Skullbook's Intaglio Academy is an innovative learning experience offered to printmaking students at the Department of Art and Art History at the University of Connecticut. This unique program bridges the historical methods of printmaking from the 16th and 17th centuries with the creative voices of the 21st century.

 

Students engage with traditional intaglio processes by handling and studying 400-year-old prints, learning firsthand about the materials and techniques that have shaped the history of printmaking.Through a combination of craft, comradery, and convention, students are encouraged to connect with the past while defining their own creative identity.

 

The program includes an immersive, hands-on approach to printmaking, integrating cosplay as a way to bring the past to life, fostering a deeper connection to the historical processes they study.

 

Taught by Professor John O'Donnell, an innovator in the intaglio medium since 1996, Skullbook's Intaglio Academy challenges students to engage with the physicality and history of printmaking in an interactive environment. Professor O'Donnell has pioneered several unique intaglio techniques, including duplicating etched copper plates without photo-mechanical processes and developing a variety of lift-ground processes, making the academy a hub for traditional and cutting-edge printmaking practice.

 

At Skullbook's Intaglio Academy, students don't just learn the craft—they experience the history of art, explore their own creative potential, and contribute to the evolving legacy of printmaking.