Oct 21, 2008 01:36PM

Parchment Paper - How to Make a Convincing Parchment Paper

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Richard_Norman]Richard Norman

Parchment is a thin material made from calfskin, sheepskin or goatskin.

It has been used for many centuries as pages in early books or manuscripts; it is still used today by calligraphers for writing upon, and as a covering material for bookbinders.

Bookbinders in years gone by tried various methods to create imitation parchments and vellums using paper as the starting point, as the genuine material was beautiful but very expensive.

The method we are going to use is simple but very effective.

All we are going to need is some shellac flakes and alcohol.

It should be noted at the start, that this parchment paper treatment is done after any gilding, writing, drawing or printing etc is carried out, you can use water colours if you wish, the oil or alcohol will not affect water colours, save to make them look antique.

Of course if you want to use the parchment paper as a book covering material, simply apply the varnish to the paper and use as parchment paper.

Recipe for alcohol based shellac varnish

Mix 1 part blonde de-waxed shellac flakes with four parts methylated spirit (in America known as denatured alcohol).

Place in a screw top jar and allow to stand for 24 hours stirring occasionally. When the shellac has all dissolved the varnish is ready to use.

If you know little about paper let me guide you to the correct type.

You want a thick bulky paper with a good fibre furnish.

By thick I mean 120/150gsm (55/70lbs)

By a good fibre furnish I mean that a good quality paper fibre was used in its making.

A good choice would be a cartridge paper; this sort of paper is widely available from artist supply houses in large sheets or as A4 pads.

Another paper which makes an excellent parchment paper is made by a company called Hahnemuhle, it is called Medieval Laid and is available in 130gsm (60lb)

Once you have your varnish and paper ready, lay down some waste paper.

The alcohol based varnish does give of fumes; it is advisable to work in a room with decent ventilation.

We are simply going to give our sheet of paper a generous coat of varnish, use a paintbrush or paint roller.

The paper will darken immediately as the varnish penetrates the paper.

When you can see that the paper is saturated with the varnish, lift it and place it on some more waste paper and allow it to dry completely.

When dry you will see that the paper has been transformed by the treatment, the varnish will have changed the colour, appearance and feel of the paper.

By Richard Norman http://www.gold-vault.com

For 25 years I ran a system of craft workshops in Somerset England. In 1994 the workshops were voted a National Living Treasure for their contribution to the Arts.

Please visit my website for further information and free manuals.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Richard_Norman http://EzineArticles.com/?Parchment-Paper---How-to-Make-a-Convincing-Parchment-Paper&id=1547993

Sep 21, 2008 03:11AM

Scrapbooking - It's Easy to Start!

Scrapbooking - It's Easy to Start!
By Lisa Sykes

7 Easy Steps To Scrapbooking

1. First off you need to gather the photos you wish to scrap and decide if they are going to form a theme (eg birthday, day at beach etc) or if they are just random photos, next a fun part of the process you have to chose the card-stock and paper, many craft shops have a huge range of these papers and card-stocks to chose from and often this can take the most time. Decide if you are going to match the papers or have a contrast or you could even do both.

2. The type of paper you chose is important because if you chose too thin a paper the glue might seep and total look of the page might be ruined, so go for a thicker card-stock to mount the photos on, also chose the acid-free type to protect you photos forever.

3. OK now start by choosing either one or two main photos as the main focal point to go with the theme of the page. A good idea is to stick the photos onto separate pieces of card-stock to form a border ,this also makes the photos stand out too. frames put around the chosen photos can also add emphasis and create interest. Other photos can also be added but to not take away from the main photo(s) make them a little smaller and not so dominant in the page layout,more of an accent.

4. You can now add some "embellishments" (stickers,keepsakes,ribbons etc) again the rage of these is phenomenal! I think the embellishments really make the page! They can help explain the story you are trying to create, . Another idea is to add movie stubs, ribbons from hair, shells, birthday cards... the list can go on and on just use your imagination. they are also a very personal touch. The main idea is to add interest and make the page eye catching and interesting.

5. A huge part in your scrapbook page is Journaling, this can be just a single word to describe the photo or it can be a little story to really explain the page, a good tip is to use small pieces of card-stock to write these messages on in case of a mistake, as it is a lot easier to create another tag than to have to make another scrapbook page (believe me!)If you are worried about your handwriting , don't be a little tip is to just print the words then make little marks on every end of the letters, this just makes your writing look different and interesting,or you can print the words off from your computer and another idea is to use trace letters which rub onto the page!

6. Now before anything is stuck into place you should do a dry run and move the photos and journaling words around until you have come up with the perfect page, just experiment, add things, take things away , there is no rule to this it is just what looks good to you!

7. Be sure to use acid-free glue and or sticky tags as these wont affect the photos. You have now made your first scrapbooking page! Be sure to watch out though as it is very addictive.

For more information on scrapbooking visit my blog at http://scrapbooking-getstarted.blogspot.com/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lisa_Sykes
http://EzineArticles.com/?Scrapbooking---Its-Easy-to-Start!&id=1491021

Mar 06, 2008 03:08PM

Fun Family Photos

Mar 03, 2008 12:39PM

Now's The Time For Holiday Fun

It may feel like spring time but NOW is the perfect time to scrap those holiday photos!

It's easy to make fun Christmas pages.  Just make sure to save some ribbon an scraps of wrapping paper.  Not only will these scraps look good they'll also be a fun momento to remind you of the precious gifts they contained.  

Mar 03, 2008 12:33PM

Making The Most Out Of Black and White

I love this technique of using an old frame to set off some black and white photos.  Actually the photos here were given an amber or sepia tone look.

An old key... some decorative buttons create a nice vintage effect. 

Sarah on Mar 01, 2008 04:02AM

Comment on Scrap A Gift!

Whata cute site! I love scrapbooking too. I look forwardto more updates and tips!