Giclee printing

Can any of you recommend a printer suitable for giclee work please? I'm looking at the Epson R2400 for A3, but am wondering about A2 printers.
I could also do with information on finishing giclee prints, do I use varnish or some plastic finish or leave the ink alone with nothing on it. I'm looking at canvas on a wooden stretcher frame and watercolour paper in a cellophane type envelope for people to frame up themselves. Again what is the best type of canvas to use, pre stretched pre treated or ordinary cotton canvas/

Any help would be appreciated.
Ken

A defanition: -

So basically we are talking about an ink jet printer. The term Giclee is fast dieing out in photographic terms and replaced by the simple ink jet print.

I use an Epson 7800 which prints to 24” wide. The quality is fantastic although there are newer models that do more! The price of inks is reduced as you are using larger cartridges as is the paper cost as most will take rolls, the 7800 basically only does rolls.
I think the A2 model is called the 3800, it prints to 14” here is a review.


Alistair

A real big thankyou for clearing up the tern Giclee - I actually never heard of it until now! Where you get all your information from?

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Thanls Alistair
I've heard a lot about the special Epson inks, and I intend doing these high quality prints on both paper and canvas.
With paper in mind I've always liked the Hahnemule, but it's the canvas I'm lost with. I've never used it before, although with it being thin I expect to tape it to thin card to put it through the printer without snagging.
I've seen the modern high colour giclee type prints and some of my artwork lends itself pefectly to it I think, and looking at my early attempts at HDR filters on flowers I think I may run one of those off as well.
The review was interesting, and I may take a look at the Canons as well to see how they compare to the Epsons.
Thanks again.
Ken

Ken, Canvas, comes as canvas, coated on one side to take the inks. It goes through the printer as is, no need to fix it to anything!

The Hahnemule papers are good, and competitively priced, I personally use Crane Museo paper.

The main thing to look for when comparing printers, in my mind is how they print black, take samples into various types of light and look for tint in the black, it is this that really makes a difference between various printers.

Good Luck

Alistair

Alistair
I remember someone else mentioning Crane museo, do you use the smooth matte, semi matte or gloss or the rag type papers? I've tried rag types for greeting cards and had pretty good results.
I'm looking at colour photos and art, possibly some b&w or sepia.
I think that review mentioned one of the printers had 3 different black inks, and other colours have 2 inks each (in the 12 cartridge models). But the Epson inks have had good reviews, will have to look at Canon and HP and see how they compare.
Regards
Ken

I use the Museo which is the Crane matte paper and also their Silver rag which is the semi gloss paper. Both are amazing papers but you do pay for what you get ! For gloss, I use Pictorico high white gloss film which is more a plastic than a paper in fact it is plastic, which gives the most amazing gloss finish you have ever seen!

Alistair

Alistair
I've never heard of the Pictorico, how does it compare to paper for ink fading or being altered by bright light-like paper yellowing or some plastics crumbling? It sounds intriguing though.
Ken