How to Make a Paper Color Wash
- 1). Place a piece of paper into a flat tray, such as a clean painting tray.
- 2). Place one or two teabags into the tray or start with 2 to 3 tbsp. of loose tea. As you experiment with the amount of tea added to the water, you'll get a better idea of the intensity of the color wash on your paper. More tea will result in a darker color.
- 3). Pour hot water into the tray, slowly. According to Aisling D'art, "To achieve the color that you want, you'll need to experiment. Different teas---regular (black) and herbal---result in different colors. Heat can be a factor, too, especially with black teas: The higher the heat, the more orange the resulting color."
- 4). Allow the paper to soak in the tea water for 20 to 30 minutes. Observe the paper carefully. If the paper shows signs of deterioration in the water, drain the water immediately and carefully remove the paper to dry.
- 5). Remove the paper from the water if the paper comes under duress as discussed in Step 4, or when the desired color stain has been achieved.
- 6). Place the wet paper, carefully, onto a sweater dryer or clean window screen placed horizontally to allow for the passage of air. You can also dry the paper with a hair dryer on a low heat setting for quicker results, but be careful not to burn the paper.
- 7). Set the color wash staining on your paper with a clothes iron on a low heat setting once the paper is entirely dry.
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