Brigandia36
Sr Member
I use wallnut ink.
Aging paper
- Thread starter BelowAverageJoe
- Start date
I have a question, how do you use the coffee? Do you use a brush?Put the all paper in the coffee?
I tried with a sponge sponge, but the color of the paper result very light brown.
After I tried to dip the paper in the coffee, the result is better but it's not the final result.
I use a kraft paper, help me I am going crazy
Rupp66
Well-Known Member
I've always wondered if adding all these various acidic compounds, coffee, tea, lemon, might drastically shorten the life of any paper props. Wouldn't they essentially become newsprint-like, prone to crumbling with age? Nullifying low-acid paper?
Not that I haven't used most of these techniques myself, just always wondered
Not that I haven't used most of these techniques myself, just always wondered
CadetTK2386
Sr Member
Good but not enough for me...
division 6
Master Member
If using instant coffee the darkness depends on how much you use.
Also if you want those dark spots in a few places when the paper is near dry sprinkle some chunks of the instant coffee granules.
You don't want to much moisture or it will run.
For the German pages in my Uncharted journal I did the coffee thing then used pastels to better match the actual in game pages.
Here's one of the pages close up.
You can see some of the spotting on it.
Also if you want those dark spots in a few places when the paper is near dry sprinkle some chunks of the instant coffee granules.
You don't want to much moisture or it will run.
For the German pages in my Uncharted journal I did the coffee thing then used pastels to better match the actual in game pages.
Here's one of the pages close up.
You can see some of the spotting on it.
If using instant coffee the darkness depends on how much you use.
Also if you want those dark spots in a few places when the paper is near dry sprinkle some chunks of the instant coffee granules.
You don't want to much moisture or it will run.
For the German pages in my Uncharted journal I did the coffee thing then used pastels to better match the actual in game pages.
Here's one of the pages close up.
You can see some of the spotting on it.
I think is better the real coffee than istant coffee. It's better to filter a coffee before put on paper
I use coffee but in layers. I usually dip the whole piece initially, then let it dry a little, then I drip coffee on it. Since it is still damp, the coffee bleeds but does not blend completely. This will give you a good spotted effect. I then use a hair dryer and dry it completely. Then I use my finger and dip in the coffee and rub it in. I concentrate on outer edges that I want darker. Then I hair dryer it again until completely dry. Then I usually do one last full page dip fully covering it in coffee. This ties it all together. Then I use the hair dryer to dry it completely.
I use an inkjet so I do all that before printing. I put the aged paper in the printer and it comes out perfect with no bleeding of ink.
I use an inkjet so I do all that before printing. I put the aged paper in the printer and it comes out perfect with no bleeding of ink.
division 6
Master Member
It is real coffee.I think is better the real coffee than istant coffee. It's better to filter a coffee before put on paper
I only use instant for making the age spots.
You are lucky, i have a laser printer so i can't print after aging... That's is a big problem for me
PotionMistress
Sr Member
While the coffee, tea and walnut crystals all can work fairly well, to be honest, most of the ‘aged’ paper in propmaking is overdone.
If you’ve ever actually examined old paper, which of course was generally not like the paper we use today, (made out of wood pulp), it is much more subtly stained than what people making replicas make.
First off, the paper itself was generally made with either a vellum or cloth content sub-straight, and therefore, did not brown or amber completely or evenly. Usually the brownish spots are foxing, generally around the exposed edges or creases or where it had been handled the most. The edges were often the most abused and were brittle and chipped. You might want to keep that in mind when you age any paper. Sometimes less is more.
If you’ve ever actually examined old paper, which of course was generally not like the paper we use today, (made out of wood pulp), it is much more subtly stained than what people making replicas make.
First off, the paper itself was generally made with either a vellum or cloth content sub-straight, and therefore, did not brown or amber completely or evenly. Usually the brownish spots are foxing, generally around the exposed edges or creases or where it had been handled the most. The edges were often the most abused and were brittle and chipped. You might want to keep that in mind when you age any paper. Sometimes less is more.
division 6
Master Member
I used to have a copy of Robinson Crusoe from the 1800's that was yellowish with brown edges.
The paper was extremely brittle since the book had been in my grandmothers shed for a long time.
The paper was extremely brittle since the book had been in my grandmothers shed for a long time.
Paper aging is allways critical... and yes in most cases the aging is "over the top".
Personaly I tent to do too much as well :facepalm
Beside the coffee, tea and walnut ink methode there as some "commercial product" out there as well. They work very well for me one smaller, single sheet projects. What ever you are going to use, i think there is no general way of aging. It depends on what project you are working and what papers are used.
What i like to use from time to time are the products by "Tim Holtz" called "Ranger distress inks". They are pretty easy to handle, in different ways. Here the link to the homepage New | Ranger Ink and Innovative Craft Products
Check out the videos etc. for more details
Here's a map, i've finished today with those distress inks
Personaly I tent to do too much as well :facepalm
Beside the coffee, tea and walnut ink methode there as some "commercial product" out there as well. They work very well for me one smaller, single sheet projects. What ever you are going to use, i think there is no general way of aging. It depends on what project you are working and what papers are used.
What i like to use from time to time are the products by "Tim Holtz" called "Ranger distress inks". They are pretty easy to handle, in different ways. Here the link to the homepage New | Ranger Ink and Innovative Craft Products
Check out the videos etc. for more details
Here's a map, i've finished today with those distress inks
rafy
New Member
Mix a bit of ground espresso coffee with cold water. Take a brush and apply on the paper.Let it sit for 7 minutes and then take a paper towel and make it a small ball-like shape on one end and start touching the paper with it softly. Do not apply force and do not wipe it with the paper towel. If you need some darker spots in some places, after it's dry bring the surface you need to darken close to a lit candle.Be careful or it will make a hole in the paper. Also, for the edges this same candle method works wonders. I hope I have been of assistance.
rorschach999
Sr Member
I find aging the most difficult part of the document - too much and it looks terrible to little and it will not look right either, also depends on what your aging , paper, parchment, cloth etc.
best way I found to age a book and my method is no where near perfect but works for me, is to lightly "paint" each page with tea, leave to dry then spray/mist with strong coffee as magnoli says to get the stamp effect on the pages then leave dry and then lastly spray the whole thing closed, this if done properly gets the right effect on the edges of the pages too, I also run a serrated knife down the edge of the pages to get a doggy edge to them.
hope this helps
best way I found to age a book and my method is no where near perfect but works for me, is to lightly "paint" each page with tea, leave to dry then spray/mist with strong coffee as magnoli says to get the stamp effect on the pages then leave dry and then lastly spray the whole thing closed, this if done properly gets the right effect on the edges of the pages too, I also run a serrated knife down the edge of the pages to get a doggy edge to them.
hope this helps
mathew
Well-Known Member
I use a sprayer or just the teabag ( which i drag slowly across ) for books and stuff, mostly with tea. And I use instant coffee plus a little bit of water , then I use my fingers to spread it in the cracks.
It's leaves a mixture of coffee,water and paper ( a little bit of it) which passes for dust and stuff that has been collected over time ( Don't do this in books though, use a blower or wipe gently to get it out).
For a book I would indeed recommend the methods of coffee placement, so to say, mentioned above. If you have ink which blurres in water ( try it first with some empty scrap paper and ink and tea) you can do two things, or use a sprayer after you made the book or dye the pages first before you add ink.
einstein1351
New Member
I'm actually setting out to do the same thing. So far my best bet would go along the lines of the tea method and apply it more conservatively with a brush and attempt to speed the process with drying by hair drier. To do this with an entire journal is still an extremely time consuming task, but if the devotion is there, should work.
