How to Make Fake Aged Paper
Need a fake treasure map to use as an advertising flier for your small business? Or maybe you'd like to pull a prank on your business associates by claiming archaeologists found old, original documents for your company--but you need some old-looking paper to supply that claim of 'authenticity.' Here's how to produce your own aged paper.
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Things You'll Need
- A legal-sized sheet or two of white, heavy (more than 20 lbs.} paper if you want a treasure map
- Gray or red ink felt-tipped, fine point pen
- An old leather shoelace
- Depending on the length of your 'document,' one to five sheets of white 81/2 by 11 paper (at least 20 lbs.)
- A glass of very strong, cold tea
- A cup of very strong, cold coffee
- A candle, candle holder and matches or a lighter
- Some ice cubes
- A half-sheet of fine-grade sandpaper
- An old, shallow cookie sheet with a rim around it
- A tiny amount of potting soil or just plain dirt
Instructions
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Use the legal-sized sheet of paper for your map, which will lead party-goers to the pirate's treasure--or maybe just the haunted house with ghosts. First, lay the sheet of paper in the cookie sheet. Then slowly pour a little of the cold tea from the glass over the paper, moving your hand across the whole sheet, gradually covering most of the surface with a very thin film of tea. Pick up the paper and tilt it so the extra tea runs off, back onto the cookie sheet. Let the paper dry, in the sunshine if possible. If the paper doesn't have an 'old enough' look, repeat the cold tea bath and dry it once again. Once it's thoroughly dried, carefully tear a tiny strip of paper off from each edge, leaving it looking ragged and mouse-nibbled. If you want, you can also light the candle and let the candle smoke 'scorch' the paper. Now draw your map by hand across the old-looking surface, using the gray or red felt-tipped pen. (You don't want the lines too thick or black--they won't look aged enough. But a rusty-red ink might look like it was drawn in blood a hundred years or so ago.) Let the ink dry. Starting at the left, or west, side of the map, roll it up like an old scroll. Tie it with an old leather shoelace if you have one. Now you have a pirate's map that Bluebeard might have drawn.
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For other old, aged-looking paper, use the same cookie sheet and either a cold tea or strong, cold coffee 'bath' for however many sheets of paper you need. If you want, you can alternate the cold tea and cold coffee baths to get just the right amount of 'darkening due to age' for the paper. Let the sheet or sheets of paper dry in the sunlight before you either hand-letter or print your document on them.
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Want the paper to look even older? Fold it in thirds before the paper is entirely dry, and repeatedly press down the folds. Open the sheet or sheets of paper up again, and let them dry. Then lightly run the fine-grade sandpaper across the folds on the front of the paper and especially the back of the folds, so the paper looks like it's been folded a very long time.
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You'll have to hand-print whatever information you wanted on the paper, or else run the paper through your printer before you put any wrinkles in it. Wrinkled paper can cause many printers to jam. Add wrinkles to the paper by first using the tea or coffee 'bath' on it and drying it. Then take an ice cube and wet the paper in just a couple of places. Rub the dampened areas lightly with your fingertips, causing wrinkles to form. Let the paper dry again.
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Print your document or information on the sheet or sheets of paper first. Next give the paper its tea or coffee 'bath,' then use the candle smoke to 'scorch' the paper. Fold the paper repeatedly and sandpaper the folds lightly; add wrinkles with an ice cube and finally, after the sheets are dry, slowly sprinkle the dab of potting soil or dirt over the surface. Rub the dirt into the paper's surface using a light touch of your fingertips. Shake off any extra potting soil or dirt. Anybody for 100-year-old paper?
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Tips & Warnings
For the treasure map, don't worry if your printing or handwriting isn't the greatest-looking. How many pirates had perfect handwriting or could even spell the word 'treasure'?
Don't forget to tear a very thin strip of paper from all the edges of each sheet if you want that old, 'mouse-nibbled' look.
Print your information on your aged paper before you add wrinkles to it, as wrinkles can cause many models of printers to jam.
Don't hold the paper too close to the candle or in one spot too long--you'll have a hole burned in the paper before you realize it.
Print your document before you use the candle to scorch the paper.
Don't run the paper back through your printer after using the potting soil or dirt on the surface. Any amount of dirt, no matter how small, could damage your printer.
