Best Way To Age Paper

[Capn_Jack_Savvy]

I am working on some old 18th century nautical charts and wanted to know what would be the best way to age the paper. I am using graphic quality paper printing off of a larger plotter.

I have heard people soak the paper in tea and burn the edges but I just need to brown the paper so it appears old and weathered.

Thanks!

 

[juno]

Is your printing waterproof? If not, you don't have too terribly many options you can use.

 

[silverskyes402]

I've allways used green tea, soak the paper in a sauce pan of grenade tea, but the ink has to dried and strong enough not to disolve and screw up the paper

 

[kalkamel]

Coffee works great too. I usually soak the paper in coffee and once that dries (you can speed it up woth an iron... taht'll give the paper a brittle appearance), you can apply more coffee in a spray bottle to add uneven weathered spots.

 

[tripoli]

i found that working with a combination of tea and coffee works best. I use a tea base first and let it dry, followed by coffee. You can use a few swipes of coffee with a towel to darken the paper. Let the coffee sit in sections to give it an un-even aged look if you want to. I have also used ash from the fire place to dirty the edges from handling of a map to the sides where it would be hands have touched it and where it may have been weighted down. If you want to burn the edging, use a soldering iron with the flat long edge held to the paper. Have a wet towel ready to quickly put out any burning that might occur. Use lemon juice along the sides if you want to get an uneven edging when burning it, but be ready with the wet towel to stop it as deep as you want it to go.
For drying, use a hair dryer on low heat. High heat can make the paper shrivel up and be uneven, so using a low to medium heat is the best way to go at it.

 

[PHArchivist]

Let it sit around in the sun, rain, and dirt for a really looooong time...!






(Sorry mate - couldn't resits! )

 

[Capn_Jack_Savvy]

Let it sit around in the sun, rain, and dirt for a really looooong time...!
(Sorry mate - couldn't resits! )

Well if I have to wait that long I might as well go find a maritime museum and steal said charts!:lol

Excellent tips mates! I will post results as soon as I get lemons, coffee, tea, fire, wet towels, and a sunny spot!!!!

By the way the plots came out real nice! 4 foot by 5 foot plot of a Caribbean nautical chart circa 1730s....!:thumbsup

 

[JOATRASH FX]

Here is an old method I've used:

Pour an even coating of salt over the hotplate of a stove and crank it up to maximum (or close) heat. Wearing a pair of gloves, hold your paper above the stove and move it around as it turns brown. Hold the edges extra close to burn them a little. Add tea, coffee and fake blood stains as needed.

I used to use this method all the time back in my days of game mastering Warhammer and Call of Cthulhu RPGs.

 

[101radioman]

I have luck using old coffee grounds, just rub them around.
also have used broiler, red wine, my own blood (damn paper cuts) lol
even the garage floor. To get the map (small middle earth map of adams )i was doing nice and worn and wrinkled i just let the 10 year old and 3 year old play with it for a bit.

 

[jheilman]

Yeah, give it to the kids for a day. It will be weathered.:lol

 

[Emeldahay]

Theres only one way to get that look... ASS

 

[SurferGeek]

Here's a great one on weathering paper...

http://www.curiousgood.com/aged.htm

I believe it's from one of our members here! :angel

 

[juno]

I was going to post my tute -- but it doesn't really work if you can't get the piece wet.