How To Use Tea and Cinnamon to Age Artwork for Halloween

Brew some tea, snag this free, printable Halloween art and make your own aged wall art in minutes.

Man Pulls Tea Soaked Print from Bath To Reveal Aged Look

Tea and Cinnamon Aged Halloween Artwork and Clipboard

Next, print out the free artwork. Grab a cookie sheet and place four teabags of black tea onto it; cover with hot water and let brew for 10 minutes. Then, dip the artwork into the tea bath, soaking it completely. Soak the paper for about 10 minutes. Tip: The longer you keep it in, the darker it gets. Remove the art from the tea bath and let dry on top of paper towels.

From: HGTV Handmade

Photo by: Nikk Alcaraz

Nikk Alcaraz

Decorating for Halloween doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg. In fact, this super-easy, aged art DIY by food artist and content creator Nikk Alcaraz is, dare we say, free. Brew a spot of tea and print this sinister-looking free artwork while you wait. Then, make a faux rusted clipboard with spices to display your new horrific wall art.

Vintage, Tea Aged-Looking Skull Artwork in DIY Rusty Frame on Wall

Tea and Cinnamon Aged Halloween Artwork and Clipboard

Learn how to age creepy artwork using black tea for a vintage look, and make rusty old clipboard frames for displaying, with tips and tricks from food artist and content creator Nikk Alcaraz. To make your own, you will need a clipboard, twine, black acrylic paint, paprika, cinnamon, nutmeg, decoupage, a paintbrush, electric drill, black tea, a cookie sheet and this free printable artwork.

From: HGTV Handmade

Photo by: Nikk Alcaraz

Nikk Alcaraz

Materials + Tools

  • decoupage glue
  • paintbrush
  • electric drill
  • black tea
  • cookie sheet
  • parchment paper
  • paper towels

1. Brew Tea + Dip Artwork

Use tea to give artwork an aged look (Image 1). First, place four teabags of black tea onto a cookie sheet (Image 2); cover with hot water and let brew for 10 minutes (Image 3). Then, dip the free printable artwork into the tea bath, soaking it completely for about 10 minutes (Image 4). Tip: The longer you leave it in, the darker it will be. Remove the artwork from the tea bath and let dry on top of paper towels (Image 5).

2. Make Faux Rust

On a plate, add decoupage glue, cinnamon, nutmeg and paprika together (Image 1) and mix with a paintbrush to create a gritty, orange-brown paste (Image 2). Next, place a piece of parchment paper in the clip of the clipboard (Image 3) and use a paintbrush to dot and dab the paste onto the metal clip to create a rough, rusting effect (Image 4). Let dry completely.

3. Drill + Paint + Display

Use an electric drill to make holes on both top sides of the clipboard (Image 1). Then, paint the clipboard black with acrylic paint (Image 2). Let dry completely. Once dry, thread twine through the top holes of the clipboard and tie off in the back to make a hanger (Image 3). Clip in the dried, vintage-looking artwork and hang on your wall for a moody, Halloween vibe (Image 4).

Peculiar Projects From Nikk Alcaraz

Nikk Alcaraz is a DIY and food artist based in Los Angeles, California and founder of Practical Peculiarities, a creative hub for all peculiar food and crafts.

A Curation of Curiosities
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