As a very newbie Student pilot, I find it hard to spot other aircraft. Even after the instructor has pointed them out. To me, it does seem an awful lot are painted hazy murk colour, to best blend into the background. Very few seem to use strobes or any other sort of light to help with being seen.
Does See and Be Seen not apply more, in the air, than on the roads? The potential consequences of NOT being seen are FAR greater!!