AI Just Made iRacing Livery Designers NERVOUS

Summary

iRacing livery designer Shaun, known as F1 Gamer Dad, tests whether AI can create a usable custom livery without manual editing in Photoshop. He gives Claude a Porsche 992.2 Cup car template, his logos, a color palette, and a brief style description. Using Claude’s desktop app and Code feature, the AI edits local files and saves the finished paint and spec-map files in the appropriate iRacing folder. Shaun then inspects the result in Paint Booth.

How the process works

• Claude unpacks and analyzes the template’s layers, identifies which sections correspond to parts of the car, and accounts for details such as differently oriented mirrors.
• It applies the requested colors and logos using a built-in car pattern, then creates a spec map that tells iRacing which areas should appear matte, metallic, or otherwise textured.
• Logos and number boards are treated like stickers, with a different surface finish from the paint beneath them.
• After reviewing the first draft in Paint Booth, Shaun sends Claude screenshots and feedback. Claude makes revisions within minutes, including changes to logo placement and texture. Reference photos of real Porsche race cars help guide the placement.

Assessment

Shaun finds the results impressive and much faster than his usual hands-on process, which can take hours. AI is especially useful for producing a personalized first draft and making rapid revisions.

However, it does not yet match the precision and control of a carefully hand-finished livery. Early drafts had misplaced or obscured logos, and Shaun would still make further adjustments himself. He sees AI as a useful shortcut for drivers who want a custom design but lack the time or experience to learn the tools—not as a replacement for detailed manual painting.

Tips and resources

• AI livery workflow: The video’s creator offers a free cheat sheet with prompts, filenames, and process details.
• Visual feedback: Claude cannot view the car as a live 3D object in Paint Booth. Capture screenshots from several angles and send them with revision requests.
• Sharing liveries: Trading Paints lets other drivers see custom paints. The creator also maintains a showroom of downloadable liveries.
• Additional guide: Shaun says a later video will cover creating liveries in Photoshop and discuss free alternatives to Adobe tools.

Main speaker and source: Shaun, known as F1 Gamer Dad, an experienced iRacing livery designer.