A clean-cut photo mat looks new. Scuff the edges, rub in a little brown ink, and the same piece looks like it came out of a grandmother's trunk. That is what distressing does, and it takes about ten minutes a sheet. The crafter behind Medieval Mirage shows a trick her husband suggested: skip the special tool and use an old table knife from the kitchen drawer. She tears a coffee-stained sheet on a ruler, scrapes the edges, then inks and crumples them.
What you need
- Paper or cardstock. Medium weight works best.
- A metal ruler for tearing
- An old table knife, a serrated steak knife or a plastic knife
- A brown ink pad
- A cosmetic sponge, foam blending tool or scrap of kitchen sponge
Which knife gives which edge
Each knife leaves a different look. A serrated blade bites hard and pulls up lots of fibre, so the edge goes white and fluffy fast. A plain table knife gives a steady, even scuff. A plastic knife barely marks the paper, which is right when you only want a hint of wear. Push harder for a rough edge and ease off for a gentle one. A purchased paper distresser does the same job with a handle that fits the hand.
Keep it safe. Use a dull knife, never a sharp chef's knife, and scrape away from the hand that holds the paper.
Picking an ink color
Brown is the classic aged look. Archival ink in a warm brown like Potting Soil dries permanent, so you can stamp or journal over it without smearing. Distress inks in Walnut Stain or Vintage Photo blend softer and react with water if you want a splotchy look. Black reads as burned and harsh. Save it for Halloween pages or a pirate map.
Paper that distresses well
Thin printer paper tears too easily and goes limp. Heavy cardstock fights the knife. Medium cardstock and patterned scrapbook paper are the sweet spot. Paper with a white core and a printed top layer looks best of all, because scraping shows the white underneath. If you want the whole sheet aged, tea or coffee stain it first and let it dry flat.
Distressing mistakes to avoid
- Tearing holes. Too much pressure at one spot. Take shorter strokes and move along the edge.
- Ink stripes. The sponge started on the paper. Begin each stroke off the edge and swipe in toward the center.
- Every edge looks the same. Real wear is uneven. Leave some spots light and press harder on corners.
- Flat, pressed look. Crumple the edges while you ink. The creases catch more color.
Ways to use distressed paper
Use it for photo mats on a heritage page, tags, journaling cards and the pages of a junk journal. It suits a mini scrapbook album of old family photos, and it gives a handmade card a vintage feel. For a whole sheet that looks centuries old, start with how to make paper look old. New to layouts? How to scrapbook walks through a first page.
