Art Print Glossary — Giclée, FSC, GSM Explained

Art print glossary by Wallsio Art — definitions of the most common terms in fine art printing, framing, and gallery wall design. Bookmark this page or share with anyone who's about to invest in a quality print.

Curated by Jakub Paśnik, founder & artist at Wallsio Art. Updated May 2026.

Giclée

Pronounced "zhee-clay" (from French gicler = "to spray"). A fine art printing technique using high-resolution inkjet printers (typically 1440 dpi or higher) with archival pigment inks on acid-free paper. Coined in 1991 by printmaker Jack Duganne. Considered the highest reproduction quality available outside of original paintings — used by museums and galleries for archival reproductions. Read our complete giclée guide.

FSC Certification

Forest Stewardship Council certification — a global standard ensuring that paper comes from responsibly managed forests with strict environmental and social criteria. All Wallsio Art prints use FSC-certified paper or paper sourced from equivalent sustainable forestry programs.

GSM (Grams per Square Meter)

The standard measurement of paper weight. Higher GSM = thicker, more substantial paper. Standard office paper is around 80 gsm; premium fine art paper starts at 200 gsm. Wallsio uses 200 gsm matte heavyweight fine art paper — substantial enough for archival framing yet flexible enough to ship rolled.

Pigment Inks vs Dye Inks

Two main types of ink used in art printing. Pigment inks use solid color particles suspended in liquid — they sit on top of the paper, are highly fade-resistant (80-100+ years under normal indoor lighting), and are the standard for archival giclée. Dye inks dissolve into the paper fibers, produce vivid colors initially, but fade much faster (5-25 years). Wallsio uses pigment inks exclusively.

Triptych & Diptych

A triptych is a set of three art panels designed to work together as a unified composition — historically used in religious altarpieces, today popular for spanning wider walls above sofas, beds, and dining tables. A diptych is the two-panel version, ideal for narrower spaces. Both are showcased in our triptych & diptych collection.

Archival Paper

Paper formulated to resist deterioration over decades — typically acid-free, lignin-free, and pH-neutral. Archival papers are the standard for museum-quality fine art prints. Wallsio's 200 gsm matte fine art paper meets archival standards alongside FSC certification.

ICC Color Profile

An International Color Consortium profile — a standardized digital file that ensures consistent color reproduction between screens, print files, and final printed art. Without ICC profiles, colors can shift dramatically between design and print. Every Wallsio print is prepared at 1200+ dpi in CMYK profile matched to giclée production for accurate color reproduction.

Plexiglass (Acrylic Glazing)

Transparent acrylic sheet used as a safer alternative to glass in framed prints. Plexiglass is shatterproof, lighter, and easier to ship — ideal for international delivery and for nurseries or kids' rooms. Wallsio uses shatterproof plexiglass on every framed print.

Made-to-Order (Print-on-Demand)

A production model where each print is manufactured fresh after the customer's order, rather than printed in bulk and stored in a warehouse. Made-to-order means: zero inventory waste, fresh prints (paper hasn't aged on shelves), and no overproduction. Wallsio prints in 1-3 business days from European, US, or Australian production hubs depending on delivery address.

A curated arrangement of multiple framed prints on a single wall — typically combining different sizes, frames, and subjects unified by a color palette or theme. Read our step-by-step gallery wall styling guide for layout principles, spacing rules, and anchor piece selection.

CMYK

The four-color printing model used in professional art printing: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Key (Black). Differs from RGB used on screens. Print files prepared in CMYK profile reproduce more accurately on paper than RGB conversions.