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Starlit-Sorceress — Steampunk Paper..with tutorial
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Published: 2010-10-27 18:33:03 +0000 UTC; Views: 8478; Favourites: 96; Downloads: 0
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Description
Tutorial:-Put paper into a cookie sheet. (I used plain old printer paper)
-Make one or two cups of black tea.
-Pour them into the cookie sheet.
-Wait at least five minutes, then take the paper out.
-Set paper somewhere to dry. Be careful not to rip it.
Notes:
If you're soaking a huge stack of paper all at once, you NEED to manually make sure the tea gets at all the paper, otherwise the middle parts of the middle sheets will still be white.
Just so you know, your paper will be a lot more brittle than it started out as....just like if it had aged a hundred years or so. (pluses and minuses...)
I bet coffee would work just as well, but I haven't tried it yet. If you give it a try let me know how it works out.
It has been suggested below that if you use watercolor paper, it's less brittle (because it was designed to soak up water) and looks a lot like parchment when soaked in coffee.
I think the longest I've ever left anything sitting in the tea is twenty minutes. Try experimenting with leaving it in longer.
Go here [link] to find free full-page steampunk-y diagrams. Before soaking the paper, use it to print them out.
This will make your paper look even more steampunk-y.
When I'm not trying out new crafts, I make wire-wrapped jewelry in a spontaneous, fantasy-inspired style. Check out my gallery here: [link]
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Comments: 23
i used green tea. gave the paper a copperycolor, you know when copper goes oxydizin and goes green.
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I've used Coffee in the past, and it's worked very well... comes out darker the stronger you make it. I also burn the edges a little :3
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I have now made two 24 page journals using this method along with
these for the cover pages. [link]
and a junk journal binding video i found on youtube.
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Neat! I'll link to it if you submit it to DA.
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Browsing this, drinking PG Tips. Made 2 sheets with the leftover in the pot. Thnx
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Glad I could help! What do you think you'll use them for?
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it's probably better working with hot water and paper thats not that fine : ) So don't use Copy-Paper.
at least you could give a finishing with brownish margin, done by heating or very concentrated tea/coffe.
There is also the possibility to give it an texture like crumpled up by using kitchen foil and concentrated black tea : ) just ask if you want to know how.
lovely greets : )
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Nice tips. I'll add them eventually. The paper I used was copy paper, so it's not that bad. I really like the idea of using foil to give it a texture!
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Thanks 
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Ah tea is there nothing it can't do. Of note, paper that has been stored in a stack for a long time can keep a white centre. I have seen it in some books,
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True...but I'm going for show rather than authenticity. I'll keep it in mind though.
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Actually it is authentic. The paper comment was just to show that the white centre really does happen in real life. It is however it is a rare occurrence.
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You can use instant coffee (powder) to give it an extra weathered effect. Just take a pinch and carefully sprinkle it on the still wet paper. The coffeepowder will bleed into the paper. It will look even older. Like at one time it started to get a little mildew-y. Don't overdo it though!
Also fun: As a finishing touch you can burn (some of) the edges to make it more like an old map or something like that. Works best with thicker paper. Ideal for treasure maps
If you burn it while still just a little moist, you can control the edges best.
Also, just ripping a small slither of paper from the edges will make it look older. (Nibbled by rats? Badly stored? Or just really well used?)
I recently held a 468 year old book. Awesome feeling! O_o And great for inspiration for something like this!
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I like the burning idea... In fact I remember once a class I was in made wanted posters and I found that you can use a lighter to make "bullet holes".
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Oeh nice! I didn't know that one yet!
I may just try that one next time
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Another good one to try, for a little more stability, is coffee and water color paper. You simply make a pot a coffee, drink what you want of it, and use the left overs to soak a sheet of water color paper. Since the papers designed to hold moisture anyway, it doesn't get too brittle once its' dry, and it looks a heck of a lot like parchment once dry.
For some other real cool effects, You can crumple or crinkle the paper in some places, or singe the edges with a match. Make sure you have a damp rag near by to stop it from burning too much, you only want to tatter the edges. ^^
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Thanks
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No problem ^^
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Ooo, this is a spiffy tutorial! Thanks for the share! <3
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tip to note when doing this it might make the paper more brittle once dried
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It does make it brittle, but then again, old fashioned paper is brittle too. Thanks for the suggestion. I'll add it in.
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