Creating Parchment-looking Prop
- Thread starter Erekose13
- Start date
Wicht
Hero
Here's the method I have just started using. Take about 2 cups of boiling water and add 5 tea bags to it, letting it become dark. Using a casserole dish (glass is preferable) pour the water in and slide in one or two sheets of white paper, allowing it to soak for a few minutes. Dry the paper and press it flat (several heavy books will work).
Desdichado
Hero
It doesn't just save time, soaking your paper in tea or coffee and then allowing it to dry also makes it brittle and stiff. Parchment paper from your local Office Depot (or whatever office supply store you have locally) is far and away the best way to go, IMO. I use that stuff all the time.
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Desdichado
Hero
Then you're system is pretty good for your needs. Don't change it!Wicht said:
Here's a nice link from miskatonic.net on aging paper and various other props:
Blasphemous Whispers.
I especially like the suggestions to bury the document for a week or two for that nice stained, musty look. Also check out the twelve tome detailing suggestions by Matthew De La Poer (e.g. tear out a page and tie it back in with some hair).
Definitely worth checking!
Blasphemous Whispers.
I especially like the suggestions to bury the document for a week or two for that nice stained, musty look. Also check out the twelve tome detailing suggestions by Matthew De La Poer (e.g. tear out a page and tie it back in with some hair).
Definitely worth checking!
Dr Midnight
Explorer
I tried the tea thing once... just wound up wasting an hour and making a mess.
Bought fake parchment from OfficeMax, printed the text on wiht a nice handwriting-looking font, then crumpled it a few times. After that, I lightly singed the edges over a stove burner.
Then, I folded it in three and sealed it with wax.
It looked damn cool. Did the players care or notice? Nope. Just opened it and read, then tossed it aside and said "okay, we do that then". Grrgh.
Bought fake parchment from OfficeMax, printed the text on wiht a nice handwriting-looking font, then crumpled it a few times. After that, I lightly singed the edges over a stove burner.
Then, I folded it in three and sealed it with wax.
It looked damn cool. Did the players care or notice? Nope. Just opened it and read, then tossed it aside and said "okay, we do that then". Grrgh.
Conaill said:
Indeed. That site is very good. Now I am inspired to create a tome the characters can find bits and pieces of, culminating in the location of the remains of the whole book, so they can piece together what the heck the bad guys are after it for. And so on...
And I have to do it all in code, so they have to decypher it. And work it up to be old and stuff.
And then they'll just ask me what it says inside, to save time.
Cedric
First Post
For quick and cheap results...
Cut a square (without seems or print) out of the back of a paper grocery bag. Carefully tear a small strip off of the edges all the way around for that rough look.
If you have calligraphy pens available, use those to draw the map or note that you want on there. (If you don't have those pens, write it in pencil, then trace over it in black ink (preferrably the non-ball point pen kind of ink).
Using a lighter or your stove, singe the edges and even risk singing a few spots in the center where the "parchment" was obviously saved from certain firey destruction.
As a kicker, roll the "parchment" up and tie it with a leather thong or a leather shoe lace...maybe even silk ribbon for something fancier.
But if you want to get really fancy (keep in mind this is the quick and cheap version) you can use wax and a wax seal if you have those.
Cedric
Cut a square (without seems or print) out of the back of a paper grocery bag. Carefully tear a small strip off of the edges all the way around for that rough look.
If you have calligraphy pens available, use those to draw the map or note that you want on there. (If you don't have those pens, write it in pencil, then trace over it in black ink (preferrably the non-ball point pen kind of ink).
Using a lighter or your stove, singe the edges and even risk singing a few spots in the center where the "parchment" was obviously saved from certain firey destruction.
As a kicker, roll the "parchment" up and tie it with a leather thong or a leather shoe lace...maybe even silk ribbon for something fancier.
But if you want to get really fancy (keep in mind this is the quick and cheap version) you can use wax and a wax seal if you have those.
Cedric
