which cameras, lighting, tripods, and accessories have proven themselves during evaluation by FLAAR. Since we deliberately do not review low-end cameras, our reviews attract a sophisticated audience. The total "visit" count is 791.562 during 2007, but we prefer to use the visitor count, 381.154 as being more realistic. FLAAR is the de facto source of information on medium format digital cameras because we are university based, independent, blunt, and we are one of the few review sources that dares to review advertising specs, advertising claims, and advertising hype. We can afford to reveal all the pros and cons because FLAAR is a research institute. Photographers feel they can trust a university research professor who has devoted years to understanding the pros and cons of each aspect of a digital camera system and workflow. You can download our colorful FLAAR Reports on our medium format digital camera initiative.