In this guide, we’ll show you how you candownload free editing software and use it to create the most eye catchingYouTube thumbnails. This guide will help you to bring attention to yourthumbnails to help boost click through rate and bring more views to yourchannel.
By the time we’ve finished this guide,hopefully you’ll know everything there is to know about creating thumbnails onYouTube.
Free Image Editing Software for Thumbnails
To start with, you’ll need to download free image editing software. We would suggest using GIMP – the GNU image manipulation program. It’s free, open source, and our tutorial will be based on using GIMP, so you can follow along. Download GIMP here.
Next, press Ctrl+V to paste your image onto the newly created layer in GIMP.In the top tab, click Layer, thenclick To New Layer.After, pay attention to the panel in the bottom right. This is your layer panel.Click and drag your image layer right to the bottom, just above ‘background’.
After, you should have your image layer justbelow your text layer, like shown above. We don’t want this backgrounddistracting viewers from the text, so clickthe blur tool from the box in the top left.
Once you have the blur tool, increase its size to about 400, thenstart clicking and dragging on your background image. This will blur the imageand help to keep it from being too distracting.
If your background is still drawing too muchattention away from your text, you can adjustthe opacity slightly in the layer box at the bottom right. Double click the number on the opacity bar andadjust it 2-5%.
Once that is done, your background image willbe ready, and it’s now time to focus on the text.
If you’d like to, you can adjust the text color and other attributes by clicking on the text tool, selecting your previously written text, and using the tools that appear on the left side of the screen.
Next, it’s time to add a background to your text. This helps the text to stand out even further. To do this, first click on the text tool again in the top left, then double click your text to select it. After that, right click, andclick Path from Text.
When you do this, your text will have an outline to indicate that it has been selected. Next, click Layer in the top and click New Layer. After click Select in the toolbar at the top again andclick Grow.
A new window will appear. Choose 20 px under Grow selection by’. Finally, get the bucket tool in the box in the top left and choose a color. Black is often a good choice. Click to fill in the selected area.
You should end up with something that lookslike this. After following these steps, you can bring the black backgroundlayer under the text layer by draggingit in the layer box in the bottom right.
You will now have completed the stepsnecessary to make text that stands out. You can repeat these steps for a newline of text.
After doing this with a new line of text, hereis what we have created. It’s still missing something, though. To finish it offwith a final touch, we would suggest adding a point of interest to the bottomright corner of the thumbnail.
If you are able, a good image of your face will be perfect, but if it doesn’t suit the video, you could take a good shot of whatever product or item you may be discussing in your video.
Or, even just grabbing a stock photo image can work. For this example, we went to Pexels and found an ecstatic man, then right clicked it, copied it, and pasted it onto a new layer on GIMP, just like with the mountain.
Once you’ve done this, you may need to cut outthe background, so follow the steps below.
Click the Free select tool lasso in the toolbox at the top left. Click to create points around the outline of the area you’d like to keep. If you need to be more precise zoom in and out with ctrl+mouse wheel up/down.
This process can take some time, but just be patient. You’ll get the hang of it after a while. Make sure the start point connects with the end point by clicking.
Once you’ve finished, go to the Select option in the top toolbar andclick By Color. After, click Select again andclick Invert. Finally, press Ctrl+X.
This is what you should see with your finishedimage. With some tweaking you can make the text grab the attention of thosethat would be interested in your video and choose a backdrop and supportingimage that are more relevant to what the video is about.
Summary
I hope that you’ve found this guide on makingYouTube thumbnails useful. If you’d like any more advice, please leave acomment below and I’ll get back to you when I can.
Ollie stumbled upon writing online whilst participating in a mobile network forum back in 2011. Since then, he has developed an incredible passion for writing about all sorts of tech from smartphones, PC hardware, software, and everything in between. Read Ollie"s Full Bio
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