The printmaking area cultivates an active and productive atmosphere. All levels of students as well as faculty share the facilities in the print shop creating a cooperative and engaging atelier situation conducive to artistic growth. Individual and open group critiques are scheduled frequently, encouraging the development of critical thinking. Student exhibitions are organized on a semester basis in the department’s Arena Gallery, and print students benefit from an active visiting artist program coordinated by the department. The Printmaking program embraces traditional processes as well as ongoing technical advances, and therefore functions as an important adhesive to a vital visual arts program and to the broader community.
A goal of the printmaking area is to prepare students for careers as professional artists, printers, gallery and museum curatorial professionals, teachers, or for study at the M.F.A. level. The Department of Art and Art History course sequence develops students’ areas of interest through studies in drawing, design, critical theory and art history, all of which serve as a foundation to advanced printmaking courses in traditional as well as experimental and emerging technologies.
The printmaking concentration requires students to complete at least 18 credits in upper-level printmaking courses. The first nine credits present an intensive study of various traditional media: relief, intaglio, lithography, screen printing, as well as alternative and photo-mechanical processes particular to each area. The remaining credits emphasize the students’ personal development of expressive imagery through their particular choice of media. Exploration and experimentation is encouraged, emphasizing content and idea rather then simply technical prowess.
Regularly offered Printmaking Courses include: Basic Studio Printmaking (ART 160); Intaglio Printmaking (ART 221); Lithography (ART 222); and Advanced Printmaking Workshop (ART 226)—this last repeatable with a change in course content to a maximum of 12 credits.
The print shop facility presents the widest possible range of technical possibilities, allowing students to investigate ideas and imagery with the necessary and available equipment and technologies. Printmaking students have open access to the shop.
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The lithography area is equipped with a 51” x 30” Brand press, a 34” x 59” Tackach Garfield press, two 25” x 36” Fuchs and Lang presses, and a comprehensive library of large, quality litho stones. |
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The intaglio area includes a 32” x60” Charles Brand press, a 27” x 48” Dickerson Press, and an 18” x 28” Ettan press. A 21” x 25” Nu-Arc Xenon Exposure unit is available for photo-etching. |
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In the relief area there is a 30” x 40” hydraulic press. A small type shop and book arts area contains a Vandercook Proof press, two multilith1250 offset presses, a 9” x 12” Chandler and Price Letter press and a small typographic proofing press, including 42 trays of assorted type faces. |
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The screen-printing area includes a 30” x 40” screen reclaiming sink with powerwasher and a 30” x 40” Nu-Arc screen exposure unit. |
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The digital lab is equipped with an HP 5000 Laserjet printer, a thermal wax printer, and an Epson 7500 wide-format ink jet printer. Students have access to a MacG3 and a G4 computer, both with flatbed scanners and Wacom drawing pads. |
The shop is well ventilated, and it complies with University of Connecticut Department of Environmental Health and Safety and OSHA regulations.
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Please take a look at some student work >
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