How do you make Video Thumbnails?

Iron-Will

Iron-Will

Active Member
I am interested to know how people create their video thumbnails!

For myself, I grab an interesting still from the video, then use Canva, to create my thumbnail (using custom dimensions 1920 x 1080) - (yttalk win't let me link to Canva - Google it!!)

I try to keep it simple, by putting just a few words in a contrasting colour (typically white), in large bold font. Maybe some clip-art if it helps, and my channel logo!

What do you use?
Also, what types of thumbnails have you found work best?
 
I mainly use Photoshop for my photo editor with the dimensions of 1280 x 720. Since Thumbnails don't need to be big or require a large file size.

I try making my current ones look good while having them pop in their own way. Been making sure a "face" is seen in every one. Whether it's a character from the game or a screenshot. They tend to grab more people when looking at them as you browse. Decided not to go with the bright green and yellow fonts and super over dramatic facial expressions as of yet. Granted they work. (Ex: Game/Film Theory).
 
For my thumbnails I use Photoshop and size 1920 x 1080. I saw a Tutorial from Pewdiepie where he suggests to use those dimensions
As a Mobile Gaming Channel, sometimes I add the screenshot of the game or if something interesting is happening. If not, I use items or characters from the game and not a lot of text to make it look good.

I recently added Round Corners to make them stand out from other thumbnails cause of the different design. On those corners I added my logo and the logo of the game I'm playing so people will start identifying my type/style of thumbnail with my channel. If you are curious take a look at them by visiting my channel
 
I use photoshop, thumbnails in my opinion are very easy to make, mine only take around 30 mins. Here's one I just whipped up in exactly 23 minutes and 57 seconds, timed it for you!
eof86L
[DOUBLEPOST=1540010648,1540010591][/DOUBLEPOST]Hopefully you can see the image, but you get the point.
Wait, will this work?
HTML: 
<a href="https://ibb.co/eof86L"><img src="https://preview.ibb.co/k6kKD0/fortnite-funny-moments.png" alt="fortnite-funny-moments" border="0"></a>
[DOUBLEPOST=1540010670][/DOUBLEPOST]GOSH DARN IT
 
I've actually started to use a animation software called Source Filmmaker and take screenshots from that, and they look great!
 
I use GIMP, which is basically a poor mans photoshop, anytime I need to make channel art or a thumbnail! I haven't used it in months so I'm a little bit behind on it, but before when I used to upload somewhat frequently it was super easy to use and you could easily make a pretty good thumbnail on it in a really short amount of time!

Since I haven't used it in awhile since I haven't uploaded until like yesterday, its challenging again, but honestly theres so many tutorials on how to do stuff using GIMP on youtube that it's still a lot less time consuming that an older site I used to use (that you now have to pay for, oof).
 
I take a screen grab from the video with Gome media player (which goes to clipboard), paste it into Irfanview, resize it to 1920 x 1080 dimensions, save as 60% compressed JPG, upload.

Takes about 5 minutes.

Both programs are free.
 
As all of my videos are handdrawn, I simply use an interesting still and add video title somewhere. If there's enough empty room, I add parts from other stills in order to make the thumbnail tad crowded (I like that style). :)
 
I use Adobe Premiere Pro doe editing and there's an option to frame dump. Which I then open in Photoshop and edit there, then save 100% quality 1080p JPEG.

nickdodd.ca | NickDoddTV | twitter | instagram | YouTube
 
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