Digigraphie Explained

The creation of the Digigraphie® label is relatively recent. Digigraphie® was officially launched on 13th November 2003, at the cenrenary of the Autumn Exhibition. But its practice is much older. For several years, phtographers, sculptors and painters, as well as service providers (photo laboratories and lithographic studios), have been using the technology of Epson printers to produce prints on the art paper. This in turn has opened the doors to a new discipline: the digital reproduction of a work of art.

The search for a name

But what should a high quality, digital art print created with an Epson printer be called? The question arose as long aso as 1991 in the USE and Jack Duganne, head printer at Nash Editions, needed a generic term to describe the works of the artist Diane Bartz, product using inkjet technology. He user the French term “jet d’encre” (inkjet) which he refined to “gicleur” (jet/sprayer) and then “Giclée” (sprayed). A new label was born. (Source “Digital Printing” by Harald Johnson, Eyrolles editions). These two image professionals therefore used a personal label to describe their limited-edition art prints created using Epson Professional photo printers.

The arrival of the ‘Digigraphie®’ label

Faced with these developments, Epson France registered the name Digigraphie® with the INPI (Institute Nationale De La Propriété Industrielle / National Industrial Property Institute) and the OHIM (The Institute for the registration of Europeacn Trade Marks) in 2003. The trade marks then became European. All those who comply with the usage rules may now use this label.