Jump to content

Need tips for painting aircraft wheels


Grayson72

Recommended Posts

I once saw a really good, ingenious tip on how to paint the wheels on aircraft so they come out perfect. I can't remember where I saw it or what the tip was (duh). I always struggle with getting the white on the wheels in a perfect line with the black of the tires.

Any help would be appreciated.

Edited by Grayson72
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Was it an artist's circle mask? (A lot of circles in every size cut out of a template?) You put the wheel so that the hub is in the circle, and the template masks everything else. Then spray. (For this technique, you do the black first, then the hub)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Here's how I do it. I spray the entire tire in gloss white and let dry. Then I use the gundam black marker to trace around the hub/tire crease to get a straight line (sometimes if the crease is really small - I just let the wash pick it out). I then do a little wash to pick out the hub details which also fills in the crevice between the hub and tire. Then I use a flat black and brush paint the tire around - I don't have to get it perfect since the gundam marker line is sufficiently fat enough to give me a little lee-way so I paint the flat black a little away from the actual white hub, but make sure its on the gundam black marker line. Then I rub the flat black a bit with my fingers to get some finger grease on it - this makes the flat black look really rubber like in sheen.

Good luck.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Here's another suggestion I read on another board.

If you want to give the illusion that your aircraft has weight, sand the part of the wheel that contacts the ground just a bit. The distortion in the perfect circle will give the illusion that the aircraft looks like it's heavy. If I recall correctly, this was done by a poster who goes by the name of Bhop73...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...