Wallsio Art Print Glossary

By Jakub Paśnik, founder & artist at Wallsio Art  ·  Updated May 2026  ·  About the author

A quick reference for the fine art print terminology used across Wallsio Art product pages, journal articles, and care guides. Every term is explained in plain English with the practical implications for choosing, framing, and caring for your wall art.

Giclée Printing

Pronounced "zhee-clay" (from French la giclée, "to spray"). A fine art inkjet printing technique that uses archival pigment inks at high resolution (typically 300 DPI or higher) to produce museum-quality prints. Giclée prints have superior color accuracy, tonal range, and lightfastness compared to standard inkjet or offset prints — the gallery standard for limited editions and reproduction art.

Archival

Made from materials that resist deterioration over decades. Archival prints use acid-free paper and pigment-based inks rated for long-term display. The combination of FSC-certified paper and pigment ink gives Wallsio Art prints an expected lightfastness of 70+ years under standard gallery conditions (indirect light, normal humidity).

FSC-Certified Paper

Paper carrying the Forest Stewardship Council mark, certifying that wood fibers come from responsibly managed forests with environmental, social, and economic standards. Choosing FSC paper means the print supports forest conservation rather than contributing to deforestation.

Pigment Ink

Ink containing solid color particles (pigments) suspended in a carrier liquid, as opposed to dye-based ink where colors are dissolved. Pigment inks resist fading 5–10× longer than dye inks, making them the standard for archival fine art printing. Wallsio Art uses pigment inks exclusively.

Lightfastness

The resistance of a print's colors to fading from exposure to light, measured on the Blue Wool Scale (1–8) or by years under standard gallery conditions. Pigment inks on archival paper achieve lightfastness ratings of 100+ years under indirect light. Direct sunlight will shorten this dramatically — frame placement matters.

GSM (Grams per Square Meter)

The standard measurement of paper weight. Higher GSM means thicker, sturdier paper. Standard office paper is 80 gsm. Premium fine art paper starts at 200 gsm — the weight Wallsio Art uses for all prints. Heavier paper feels substantial in hand and resists curling, denting, and bleed-through.

Matte Finish

Non-reflective paper surface that scatters light rather than reflecting it. Matte prints show no glare under gallery or living-room lighting and reveal subtle detail in shadows and midtones. The trade-off: blacks appear slightly less deep than on glossy paper. Wallsio Art prints use matte finish as the gallery standard for fine art.

Plexiglass (Acrylic Glazing)

A clear acrylic sheet used as a shatterproof alternative to traditional glass in framed prints. Lighter, safer (no shards if dropped), and easier to ship internationally. Wallsio Art framed prints ship with shatterproof plexiglass — protecting the print without the weight or breakage risk of glass.

Diptych

An artwork composed of two separate panels designed to hang together as one composition. Originally referring to hinged panels (Greek di- "two" + ptyx "fold"). Modern diptych prints offer a wider visual story than a single piece, with a dramatic vertical or horizontal sweep. Wallsio Art's Set of 2 collection.

Triptych

An artwork in three panels (Greek tri- "three" + ptyx "fold"). The classic gallery format for storytelling and large-scale impact. Three panels of equal width hung with 5–10 cm gaps create a balanced focal wall above a sofa, bed, or console. Wallsio Art's Set of 3 collection.

A production model in which each item is printed only after a customer orders it, eliminating warehouse stock and over-production waste. Production time replaces shipping-from-warehouse time — typically 1–3 business days. Every Wallsio Art print is made to order this way.

CMYK vs RGB Color

RGB (Red, Green, Blue) is the additive color model used by screens — colors are produced by emitting light. CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Key/Black) is the subtractive model used in printing — colors are produced by ink absorbing light from white paper. Print colors look slightly different from screen because CMYK has a smaller color gamut than RGB. Quality printing studios calibrate their workflows to minimize this shift.

DPI (Dots Per Inch)

Print resolution measurement: how many ink dots fit in one inch. Standard photo prints use 300 DPI. Fine art giclée prints often use 600+ DPI for finer detail and smoother gradients. Higher DPI means sharper edges and richer tonal transitions. The original artwork file resolution sets the maximum achievable DPI at any given print size.

Bleed

Extra image area extending beyond the visible trim line, ensuring no white edges appear after cutting (typically 3 mm on each side). Important when ordering custom prints — uploading artwork without bleed risks a thin white border or cropped composition. All Wallsio Art prints are designed with proper bleed.

Aspect Ratio

The proportional relationship between print width and height, expressed as a ratio (e.g., 2:3, 3:4, 4:5, 1:1 square). Common photo ratio is 2:3. Fine art prints often use 3:4 or 4:5 for balanced wall composition. Choosing artwork with the right aspect ratio for the wall space prevents awkward white margins after framing.

Frame Profile

The cross-section dimensions of the frame moulding — its thickness (depth) and width (face width). Wallsio Art frames use 20–25 mm thick × 10–14 mm wide pine wood profiles: substantial enough to feel premium without overwhelming the print, slim enough to suit modern minimalist interiors.

Color Space

The defined range of colors that can be represented digitally or in print. Common color spaces include sRGB (web standard, smaller gamut), Adobe RGB (wider gamut, used by photographers), and ProPhoto RGB (largest gamut, used in fine art workflows). Print files are typically converted to a CMYK color space matched to the specific paper and ink combination.