Giclée Prints vs. Original Block Prints: What Collectors Need to Know
Share
Key Takeaways
- A giclée is a reproduction; an original block print is an original work of art.
- Giclées are digitally printed using inkjet technology — no artist's hand is involved in producing each copy.
- Original block prints are hand-pulled by the artist from a carved block, making each impression a direct product of the artist's labor.
- Both can be high quality, but only one is an original.
- Limited edition block prints carry collectible value that giclées, by definition, simply can't replicate.
- Craig Mitchell's Nevada and Lake Tahoe block prints are original works, not reproductions — hand-carved and hand-pulled in his Reno studio.
Quick Answer: A giclée print is a high-quality digital reproduction of an existing original artwork — a copy, however beautiful. An original block print is itself the original work of art, made by hand directly by the artist. For collectors, that distinction determines what you actually own, what it's worth, and what it means.
If you've spent any time shopping for art online, you've likely encountered both giclée prints and original prints — sometimes at surprisingly similar price points, and sometimes without much clarity about what distinguishes them. The terminology doesn't help: both can be "limited edition," both can be signed by the artist, and both can look beautiful on a wall.
But they are fundamentally different things. Understanding that difference is one of the most important things a first-time art buyer can do before spending $500 or more on a piece.
What Is a Giclée Print?
A giclée (pronounced zhee-klay, from the French word meaning "to spray") is a high-resolution digital reproduction printed using professional inkjet technology and archival-quality inks and paper. The term was coined in the early 1990s and has become the standard for museum-quality art reproduction.
Giclées are made by scanning or photographing an original artwork — typically a painting, drawing, or photograph — at very high resolution, then printing that digital file onto paper or canvas. When done well, the result is a faithful, long-lasting reproduction that captures fine detail and color with impressive accuracy.
Giclées are genuinely good products. They're how museums produce exhibition prints, how painters make their work more accessible at lower price points, and how collectors can own an image they love without paying for a one-of-a-kind original. There's nothing wrong with buying a giclée — as long as you know that's what you're buying.
What Is an Original Block Print?
An original block print — also called a relief print or hand-pulled print — is a different thing entirely. It isn't a reproduction of something else. It is the original.
Here's how it works: the artist carves an image directly into a block of linoleum or wood. They then roll ink across the surface of the block and press it onto paper — by hand, one impression at a time. Each print pulled from that block is a direct result of the artist's physical labor: their carving decisions, their inking, their pressure and alignment during the pull.
No two impressions are exactly identical. Each one carries subtle variation — in ink coverage, in texture, in the physical impression left by the block on the paper — that a digital process simply cannot replicate. That variation isn't a flaw. It's evidence of the hand.
Craig Mitchell has spent years developing his block printing practice from his Reno studio, working from landscape studies made during forty years of plein air painting across Nevada and the Sierra. Every print in his collection — from the high desert Nevada landscapes to the Lake Tahoe shoreline pieces — is hand-carved and hand-pulled by Craig himself.
The Core Difference: Original vs. Reproduction
This is the distinction that matters most for collectors:
A giclée is a reproduction. No matter how high the quality, it is a copy of an artwork that exists elsewhere — or, in many cases, an artwork that was created digitally and has no physical original at all. The artist's hand was involved in creating the source image, but not in producing your print.
An original block print is an original work. The artist's hand was directly involved in creating your specific impression. The block Craig carved is the same block that produced your print. The ink he rolled and pressed is physically present on your paper. There is no upstream "original" that your print is a copy of — your print is the original.
That difference shows up in value, in collectibility, and in what the work means. It can also be a clear reflection of your personal taste when someone views your art collection. It says something about who you are! Original prints by significant artists — Picasso, Warhol, Hokusai — have sold at auction for hundreds of thousands of dollars precisely because they are originals, not reproductions. Craig Mitchell's editions occupy a different market, but the same principle applies: his block prints are collectible originals in a way that a giclée reproduction cannot be.
Can You Tell the Difference Just by Looking?
Sometimes — and sometimes not easily, especially in photographs online. A few things to look for when evaluating a print in person:
Texture and surface. An original block print will often have subtle surface texture from the impression itself — the physical pressure of the block on the paper leaves a slight indentation and variation in ink coverage that a giclée's flat, uniform ink layer won't have.
Ink character. Hand-rolled ink has a quality that inkjet dots don't. Under magnification, a giclée reveals a pattern of microscopic dots. An original block print shows ink that was pressed into the paper, not sprayed onto it.
Subtle variation between impressions. If you could compare two prints from the same block print edition side by side, you'd see tiny differences. In a giclée edition, every print is an identical digital file output — variation is a defect, not a feature.
Why This Matters for Collectors of Nevada and Lake Tahoe Art
For buyers looking specifically for Nevada or Lake Tahoe art, the giclée vs. original distinction is worth understanding because the market includes both — and not everyone is transparent about which they're selling.
Mass-market art retailers and print-on-demand services frequently sell giclée prints of landscape imagery under descriptions that sound original but aren't. "Artist-signed," "limited edition," and even "fine art print" can all apply to a giclée reproduction. None of those phrases confirm that what you're buying is an original work.
Craig Mitchell's Nevada block prints and Lake Tahoe block prints are original works — not reproductions of paintings, not digitally produced, and not outsourced to a print facility. Each one is hand-carved and hand-pulled by Craig in his Reno studio, in small limited editions that reflect the physical constraints of the block and the printing process itself.
If you're looking for a piece of Nevada or Lake Tahoe to put on your wall, that's a meaningful distinction. A giclée of a Nevada landscape gives you an image. An original block print gives you a piece of the place — filtered through decades of an artist's direct experience with that landscape, and made physical by his hand.
FAQs
What does giclée mean?
Giclée comes from the French word for "to spray" and refers to a high-quality digital reproduction printed using professional inkjet technology with archival inks and paper. It is a reproduction method, not a form of original art.
Is a giclée print considered original art?
No. A giclée is a reproduction of an existing original artwork. The original print from which a giclée is made may be original art, but the giclée itself is a copy.
Is an original block print more valuable than a giclée?
Generally, yes — for collecting purposes. Original block prints are hand-produced works with inherent variation and a direct connection to the artist's labor. Giclées are reproductions. Original works typically hold and appreciate in value more reliably than reproductions.
How can I tell if a print is a giclée or an original block print?
Ask the seller directly. In person, original block prints often show subtle surface texture, ink variation, and physical impression from the block that a flat-printed giclée won't have.
Are Craig Mitchell's prints giclées?
No. Craig Mitchell's Nevada and Lake Tahoe block prints are original hand-pulled works, carved and printed by hand in his Reno studio. They are not reproductions or digitally produced prints.
Can giclées be limited edition?
Yes — a giclée can be produced in a limited run and signed by the artist. But a limited edition giclée is still a limited edition reproduction, not an original work. The edition size limits how many copies exist; it doesn't change the nature of what the print is.
Looking for original Nevada and Lake Tahoe art? Browse Craig Mitchell's print gallery or visit the Start Collecting pageto learn more about his editions and process.