A majority of Susan George’s Spirit of Equus photographic work is printed individually by hand using an age old etching technique dating back to the 1800’s.
“The art of etching has allowed me to create a vision for the photographic collection Spirit of Equus.

We take my original photograph; make a transparency that we expose onto a polished copper plate developing the image on a light sensitive surface.  We then dip the plate into an acid bath that bites the image into the copper.

Next, we hand apply specially made and often imported etching ink. This is then wiped by hand to work the ink into the bitten surface after which we remove the excess.  Using archival papers, many of which are hand-made, the paper is soaked, then dried to damp. The print is then made on a hand operated press forming the paper around and into the relief of the plate.  After passing through the press, we carefully peel the paper back from the copper plate, sometimes hand applying fine brushworks.

Finally, the paper is pressed and dried.  The whole, labour intensive process can take up to a week to complete.”