How-to: Old Parchment Paper

Parchment paper effects can be created at home to give your art projects an antique look.

Parchment was one of the surfaces people used for writing, and in ancient times was made by preparing an animal skin. Over time, animal parchment was replaced by stiff, tan parchment paper. Creating authentic looking old parchment paper is simple. Make treasure maps, messages in a bottle or historical documents look realistic using only a few materials.

Things You'll Need

• Drawing paper
• Coffee or black tea
• Baking tray
• Metal straight edge
• Newspaper or brown paper bags

Instructions

1. Prepare the coffee or black tea and allow it to cool.

2. Lay the paper down on a flat work surface. Allow 1 inch of the paper to hang over the edge of the table. Place the straight edge parallel to the edge of the table. Hold down the straight edge with one hand. Pull upwards on the edge of the paper that is hanging over the side to tear it, using the straight edge to guide the tear. Repeat for all four sides of the paper.

3. Pour the cooled coffee or black tea into the baking tray. Do not overfill the tray. Fill it to just below the height of the tray.

4. Place the torn-edged paper flat into the baking tray filled with the coffee or black tea. Agitate the paper gently to make sure it absorbs the coffee or tea evenly. For the look of an old letter or map, fold the paper first and then place it into the filled tray.

5. Remove the paper and carefully lay the paper flat on a few layers of newspaper or brown paper bags. Allow to dry in a warm place for a few hours.