Art Terms Explained — A Beginner's Glossary for Wall Art Buyers
Art Terms Explained — A Beginner's Glossary for Wall Art Buyers
Shopping for wall art involves encountering a surprising number of terms — giclée, archival, limited edition, gallery wrap, pigment ink, gsm. Some are meaningful quality indicators; others are marketing language. This glossary explains the key terms you'll encounter when buying art prints, canvas and framed art online, so you can buy with confidence.
We've been producing archival art prints and canvas prints at facilities since 2015. Every term in this guide reflects how we approach quality at Olive et Oriel.
Print Quality Terms
Giclée: Fine art printing using professional inkjet presses with archival pigment inks. The gold standard for art print reproduction. Rated to 100+ years. See our full giclée printing guide for more detail.
Archival: Materials designed to resist deterioration over long periods. Archival inks are pigment-based (not dye-based) and rated to 100+ years. Archival paper is acid-free and pH-neutral to prevent yellowing.
Pigment ink vs Dye ink: Pigment inks use particles suspended in liquid — they're more lightfast and archival. Dye inks are dissolved in liquid — more vibrant initially, but they fade and shift colour faster over time. Professional art printing always uses pigment inks.
GSM (grams per square metre): The weight and thickness of paper. Standard office paper is 80gsm. Quality art print paper is typically 200–350gsm — substantially thicker, with better texture and archival properties.
Edition Terms
Limited Edition: A print produced in a fixed, numbered quantity. Each print is individually numbered (e.g., 7/50) and typically signed by the artist. Once the edition sells out, no more copies are made. See our full limited vs open edition guide.
Open Edition: A print with no set quantity limit, printed on demand. Same archival quality as limited editions — the difference is availability and scarcity value, not quality or longevity.
Artist's Proof (AP): A small number of prints (typically 5–10% of the edition size) produced alongside a limited edition, traditionally for the artist's personal use. APs are usually numbered separately (e.g., 3/5 AP) and often slightly more valuable than the standard edition.
Original: A one-of-a-kind artwork — a painting, drawing or mixed-media work — as opposed to a reproduction or print. An original is unique; a print is a reproduction (even if limited).
Format and Display Terms
Gallery Wrap: Canvas stretched around timber frame bars with the image continuing over the edges. No additional framing required. The result is a borderless, contemporary presentation.
Gallery Quality: A broad term indicating museum-grade production standards — archival inks, acid-free substrates, precise colour management. Not regulated, so look for specific details like 'archival pigment inks' and 'acid-free paper' to verify.
Diptych / Triptych: A diptych is two panels intended to hang as a pair; a triptych is three panels. Both are designed as one composition split across multiple pieces. See our matching print sets for curated diptychs and triptychs.
Aspect ratio: The proportional relationship between width and height (e.g., 2:3 means for every 2cm wide, 3cm tall). Common art print aspect ratios are 2:3 (A-series paper), 3:4, and 1:1 (square). Knowing the aspect ratio helps you visualise how a print will look in your space.
Every piece is produced at our two manufacturing facilities on of NSW — crafting Australian wall art since 2015. We deliver to over 40 countries worldwide, with custom sizing available on all prints. Over a decade of experience, every order ships within 24 hours with our satisfaction guarantee.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is an art print?
An art print is a reproduction of an original artwork produced using a printing process. Quality art prints use archival inks on museum-grade paper — the giclée process — designed to last 100+ years. They range from exact reproductions of original paintings to original digital artworks produced only as prints.
What does archival mean in art?
'Archival' refers to materials that resist deterioration over long periods. Archival inks are pigment-based and rated to 100+ years without visible fading under normal display conditions. Archival paper is acid-free and pH-neutral, preventing yellowing. Both are the standard used in museums and galleries.
What does limited edition mean in art?
A limited edition print is produced in a fixed, numbered quantity. Once those copies are sold, no more are made. Each print is individually numbered (e.g., 15/50) and typically signed by the artist. The smaller the edition number, the rarer and typically more valuable each print is.
What is giclee art?
Giclée (pronounced zhee-CLAY) is a fine art printing process using professional large-format inkjet printers with archival pigment inks. It produces exceptional colour accuracy and detail, rated to 100+ years without fading. It's the gold standard for art print reproduction, used by galleries and museums worldwide.
What is a gallery wrap canvas?
A gallery wrap canvas is a print on canvas material that's stretched around and wrapped over the edges of a timber frame — so the image (or a solid colour) continues around the sides, and no additional framing is required. The result is a borderless, floating presentation that hangs directly on the wall.
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