Achieving a parchment-paper look with plain print paper.

[the-golem]

Here's a quicky way to achieve an antique look to your maps.

First, preheat your oven to 350*F ... ok, while the temperature might be a joke, I actually stumbled across this method a week ago while baking cookies. I took a shortcut in the process, and laid down some waxed paper on the cookie sheet before I stuck it in the oven. When it was done, the paper had yellowed a bit. So, I took another sheet of normal printer paper, stuck it right on the oven rack, and left it there for ... too long. When I pulled it out, it was quite dark brown, and there were racklines on it. Also, it crumpled rather easy.

As I type, I'm attempting another test on this method. Will report back later...

Edit: I've found that heating the oven to about 270 and tossing the paper on top of a cookie sheet upturned -- for between two to three minutes -- provides a sufficient yellowing/aging process that resemles parchment. Photograph attached to illustrate proof of concept. I'm sure it's obvious, but there are two sheets of printer paper. The one on the left is the "aged" version. Although, I suppose baked would be more accurate!

[Ryan K]

Lol!

I'll pay that. Good onya for trying some unorthodox methods! Have some rep!

[the-golem]

Lol!

I'll pay that. Good onya for trying some unorthodox methods! Have some rep!

Haha! Much abliged.

Incidentally, this method can also be used to produce -- with the conjunction of a well designed calligraphic typeface -- some really nice "official" letters, to be used in RPG campaigns.

Also, free-hand calligraphy works just as well

[Coyotemax]

Incidentally, such paper can be run through a printer. I tried that with a necronomicon style manuscript page, and just left off the underlying parchment texture, printed it straight onto the aged paper. It really turned out nicely.

That would make some great handouts where you don't need to spend as much time hand-drawing and lettering. You could print out before or after, but if you add in liquid treatments (coffee etc) i'd recommend aging the paper first, then printing

[the-golem]

Incidentally, such paper can be run through a printer. I tried that with a necronomicon style manuscript page, and just left off the underlying parchment texture, printed it straight onto the aged paper. It really turned out nicely.

That would make some great handouts where you don't need to spend as much time hand-drawing and lettering. You could print out before or after, but if you add in liquid treatments (coffee etc) i'd recommend aging the paper first, then printing

Indeed. Just be sure to not age the paper too much, or it'll be rather fragile. It's like toast. You leave it in the oven too long, it gets burnt.

:-)

[Jaxilon]

I guess I'm spoiled. I use a toaster to make toast...although come to think of it, I have torched a couple loaves of Garlic Bread in the oven.

I sure wouldn't want my aged paper to turn to dust while going through my laser printer.

[the-golem]

I guess I'm spoiled. I use a toaster to make toast...although come to think of it, I have torched a couple loaves of Garlic Bread in the oven.

I sure wouldn't want my aged paper to turn to dust while going through my laser printer.

As do I. A toaster oven. We don't own a standard toaster, but they all essentially work on convection, much like a regular full-size oven. IIRC

[Fuse]

That is really cool. I suppose if you did some tearing you could yellow the edges.
I've done something similar before, but actually made it have the burnt edge effect.
Good job

[the-golem]

So, school started this week, and I haven't yet had any chance to do anything with this 'parchment.' Because of this, it's been sitting under my keyboard in relative safety all this time.

(I know, I know, whats the point, right?)

Heres the thing. I picked up my keyboard to move it and have some sketching space, and realized I'd left this paper sitting there. When I picked up the baked paper to move it, I caught a whiff of sweetness. Intrigued, I brought the paper closer to my nose and sniffed it. Sure enough, the sheet smells sweet, sugary sweet. The smell of it reminds me of the maple candies I get from relatives every Christmas.

Who knew? ;-)