As both an ebay art buyer and art seller, I have concerns about the truly misleading term "Giclee Painting" used in art listings on ebay. To help avoid misunderstandings, I offer the following information for your consideration.

A machine-made giclee is a sprayed-ink reproduction, hopefully of archival ink and on an archival surface, generally some form of paper, or canvas. A giclee can be made of a photo, or of art. What a  machine printed giclee never is, is a "painting". Let's say, a person creates an image with art materials (which includes the sprayed on art that is airbrushing) or a camera or by computer, and a reproduction or print of that creation is made. The reproduction itself is not 'a watercolor' or 'a painting' etc. However, an artist can apply more embellishment to a finished giclee or any reproduction they have made, thereby creating an "enhanced" giclee or print. That is closest to being an original painting a machine-made giclee is ever going to get, unless it is completely covered with new paint applications, obliterating the giclee underneath. In which case, why call it a giclee at all, if an artist has made it into an new and original work?  The only possible problem with a painting being made on top of a giclee is the archival or longevity aspect of the art which might be negatively affected by having giclee inks underneath other forms of pigment.  But, no one can say. The giclee process does not have a long enough history to have that answer.

I would hope for art sellers to be very specific about what the art is that they are selling. And buyers, of course, are wise to carefully read the text of any listing for art they are considering buying, and not base a purchase only upon what the title says. It is best not to make assumptions.  "Art " is a general and valid term when used as part of a listing title, but that word does not specify  'original' or 'giclee' or other repro method. It means a piece of art is being offered. Buyers need the additional information which should be provided in the item description. If a title or description says "original reproduction" or "original giclee".........something is definitely in need of clarification. It does not make any more sense than finding a major art dealer from Hong Kong selling in the 'self-representing Artist' category.  Buyers, be wary! 

I personally love a high quality giclee. If very well done they are quite superior as far as reproductions go, certainly more long-lived than offset printing. I sell original art and I sell giclee reproductions made by a giclee specialist on a huge and very expensive printer -- what is sometimes called an "iris" printer, though that is not the manufacturer of this particular machine. It does giclees in a far greater dpi than I am capable of at home, and I like the beautiful results. Sometimes I enhance the giclees on canvas to make them more unique. I do not mean to imply that no one can make a good 'sprayed ink' printed reproduction at home with an appropriate inkjet printer, because it is possible, especially if the person printing them knows how to use Photo Shop. My printer is terrible (though new -- quite a dissapointment!) and I don't have or know how to use Photo Shop.

 I am an art buyer, too. I buy originals, including Art Cards (ACEO) and OSWOA (sleevable like art cards but a bit larger, 4x6 inches in size) and I buy  reproductions,  most of the ones I buy are giclee/ink spray reproductions made 'at home' by the artists. There are only two prerequisites for me as an art buyer-- That I love the art, and that it is not being misrepresented in any way. Once I bought a drawing which I could clearly see was on a piece of old yellowed typing paper. And the seller made no pretense about that. I wanted it because it was one of the loveliest drawings of a German Sheperd dog I had ever seen. Humble art, but it touched my heart. Sometimes, there is art that stirs the soul so much that you just need to have it, so that you can live with it, or share it with someone. Emotion is what art is all about, after all is said and done.

Lee Mitchelson       The Artful Gifter