<div class='quotetop'>(celtic touch @ Sep 14 2006, 12:29 PM) [snapback]1319937[/snapback]</div>
Just downloaded the fantastic BIGGY VERSION from on here just fantastic..1 and am wondering if anyone has any good ideas on how to age, weather the map to make it look really kewl, thx
CT
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First, here's a question for the board, do you think this map would have been rolled or folded if actually carried by someone?
If folded, fold the map so that you set your crease lines where you think they should be - this will come in handy later.
Make a 1 or two batches of really strong coffee and tea (I'm talking like 3 tablespoons of instant to 1 cup of water and 4 or 5 teabags to 1 cup of water strong) and let them cool. Once they're cool, put each one in a seperate spray bottle (you can usually get cheap spray bottles at the dollar store).
With the map laying flat, give it a light misting with whichever concoction is lighter in color (tea or coffee). Let it dry completely and give it another misting. The light mistings will color the paper but not make it so wet that the ink runs (or buckle,hopefully - you can always put something heavy on top to keep the paper from buckling too much). Do this until you are happy with the color. When that's done, do random mistings (i.e. not covering the entire map) with the darker color (you'll probably use tea for the base and coffee for the darker color). This will add depth to the aging. Repeat until you are happy, allowing full drying in between mistings.
Now another thing you can do is inbetween mistings is put it in a low temp oven (no more than 200*F) to help it dry. This will also slightly yellow the paper, but you have to be careful because it will also make the paper brittle.
After all this is done, dip your finger in the coffee and allow it to drip on the map in random areas. It's better to do too little than too much. Too much and you risk the ink running - plus it will look like the map got caught in the rain.
Now comes the fun, yet very dangerous, part - the fire. Use a match or a lighter - something you have control over. Randomly burn the edges, allowing some places to burn further than others, but again too little is better - you can always add, never take away. Also allow the paper to brown, but not burn through, in some places.
Now if you decide to go with the folded map look, fold it back along the lines you made previously. Take some fine grit sandpaper and sand along the seams (folds), allowing it to wear throught it at some points.
That should give you some decent looking weathering if you take your time with it.
-Fred
