Have you ever wanted to create that old, yellowed, worn -out look of paper? Well, it's really not difficult at all, and the results are very worthwhile. I will include instructions for two methods.
Coffee Method
You need:
- Strong Cup of Coffee
- A container slightly larger than your piece of paper (baking pan would work)
- Instant Coffee
OPTIONAL: For a wrinkled texture, make sure you crinkle the paper into a ball before completing any other steps. After you have wrinkled the paper, flatten it out.
- Make a cup of very strong coffee. Way stronger then what you would probably like to drink.
- Pour a shallow amount of your coffee into the container.
- Put your paper into the coffee.
- After the desired amount of soaking in coffee, remove the paper from the container and coffee.
- Place the soaked sheet carefully (don't rip it!!) in another dry container with nothing in it.
OPTIONAL - When it is partially dried- get some instant coffee and sprinkle a few grains on the paper. When you do this- make sure that you drop the grains onto the paper. Don't smear them! (If you do it'll look like someone just smeared some instant coffee onto the paper...) It is supposed to look like foxing.
OPTIONAL - When the instant coffee "melts" onto the paper, gently blot the excess grains of coffee away with a napkin or tissue. REMEMBER- DON'T SMEAR!
- Set it out to dry. If you're in a hurry use a hair-dryer.
- Is it dry yet? If so, you have completed your aged paper!
WARNING: Not Archival Safe. Will deteriorate.
Tea Method
- Make a strong cup of tea.
- Pour out the tea into a container as in the Coffee Method.
- Soak the paper into the tea liquid for as long as desired. Not too long though- or else the paper will degrade.
- This method is basically the same as the coffee method except substituting tea. However, the "foxing" cannot be achieved with this method. Therefore, as before, just set it out to dry in a dry container.
WARNING: Not Archival-Safe. Will deteriorate.
