3rd Grade, Week 1: Black mirror creation

What is a black mirror
Black mirror is a divination tool used for scrying. It can be used for telling future, seeing past, distant places, performing invocations and evocations, distant healing or reality manipulation.

Maybe the first scrying mirror used was the surface of a running water (eg a river). Later a black bowl filled with water was used, black reflective surface maximizing the effectivity of the mirror.

Water was later replaced with a glass, which was called a solid water and many people believed it has the same spiritual qualities as the water.

What do I need to create my own black mirror?
-picture frame (round ones look better but it really doesn't matter)
-black mat spray paint

Remove the glass from the picture frame and spray paint it black on one side. Make sure the surface of the paint is regular and there are no weak spots, it must be consistent.

After the paint dried, return the glass back to the frame, painted side should be on the bottom. This makes a nice reflective surface on the top. You can also avoid painting the bottom side of the glass by putting black colored paper inside the frame, but the painted glass looks better.

Alternatives
We already named the river's surface and black bowl filled with water. These are two alternatives for the black mirror described here.

Another alternative is the Cagliostro's mirror:
-crystal glass is filled with water and a candle is place behind it so the flame is visible through the surface of the glass. You then gaze into the flame to obtain visions. This alternative is good because it doesn't require much charging for the mirror to be functional but generally solid mirror is better for transportation and is ready to use anytime when it's charged. Cagliostro's mirror or any water based mirror must be prepared and charged before the operation, wasting the precious times and it also tends to become annoying over time.

Fluid condenser
Many people use Magickal fluid condensers, which simplify charging and makes it more stable (mirror without condenser discharges faster over time of not being used). Condensers are usually solid (eg dust of gold and silver mixed together) or there are fluid based condensers made from the mixture of herbs. This one is usually applied on a piece of paper hidden within the mirror.
Theoretically you can also use a sigil as a condenser but unfortunately I have never tried this idea in practice, maybe I will change it before this grade is officially published.

Working without a condenser is fully fine, just keep in mind that your working with the mirror will have to be much more consistent.