How do you weather tires?

I paint my tires a dark gray instead of black to start with.To weather,I would get a pigment or a wash that matches the color you want to use.In your case you mention "rubble or cobblestone".Then apply it to the tires and achieve the look you want.

A quick and dirty weathering for tires is to brush on and dust off some flesh colored talcum powder.

When using powder or pigment do you use alcohol to make them stick? I've seen one tutorial about it but am not sure whether it's 99% or 70%.

91% works,as does mineral spirits,so does just leaving them on dry.

Some of the finer powders stick pretty well without a bonding agent.  Just brush off excess.  What does not brush off will probably stick for a long time.

I use Akah brand acrylic called Old Tires Grey then I brush black detail wash on them to make it more realistic.

teejay

I'm thinking of using acrylic paint to weather ww2 military truck tires. What color should I use when it's going thru cobble stone and rubbles and how do you do it?

My answer also depends on the medium the tires are molded in. If they are vinyl, I will dip the entire tire in Future floor polish to make sure the vinyl does not have a negative reaction with the surrounding plastic. Also some paints will not work well with vinyl often causing the paint to never dry and remain tacky to the touch.

After I've coated the tire, I weather it based on the terrain.

I use the Testors in the small bottle color called Rubber. It's not black or brown but kind of in between as when tires get a little dirty.

I use MMP Dirt colored powder dry for a light dusting or mixed with rubbing alcohol as either a thick paste for caking or watery for a lighter effect. Once it dries, (and very quickly) you can fine tune the effects with a small dry brush blending and removing some as you go.

After experimenting with several different colors/brands, now I use Humbrol 32 dark gray.  I've gone so far as taking paint samples outside and comparing them to car and truck tires.

That looks really good Texgunner.

Texgunner,

That's an awesome picture, and gives me great ideas for my tires.  I look back at some of my older completed builds, and I can see how they look "flat."  Thanks.

A bit of prussian blue mixed with black, and a touch of grey is the recipe I like.

if they are rubber tires i put on a heavy wash of MMA engine gray (if plastic i just dand the seam and paint the tire MMA engine gray after priming). i'll wash them with oils, color depending on if i want it darker of  lighter. i use oil PAYNE GRAY for a lighter gray in rubble area. sometimes i mist with REAL DEAL soft dirt or dust. my M-1117 (MERDC desert camo) i dropped the entire tire and hub in a cup of charcoal ash and brushed it off and streaked some more off using a q-tip and alcohol. the ash packed nicely in the thick tire tread.

BlackSheepTwoOneFour

That looks really good Texgunner.

Thanks!

Gary

Thanks, I'm glad you like it, and I hope it help G-J.

Gary

if you wanna make a black tyres - the good way is using pigments from MIG. there is a color "black smoke". use it with pigment fixer. it'll be like  rubber. then use another pigment for dust (for ex "european dust" or "afrika send". it's depend of type of technique you make). and it's very easy correct mistakes if you make it.

Thanks guys. If you do weather a rubber tire,do you clear coat it? Also how can you distinguish a vinyl from other type of plastic?