FH6 Livery & Design: How to Create Custom Paint Jobs

Published: May 13, 2026 · 9 min read

The Livery Editor: An Overview

Forza Horizon 6's livery editor is one of the most powerful design tools in any racing game. It allows you to apply custom paint jobs to any car in your garage using a layer-based system of vinyl shapes. You can create anything from a simple two-tone color scheme to intricate replicas of real-world race liveries. FH6 adds several improvements over FH5's editor — including new gradient tools, a "snap to symmetry" toggle, a larger layer limit (3,000 layers per livery), and an improved color picker with hex code support.

This guide covers everything from the basics of the editor interface to advanced techniques used by top community designers.

Getting Started: The Editor Interface

Base Paint (The First Step)

Before adding any vinyls, set your base paint color. This is the car's underlying color that will show through unpainted areas. You can choose from:

• Solid colors: Simple single-color paint. Use the color wheel or enter a hex code for precise matching.
• Two-tone: A different color for the upper and lower body. The split line follows the car's body lines automatically.
• Metallic: Adds a metallic flake effect. Adjust the intensity slider for subtle to aggressive sparkle.
• Matte: Flat finish with no gloss. Best for race car replicas and modern sporty looks.
• Pearlescent: A color-shifting effect that changes hue based on viewing angle. Dual-tone pearlescent lets you pick two colors that blend at certain angles.
• Special: Chrome, carbon fiber, two-tone pearl, and festival-exclusive finishes. Some require unlocking through the Festival Playlist.

Vinyls: The Building Blocks

Vinyls are individual shapes that you place on the car's body panels. The editor provides hundreds of predefined shapes organized into categories:

• Geometric: Circles, squares, triangles, lines, arcs, and abstract shapes. These are the most commonly used shapes, especially rectangles and circles for building complex patterns.
• Sponsor Decals: Authentic-looking logos for brands like Mobil 1, Pennzoil, Castrol, Goodyear, and more. Great for race car replicas.
• Numbers: Race number decals in various fonts and styles. Customizable with your own number.
• Graphics: Pre-designed graphics including flames, tribal patterns, pinstripes, and checkerboard.
• Letters & Numbers (Font): Full alphabet in multiple fonts. Use these to spell out words or create custom text.

Layer System Explained

Every vinyl you place is a layer. Layers stack on top of each other — the highest layer number is at the top of the visual stack. Think of it like a stack of paper: each new shape is placed on top of the previous one, potentially covering parts of the layers below.

Layer Position	Visibility	Use Case
Lowest (Layer 1)	Partially or fully covered by layers above	Background shapes, base patterns, large color blocks
Middle	Partially visible between higher and lower layers	Stripe patterns, gradient transitions, secondary details
Highest	Fully visible, covers everything below	Sponsor logos, race numbers, text, final details

Layer Management Tips

• Use groups: FH6 introduces improved group functionality. Select multiple layers and press "Group" to bundle them. Groups can be moved, scaled, and copied as a single unit. This is essential for complex designs where you need to adjust a whole section (e.g., all the stripes on one side of the car).
• Name your groups: Assign names to groups — "Left side stripes," "Rear sponsor decals," "Roof design." With 3,000 layers possible, named groups are the only way to stay organized.
• Duplicate strategically: If you place a sponsor logo on the front left fender, duplicate it for the front right fender. Use the "Flip Horizontal" option if the logo orientation matters.
• Merge when done: Once a group is finalized, you can "Merge Group" to consolidate its layers into a single layer. This frees up layer count for additional detail work.

Color Matching with Hex Codes

FH6's livery editor supports hex code color input. This is a game-changer for replicating real-world colors. To use it:

1. Open the color picker for any vinyl or base paint.
2. Select the "Custom Color" tab.
3. Enter a 6-character hex code (e.g., #FF0000 for Ferrari Rosso Corsa red).
4. Adjust material type (gloss, matte, metallic) after setting the color.

Common racing hex codes: Ferrari Red (#FF2800), Gulf Blue (#009DE0) / Gulf Orange (#FFA500), Martini Racing Blue (#213E8F) / Martini Red (#D52B1E), Marlboro Red (#C8102E), Rothmans Blue (#003399) / Rothmans Gold (#C4A35A), Castrol Green (#009639) / Castrol Red (#ED1C24).

Gradient and Mask Techniques

Creating Smooth Gradients

FH6's vinyl shapes can be used to create gradients by stacking narrow rectangles with progressively shifting colors. Here is the technique for a smooth fade:

1. Place 20-30 thin, tall rectangles across the area where you want the gradient.
2. Color each rectangle with a shade slightly lighter or darker than the previous one, stepping from Color A to Color B.
3. Adjust the transparency of each rectangle — the middle rectangles should be slightly transparent while the edges are opaque.
4. Group all rectangles and apply a slight blur effect (available in FH6's vinyl settings).
5. Alternatively, use FH6's new "Gradient Fill" tool on a single shape to auto-generate a smooth gradient between two colors, saving dozens of layers.

Using Masks (Cutout Technique)

Masks allow you to create shapes with holes or complex outlines without using hundreds of layers. The technique relies on color-to-transparency mapping:

• Base layer: Place a large colored shape where you want the masked area.
• Mask layer: Place a black shape over the area you want to cut out. The black area becomes transparent, revealing the base paint underneath.
• Key insight: Any vinyl that is pure black (0,0,0 in RGB) with the "Multiply" blend mode acts as a cutout — it removes layers below it rather than covering them.
• Inverse mask: White shapes with Multiply blend mode preserve the layers below. Use this to create complex stencils.

This masking system is how top designers create intricate shapes like dragon scales, mechanical patterns, and complex logos without hitting the layer cap.

Symmetry and Mirroring

Most cars are symmetrical, and FH6's editor has powerful tools to take advantage of this:

• Snap to Symmetry: When enabled, any shape you place on the left side of the car is automatically mirrored to the right side. This is the most important productivity feature in the editor. Enable it from the toolbar before placing shapes.
• Copy to opposite side: If you placed shapes before enabling symmetry, select the shapes and choose "Copy to Opposite Side." The editor mirrors their position and orientation.
• Mirror axis: The symmetry axis runs through the center of the car (longitudinally). Some cars have slightly asymmetrical body panels — for these, you may need to manually adjust mirrored shapes by a few pixels.

Sharing and Downloading Liveries

Sharing Your Designs

Once your livery is complete, share it with the community:

1. Go to "My Designs" in the Creative Hub.
2. Select the livery you want to share.
3. Choose "Share Design." The game generates a unique Share Code.
4. Add tags (e.g., "race," "replica," "drift," "anime," "abstract") to help other players find your design.
5. Optionally set a price in credits (free to 1,000,000 credits). Most popular designers charge 10,000-50,000 credits.

Tips for Getting Downloads

• Design for popular cars: The Toyota Supra RZ, Nissan GT-R, Porsche 911, Mazda RX-7, Ford Mustang, and Subaru BRZ are the most-downloaded car categories. A livery on a rare car will get far fewer downloads than the same livery on a popular car.
• Use descriptive names: "Racing Livery" is too generic. "2023 Gulf Oil GT3 Replica" or "Midnight Purple Drift Build" will appear in more searches.
• Include multiple tags: Use all available tag slots. "Replica," "Racing," "Realistic," "Detailed," and "Competition" are high-traffic tags.
• Quality over quantity: One excellent, detailed livery will get more downloads than ten rushed designs. Top designers spend 5-20 hours on a single livery.
• Share on social media: Post screenshots on Reddit (r/ForzaLiveryHub), Twitter/X, and Discord. Include the Share Code in your post.

Downloading Other Players' Liveries

To apply a community livery:

1. Go to the Creative Hub and select "Find Designs."
2. Search by Share Code (if you have one), car model, or tags.
3. Browse liveries and preview them on your car. The preview is in ForzaVista mode so you can inspect every angle.
4. Select "Apply to My Car." The livery is saved to that specific car.
5. You can also "Favorite" a designer to see their future uploads.

Tips from Top Community Designers

• Study real reference images: Open photos of the real car on a second monitor or phone. Match panel lines, sponsor placements, and color shades exactly. The difference between a "close enough" replica and a faithful reproduction is in the details.
• Use the measure tool: FH6's editor includes a ruler that shows the distance between two points. Use it to ensure sponsor decals are evenly spaced on both sides of the car.
• Work panel by panel: Design each body panel (hood, trunk, side panels, roof, bumpers) separately rather than trying to cover the whole car at once. Carve at the seams between panels.
• Layer for depth: A great livery has visual depth — base color, a pattern layer, a stripe layer, sponsor decals, accent lines, and finally a subtle shadow or outline layer for pop.
• Test in different lighting: A livery that looks great in the editor (which uses studio lighting) may look flat in direct sunlight or overly busy at night. Preview your design in multiple environments before sharing.
• Back up your designs: FH6 stores liveries in the cloud, but if you are working on a complex project, take screenshots of your layer setup. If you accidentally delete a layer, your screenshot is your recovery reference.
• Start simple: Your first livery should be a two-color stripe design with a few sponsor decals. Master the basics — symmetry, layer order, color matching — before attempting complex gradients or photo-realistic designs.

Advanced: Replicating a Real-World Livery

Here is the workflow for creating an authentic race car replica (e.g., a Gulf Oil Porsche 917K):

1. Find reference images: Google the real car from every angle — front, rear, both sides, top, and close-ups of sponsor logos.
2. Set base paint: Gulf Blue (#009DE0) as the base color with metallic finish.
3. Draw the Gulf Orange stripe: Use rectangles and custom shapes to trace the iconic orange stripes. The stripes should follow the car's body lines. Use symmetry mode.
4. Add sponsor decals: Place Gulf Oil logos (the editor includes them), then add period-correct decals like Goodyear, Bosch, and Shell.
5. Apply race number: Choose a classic font and add the number in a white circle (a vintage racing number plaque style).
6. Detail work: Add pinstripes along panel edges, mirror decals, and small accent lines that match the reference.
7. Final review: Compare your in-game screenshots to reference images. Adjust colors, sizes, and positions until the match is convincing.
8. Share: Name it "Gulf Porsche 917K Replica," tag it with "Replica, Porsche, Gulf, Vintage, Racing," and share it.

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