A giclee is a fine-art inkjet print, often on fine art paper or canvas, while a photo-grade art poster is printed on photographic paper with a luster, gloss or matte surface. At typical market prices checked October 2026, a 16 x 20 in art print costs about $18 to $25 on luster photo paper and about $39 to $43 on fine art paper at online photo labs. Fine art paper roughly doubles the price at the same size.
Big Apple Press prints photo-grade art posters: art and photography posters on photo paper, for framing or for sale. We do not describe our prints as giclee or archival. This guide explains what the terms mean, what each option costs, which paper suits which work, and how to prepare files and editions if you plan to sell.
What is a giclee print?
Giclee is a name for inkjet prints made as fine art. Printmaker Jack Duganne adopted the word around 1990 to set fine-art inkjet prints apart from ordinary commercial proofs, according to the history of the term on Wikipedia, which also notes that it is now applied loosely to prints of varying quality. The word on its own tells you little. If a seller calls a print giclee, ask what paper and inks were used.
What is the difference between a giclee, a lithograph, a serigraph and a photo print?
They are different ways of putting an image on paper, and the name of the process is part of the description a buyer relies on.
| Process | How it is made | Where you see it |
|---|---|---|
| Giclee | Inkjet from a digital file, on fine art paper or canvas | Reproductions of paintings and photographs |
| Photo-grade print | Printed on photographic paper with a luster, gloss or matte surface | Photography and art posters for framing or sale |
| Lithograph | Printed from a flat stone or plate; the image area holds oily ink and the rest repels it with water | Traditional artist prints and offset reproductions |
| Serigraph | Screen printed, one stencil per color, ink pushed through mesh | Posters and editions built from flat colors |
How much does it cost to print art prints?
A single art print costs from about $5 at 11 x 14 in on photo paper to nearly $100 at 24 x 36 in on fine art paper. Paper choice moves the price as much as size does.
| Size | Luster photo paper | Fine art paper or giclee |
|---|---|---|
| 11 x 14 in | about $5 to $12 | about $13 to $24 |
| 16 x 20 in | about $18 to $25 | about $39 to $43 |
| 18 x 24 in | about $32 to $37 | about $65 at one lab |
| 24 x 36 in | about $48 to $79 | about $79 to $98 |
Prices shown are typical market prices for standard options, based on published prices from national print retailers and online printers, checked October 2026. They are a guide, not a quote. Prices are subject to change and do change with quantity, paper, finishing and turnaround, so contact us for an updated quote.
These ranges are based on list prices published by professional and online photo labs Bay Photo, Printique, Nations Photo Lab and Mpix, including Bay Photo's print prices and Printique's price list. The fine art column rests on two labs only: Printique's fine art papers and Mpix's giclee prints. Nations Photo Lab was running a sale when we checked, so its list price is used. Prices are for one unframed print and exclude shipping and tax. One economy online printer listed glossy photo prints well below these ranges. For poster paper rather than photo paper, see our guide to poster printing costs.
What changes the price of an art print?
- Paper: fine art paper costs roughly twice as much as luster photo paper at the same size.
- Size: price climbs steeply with area. A 24 x 36 in print has about five and a half times the area of an 11 x 14 in one.
- Color correction: labs that adjust each file by hand sit at the top of the luster range.
- Quantity: some labs lower the price for repeat copies. Mpix listed its 16 x 20 in giclee at about $43 for one to ten prints and about $34 each from eleven.
- Mounting and framing: neither is included in these prices.
- Shipping: large prints travel in tubes, and online prices exclude it. Delivery anywhere in Manhattan is free from us.
Which paper finish is best for art prints?
Luster, also called satin, suits most photographs and art prints, because it gives rich color with little glare. The other finishes each suit a narrower job.
- Luster or satin: a slight sheen and no mirror glare. The safe default for photography and most artwork.
- Gloss: the deepest blacks and strongest color, but it reflects room light, and behind glass the reflections double.
- Matte: no glare at all and slightly softer blacks. Suits illustration, type and prints that will hang under bright lights.
- Fine art paper: a thick matte sheet, often with a texture like watercolor paper. It reads as an artwork rather than a photo, and costs more.
Our photo enlargements are printed on satin, gloss or matte photo paper, so ask which suits the piece when you request a quote.
What size should I print art prints to sell?
Print to standard frame sizes, such as 8 x 10, 11 x 14, 16 x 20, 18 x 24 and 24 x 36 in, so a buyer can find a ready-made frame. If the artwork has a different shape, center it on a standard sheet and leave a white border rather than cropping the work. A border of about an inch also gives room for a signature and an edition number, and for a mat to sit without covering the image.
How should I prepare an art file for printing?
- Scan flat work, or photograph larger pieces square on and evenly lit, at a resolution that gives about 300 pixels per inch at the largest size you plan to sell.
- Correct the color against the original in daylight, not only against the screen.
- Save a full-size master as a TIFF or a maximum-quality JPEG, and export print files from it, never from a copy posted online.
- Set the file to the exact print size, including any white border.
- Print one copy first and compare it with the original under the light where it will hang.
- Send the file for a free check. Low-resolution images are flagged before anything prints, and our print-ready files guide covers the details.
Can I sell prints as signed limited editions?
Yes, as long as the edition is honest: a fixed number of prints, each signed and numbered, such as 7/50, and no more printed once the edition is sold. Proofs kept outside the edition are usually marked AP, for artist's proof. Keep a written record of the edition size, the paper and the print date.
New York has a disclosure law for this. Article 15 of the Arts and Cultural Affairs Law requires art merchants selling multiples, including prints and photographs sold for more than $100 each excluding the frame, to give buyers written information such as the artist, whether the work is signed, the medium and the year, and for a limited edition, the edition size and how it is numbered. Read section 15.01 and section 15.03, or ask a lawyer whether it applies to how you sell. Either way, describe the medium accurately: a photo-grade print should be sold as one, not as a giclee.
The most common art print complaint is color that looks duller than it did on screen. A monitor glows and paper only reflects the light around it, so deep blues and bright greens drop a little on any paper. Judge the first print under the light where it will hang, not held up beside the monitor, and adjust the file rather than expecting the printer to guess what you wanted.
Art print questions
Are giclee prints worth it?
They can be, for reproductions of paintings where the texture of fine art paper matters. The word itself guarantees nothing, so ask what paper and inks were used. A photo-grade print on luster paper costs about half as much at the same size.
How much does it cost to make a giclee print?
Fine art and giclee prints were about $39 to $43 at 16 x 20 in and about $79 to $98 at 24 x 36 in at two online labs, typical market prices checked October 2026 and subject to change. Big Apple Press prints photo-grade art posters rather than giclee prints.
What is the difference between a giclee and a poster print?
A giclee is a fine-art inkjet print, often on fine art paper or canvas. A poster print is on poster or photo paper. A photo-grade art poster is printed on photographic paper, for framing or for sale.
Can I sell signed limited edition prints in New York?
Yes. Fix the edition size, sign and number each print, and do not print more. New York's Arts and Cultural Affairs Law, Article 15, requires art merchants selling prints above a set price to disclose details such as the medium and edition size in writing.
Where can I get art prints made in Manhattan?
We print photo-grade art posters on photo paper, with a free file check and free delivery anywhere in Manhattan. For prints on cotton rag or other fine art papers, use a fine art printmaker.
See our large format printing, including photo-grade art posters and canvas, then send your file, the size and the paper finish for a free quote. If the work would suit a stretched canvas instead, our canvas print guide covers sizes, wrap depth and prices, and our poster printing guide covers stocks and mounting.
Need this printed? We are at 40 Wall Street, and we deliver free anywhere in Manhattan.