How to Make Awesome Thumbnails

This post was actually pretty helpful! I really appreciate you helping out newer YouTubers, such as myself, and showing us the ropes of proper thumbnail making! You rock!
 
Very useful. Now I just have to learn how to olay with Photoshop a bit more as well as video editing.

How do I download and install transparent flashes?

Also interested in those free banners you are offering :]
 
Nah, tits get more views

Just ask shane dawson.

I lost it. XD[DOUBLEPOST=1428291177,1428291067][/DOUBLEPOST]
Hey guys, a lot of people have been asking, so I though I'd share a bit of my knowledge about making thumbnails with PS, and how to make them amazing looking that are bound to get your videos a few more views!
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*Make sure the dimension size is 1920 by 1080 (for best quality)

1). Firstly, make sure not to do what I call typical styles. Now by this I mean don't do what has been done a million times before, like using the same overlays everyone always does. Though some are great and should be used, try testing out with a few and changing them up a bit. By doing this your text will have a smooth, unique look to it

2). Though this is pretty obvious, USE STROKE AND DROP SHADOW! No doubt without these your text will look so much worse. Pretty well everyone uses these, but it truly is vital to use them.

3). Thirdly, be sure to add extra textures and overlays to your text. Download some pattern overlays, and use them with your text. It will look amazing if you put down the opacity of the overlay, so it doesn't distract the viewer from the actual text and the rest of the thumbnail. Download some transparent flashes, and add them to the sides of the text, or behind! All little things like this can make thumbnails incredible... but only if they are done correctly.

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1). For the rest of thumbnail, you must make sure it is clean. By this I mean be sure not to add too much or too little. If you are doing a thumbnail for a let's play, behind your text possibly have a picture of the game (if it is a unique custom drawing it's even better). Don't add lots of text, but enough so the viewer knows what he is watching.

2). If you are doing a custom colour background, possibly and a pattern with low opacity for a great effect!

3). Just make sure no parts are blurry: you want full HD!

I really hope this helped. If you have any problems what so every comment down below! And subscribe to my channel if you like, I do lots of GFX and give free thumbnail, banner, and intro templates!

I had no idea that I could use 1920 by 1080! I thought I could only use 1280 by 720! Thanks so much for that tip. Everything else is relatively what I do but I did enjoy your emphasis on using Stroke and Drop Shadow. Lets me know that I do something right :)
 
I tend to use outer glow with a lighter colour as an alternative to drop shadow. I'm assuming that thumbnails need a high res because they can be seen bigger than what they are.
 
Thanks for the tips! My thumbnails are very generic, and I wanted to get more tips to how to make them look better. I mainly use PS so I definitely have to learn how to do stroke and drop shadow.
 
I just use some renders for people and get a background, blur the background and put the renders in the front, then add text and voila
 
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