Since I make a lot of paints I'm trying to find ways to cut down the time it takes to make one. Most people don't know, but making a livery is much more than just textures. It's creating the folder structure, testing the livery, making thumbnails, taking screenshots to display our work etc. On average I find it takes me about 5 hours to make a simple paint, especially if it's the first one in its category. Advanced/complex paints can easily take 20+ hours to finalize everything. I do most of my work for free, but for requests (that I wouldn't normally paint) I typically require payment. Painting in 2020 (and 24) has become a chore at times. I still manage to find joy in painting. As a benefit, or lately I guess, I've received free products from some developers. That is a nice gesture, because I know that nice paints can help sell a product.

Anyway taking quality screenshots helps "sell" the product. Downloads at flightsim.to really only help me get a free premium subscription. Which, imo, is more than fair, because they make money from ads.

However, it's labor intensive... a set of 9 which is what I prefer to do, takes 40-60 min typically.

Do you prefer to see one pic, and that would determine if you download my paint? Or do you prefer to see multiple screenshots? I think sometimes I only look at one pic too. I'm just curious what the community here thinks as I know many have downloaded my liveries over the years. Also important, and I've added it as a choice, do you NOT download paints - could you respond here if you don't and why you don't?

Edited 6 hours ago6 hr by ryanbatc
title change

I only look at the main (1st) pic. That doesn't mean I don't value repaints - I do. It's just today's world is a one of busy people and fast transactions. I would say that most screenshots that show the livery from the side (showing the length of the airframe) should show potential users everything they need to see. I guess in some cases people will want to look at minute details and decals. The liveries I download these days are all GA (like the ones you make), so it's not like I'm comparing the work to a real life livery. I just see it and either think that I'd like it in my sim or I wouldn't.

Some additional factors appeal to me - for example, I am a lot more likely to download a livery for something like the A2A Comanche, Black Square planes or JF GA planes, if they also include a set of interior custom textures.

[EDIT: St Mawgan reminded me...... 90% of all liveries I download are dynamic registration. It's rare that I will download a livery that has a baked-in reg. It's why I haven't downloaded any repaints for the FSW Legacy. There are no dynamic registration liveries - or wasn't the last time I looked.]

Edited 7 hours ago7 hr by JYW

I look at all of the images I think before deciding if I want it, especially if it includes the interior.

I only ever download those with dynamic registration and typically only if I don't like any of the default. I also like those with manufacturer markings as they are often left off marketplace releases. The Phenom being a recent case in point.

I only wish there were more of them, although I am aware they take time to produce. Sometimes a new aircraft is released and the best providers (Tim and Ryan, mainly) do three or four and that's all. I want more to chose from!

I mainly download airliner aircraft and I would be happy just to see a good exterior view, unless there is something different to a standard livery for that airline. If there are interior custom textures modelled a view of those would be good but that would suffice for me.

Thank you for your work, it is appreciated.

If it's a good angle and good lighting, 1 screenshot is usually enough to sell me on a livery. Admittedly I don't download them very often, unless it's something rare or fun, like the NatGeo TBM or RFDS BE350. Payware GA aircraft usually come with enough selection to keep me happy.

As for time involved preparing packages, people who don't develop really have no idea..!

I usually only download liveries that include interior work as well. So yes I view through all the pics hoping to see interior work.

I’m glad that you receive free copies of aircraft as you obviously put a lot of time in and certainly deserve it.

I no longer download liveries as I now fly exclusively in VR it’s very rare I’ll look at an external view so I never see the liveries. The exception might be a special case like I’ll sometimes get airline liveries for real aircraft I’ve flown for that airline etc , but most of the time I’m oblivious to how the aircraft looks from the outside.

I only nned one image from the side. One more if interior work is done.

I am usually looking for a color or airline if its a big plane.

If I don't like it, it takes no time to delete it.

On a suck up note, I usually check to see if you or Tim have made any paints, only then do I go looks elsewhere.

I'm generally only look at the main pic. Of course if it is an author I know, like Ryan or Tim, there's no need to dig further.

The only thing I'm really looking at is if I like the actual paint (it can be well painted, but maybe I just don't like the colors, etc).

If I do dig into pictures, it is basically just to see if I like the livery. I try and avoid just downloading too many paints. That's rare though, I'm really just looking if the paint looks cool, not juding the quality of the work.

Honestly too I'm just not the guy going over every pixel. Does it look cool? Download and install.

I can generally decide by just looking at the first screenshot / thumbnail.

Thanks for your painting efforts Ryan, I really appreciate the work of you and our other talented repainters in the community. As someone with zero artistic ability, I’m always amazed by what you’re all able to create.

I do liveries as well, specializing in GA aircraft. I also agree that making screenshots can be tedious so I often do just the two required by flightsim.to and try to take them from different angles. Sometimes, however, when I do multi-packs, I try to get a screenshot of each one so everyone can see what color schemes I've done. I try to do both fixed and dynamic regs, especially if the fixed one is very custom.

2024 default aircraft liveries can be difficult (those made by Asobo, to be clear), so I find myself sticking mostly with addon aircraft. Sometimes even some of those planes can be quite a PITA to work with. I used to do commissions but I find no joy in doing those anymore, so I've stopped and mainly stick with making liveries for myself and as a way of helping devs test their addons.

If I see that it's one of your liveries, or one from one of your fellow well-known painters, I already know the quality will be very good. In that case, I usually just look at the first 2–3 images to see if I like the paint job and colors or if it's simply not my taste. If it's uploaded by someone I don't recognize, especially if it's one of their first liveries, I do like to see a few more screenshots to get a better sense of the overall quality as well.

I look at a few of the pics before I decide to download a livery. I definitely like more than one, but I don't need nine shots to decide if I like it or now. Three to four would be good for me.

I tend to look at a few pics especially if it is from an artist I am unfamiliar with. If it is you, Tim, javiation, atarium, etc. I just mash the download button right away. 😂

Some times I do then there are times when I don't. I see and have quite a bit of your liveries for my GA collections. I like the color red a many of your liveries are some sort of red. 😁