If you’ve had paper stocked up in the attic or some old books in your home then you’d know what old and aged paper looks like. Brown, crisp and almost too fragile to flip. Now many hobbyists like to simulate that look by “aging” the paper. If you’re wondering how, it’s quite easy.

There are two methods I know (one I picked up from art class, another from a friend) among all the other methods you can find over the Web. Both methods practically do the same thing – produce that rustic aged and brown effect to the paper.

Now as for the choice of paper, any good grade bond paper would do. You might want to print a message or a poem on it for effect.

One method, the tea method uses (guess what) black tea bags to color the paper. The other method, the coffee method uses coffee (instant black coffee would do).

Tea method

• First thing you want to do is desaturate about three tea bags in about two cups of hot water for about an hour.
• After you’ve done so, take one tea bag and rub the whole surface of the paper with it.
• Do the same with the next tea bags only rub it gently. The paper’s practically soaked now and you don’t want it to tear, just wear it a down a bit.
• You can also break open a tea bag and sprinkle the paper with flecks of tea
• Soak up all the excess liquid by dabbing it with paper towels.

Coffee method

• As for the coffee method, it’s practically the same this time you’ll only use about 1/4 cup of black coffee (no cream, no sugar!).
• Coat the paper with the coffee.
• Just like using flecks of tea, you can also do this using grains of instant coffee.
• Dab the excess up with paper towels.

As for the drying process, you have a couple of options. Some prefer to crisp the paper by baking it in the lowest part of the oven in a cookie sheet, using about 200*F of heat. When the paper starts to curl up on the edges, it’s done.

Some others would prefer to just sandwich it in between paper towels and flat weighted paper objects (like those old unused encyclopedias) left to dry overnight. it’s to prevent paper from warping.

For effect some other might burn the edges a bit for an overall antique effect.