Techniques
Tom's approach to art is diversified. His signature style is contemporary although he easily shifts to a more representational mode as well.
HIS PAINTINGS
The medium Tom uses is acrylic or a combination of acrylic and pastel (refer to the Giclée prints on the site).
HIS DRAWINGS
Tom draws in pencil. In executing a piece of work, he uses every pencil known to man!!! He has loved the pencil from the moment he picked one up as a boy. Many of his major drawings are extremely detailed. It can take Tom up to 200 hours to complete one of his major pencil works (refer to the Black & White Giclées and the duo-etch prints on this site).
The originals posted on this site are ONLY those from which prints have been made. Tom has an extensive collection of other originals and woodcuts which are available. Please contact us, if you are interested in more information.
PRINTING TECHNIQUES
All of Tom's prints have been reproduced from his original works. He has chosen various printing methods:
- IRIS-GICLÉE
- DUO-ETCH
- 4-COLOR SEPARATION
Each of these printing techniques is recognized as a fine arts method of reproducing work from original pieces.
Description of Each Printing Technique
IRIS-GICLÉE
State-of-the-Art method of print making. It is a costly process but the beautiful result is second to none!! The IRIS is an inkjet printer. This is no ordinary inkjet printer - but the finest available!! The machine costs thousands and thousands of dollars. It's capabilities are remarkable. The print produced from this ink-spraying technology is called a Giclée (pronounced "gee-clay"). It is a French word meaning "to spray or spurt".
There are many types of inkjet printers but there is only one IRIS. The IRIS printer is unique for many reasons:
- Each sheet of 100% archival rag paper is carefully mounted on the drum. The IRIS printer sprays a continuous stream of microscopic ink droplets to layer the ink onto the paper. It takes 20 to 30 minutes to complete the printing of just one sheet. The result is a highly saturated, dynamic color range.
- The artist's color approval and input are essential for creating the final custom setting for each edition. There are over 3 million colors possible. ONLY PIGMENTED INKS are used to control fading over time. Color hues are rich and vibrant. Under normal indoor lighting conditions, the GICLÉE print will show no color change for at least 75 years and probably longer. Even at that point, it will be extremely minimal. Under museum controlled lighting, it is likely there will be no color change for 200 years.
- The IRIS GICLÉE print has a 3-dimensional quality. The IRIS printer reproduces intricate and subtle color accurately. It builds a lush and vivid surface. The GICLÉE print has a rich, textured quality and the look and feel of the original.
- Museums throughout the world, including THE LOUVRE, use Giclée prints to substitute works of art too fragile to be exhibited to the public.
- All of Tom's Giclée prints are limited editions. He signs and numbers each one. He intentionally sets low edition numbers to make each print more precious to the collector. Some Giclée editions are as low as 40. Tom hand-enhances his Giclée prints.
DUO-ETCH PENCIL PRINTS
The duo-etch printing process (sometimes called duo-tone) is the ideal method of reproducing a pencil drawing. Pencil drawings have a wide value range from light gray to deep black on a white surface. To capture all of these values accurately, two plates are used in the printing. One plate picks up the gray values and the other plate reproduces the blacks. The result is a near perfect replication of the original pencil drawing.
A high quality heavy weight, acid-free paper is used in making these prints. The paper is ideal for watercoloring.
HAND-COLORED DUO-ETCH PENCIL PRINTS
The print editions are individually hand-watercolored by the artist, Tom Tracy. These editions are not simply the result of a photographic process which is the usual method of print reproduction. It is a hands-on process by the artist which takes it beyond the ordinary.
First, Tom creates the original drawing. He turns the drawing over to a fine arts printer who produces a black and white print through a duo-etch process. Tom then hand-watercolors each print individually. This is a time-consuming process which results in a uniquely beautiful colored print. NO TWO ARE ALIKE!!!
With the EXCEPTION of the MINIATURE SERIES, all duo-etch prints, both black and white and hand-colored, are limited editions. Each is signed and numbered by the artist.
4-COLOR SEPARATION PRINTS
This is an off-set lithograph process. Four plates are used to reproduce the original image. Each plate carries a different color. The resulting print closely resembles the original painting. Acid-free heavy weight paper is used in processing these prints.
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