Giclée vs C-Type prints — which to choose

gicléec-typefuji matt

theprintspace prints with two professional processes: Giclée (inkjet) and C-Type (chromogenic). Both are gallery-grade.

The platform recommends Giclée only. The recommendation engine never suggests a C-Type paper — when you open the paper card, the AI pick is always one of the Giclée art papers. C-Type is available as a manual override if you want it, but you'll only ever land on it by choosing it yourself.

Giclée (the default)

Giclée is an archival pigment-inkjet process that prints onto a wide range of art papers. There are 7 Giclée art papers on offer, ranging from fibrous to smooth and matte to glossy, with base colours from neutral bright white to warm-tone off-white.

  • Suits: photographers, illustrators, painters, designers, typographers, and visual artists of all kinds.
  • Best for projects where the paper texture and base tone are part of the artistic statement.
  • This is what the platform recommends for every drop.

C-Type (manual override only)

C-Type is a chromogenic process — light-exposed photographic paper, chemically developed. It has a durable emulsion coating, which makes it a good choice for dry mounting.

Two C-Type papers are selectable as overrides:

  • Fuji Matt — semi-matte finish with a slight stipple; natural colours and detailed reproduction.
  • Fuji Gloss — punchy, high-contrast gloss with sharp definition.

C-Type never appears as a "Recommended" option. To use it, open the paper card, expand See other papers, and pick Fuji Matt or Fuji Gloss yourself.

Which to pick

  • For most artwork (illustration, painting, mixed media, and photography): stick with the recommended Giclée paper.
  • If you want a textured, fine-art feel, or the paper base tone matters: Giclée.
  • If you specifically want chromogenic output or plan to dry-mount: override to a C-Type Fuji paper.

Not sure? Order a sample pack (£14.99) before committing — see How to order paper samples.

Still need a hand?

Ask the in-app help assistant from your creativehub dashboard, or email us — a real person replies. info@theprintspace.co.uk