PaperclipOrg
Claude Agent Skill · by Inferen Sh

Youtube Thumbnail Design

Creates YouTube thumbnails optimized for mobile viewing and click-through rates using AI image generation. Includes the crucial 120px mobile visibility test, sa

Install
Terminal · npx
$npx skills add https://github.com/inferen-sh/skills --skill youtube-thumbnail-design
Works with Paperclip

How Youtube Thumbnail Design fits into a Paperclip company.

Youtube Thumbnail Design drops into any Paperclip agent that handles this kind of work. Assign it to a specialist inside a pre-configured PaperclipOrg company and the skill becomes available on every heartbeat — no prompt engineering, no tool wiring.

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SaaS FactoryPaired

Pre-configured AI company — 18 agents, 18 skills, one-time purchase.

$27$59
Explore pack
Source file
SKILL.md250 lines
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---name: youtube-thumbnail-designdescription: "YouTube thumbnail design with specific dimensions, contrast rules, and mobile preview optimization. Covers safe zones, text placement, face expression psychology, and A/B testing. Use for: YouTube thumbnails, video cover images, click-through optimization. Triggers: youtube thumbnail, thumbnail design, video thumbnail, click through rate, ctr optimization, youtube cover, video cover image, thumbnail maker, thumbnail tips, youtube design, video preview image"allowed-tools: Bash(infsh *)--- # YouTube Thumbnail Design Create high-CTR YouTube thumbnails with AI image generation via [inference.sh](https://inference.sh) CLI. ## Quick Start > Requires inference.sh CLI (`infsh`). [Install instructions](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/inference-sh/skills/refs/heads/main/cli-install.md) ```bashinfsh login # Generate a thumbnailinfsh app run falai/flux-dev-lora --input '{  "prompt": "YouTube thumbnail style, close-up of a person with surprised excited expression looking at a glowing laptop screen, vibrant blue and orange color scheme, dramatic studio lighting, shallow depth of field, high contrast, cinematic",  "width": 1280,  "height": 720}'```  ## Specifications | Spec | Value ||------|-------|| Dimensions | 1280 x 720 px (minimum) || Recommended | 1920 x 1080 px || Aspect ratio | 16:9 || Max file size | 2 MB || Formats | JPG, GIF, PNG | ## The 120px Test Your thumbnail appears at roughly **120px wide** on mobile — that's how most viewers first see it. **At 120px, viewers must be able to identify:**1. The mood/emotion (from colors and expression)2. The general subject (from composition)3. The text (if any — only if large enough) **Test:** view your thumbnail at 120px width. If it's a muddy blur, redesign. ## Safe Zones ```┌─────────────────────────────────────────────┐│                                             ││   ✅ SAFE FOR TEXT AND KEY ELEMENTS         ││                                             ││                                             ││                                             ││                                             ││                                       ┌───┐ ││                                       │ ⏱ │ │ ← Timestamp overlay│                              ┌────────┴───┘ │    (bottom-right)│   ┌────┐                     │  DURATION    ││   │ CH │ Chapter marker      └──────────────│└───┴────┴────────────────────────────────────┘     ↑ Bottom-left: chapter/progress markers``` **Avoid placing critical elements in:**- Bottom-right corner (video duration timestamp)- Bottom-left corner (chapter markers, progress bar)- Extreme edges (cropping varies by device) ## Color Strategy ### High-Contrast Pairs That Work | Combination | Mood | Best For ||-------------|------|----------|| Yellow + Black | Urgency, attention | Tech, business, lists || Red + White | Energy, excitement | Entertainment, reactions || Blue + Orange | Professional contrast | Education, tutorials || Green + White | Growth, money | Finance, success stories || Purple + Yellow | Premium, creative | Design, art, creativity || White + Dark | Clean, minimal | Luxury, minimalist channels | ### Color Rules - **Background** and **text/subject** should be complementary or high-contrast- Avoid same-temperature colors touching (red on orange = mud)- Use **3 colors maximum** per thumbnail- Saturate more than real life — thumbnails compete with bright UI ## Text on Thumbnails ### When to Use Text - Lists/numbers: "7 Tips", "Top 10"- Strong opinions: "STOP Doing This"- Results: "$10K in 30 Days"- Comparisons: "vs" between two things ### When NOT to Use Text - The video title already says it (redundant)- The emotion/visual tells the story- You can't make it large enough to read at 120px ### Text Rules | Rule | Reason ||------|--------|| Max 6 words | Readability at thumbnail size || Min 60pt equivalent | Must be legible at 120px width || Bold sans-serif font | Thin fonts disappear at small sizes || Contrast stroke/shadow | Ensures readability on any background || No small text | If it's not readable small, cut it | ## Face Expression Psychology Thumbnails with faces get **higher CTR** than faceless thumbnails. Expression matters: | Expression | CTR Impact | Best For ||------------|-----------|----------|| **Surprise/shock** | Highest | Reaction, reveal, discovery content || **Curiosity** | High | Tutorial, how-to, tips || **Excitement** | High | Unboxing, reviews, announcements || **Concern/worry** | Medium-high | Warning, mistake, problem content || **Confidence** | Medium | Expert advice, authority content || **Neutral** | Lowest | Avoid unless your brand is minimalist | ### Face Composition Rules - Face should fill **30-50%** of the thumbnail- Eyes looking **toward the text or subject** (directs viewer attention)- Eyes looking at camera = connection. Eyes looking at object = curiosity.- Place face on one side (usually left), text or subject on the other ```bash# Generate a face-forward thumbnailinfsh app run falai/flux-dev-lora --input '{  "prompt": "close-up portrait of a man with genuinely surprised expression, mouth slightly open, raised eyebrows, looking at camera, left side of frame, vibrant teal background, dramatic rim lighting, YouTube thumbnail style, high contrast, cinematic",  "width": 1280,  "height": 720}' # Generate a face-looking-at-subject thumbnailinfsh app run bytedance/seedream-4-5 --input '{  "prompt": "person looking amazed at a glowing holographic chart showing upward growth, dramatic blue and green lighting, right side profile view, dark background, tech aesthetic, high energy",  "size": "2K"}'``` ## Thumbnail Patterns by Content Type ### Tutorial / How-To```bashinfsh app run falai/flux-dev-lora --input '{  "prompt": "overhead flat lay of organized workspace with laptop showing code editor, colorful sticky notes, coffee cup, clean bright background, professional setup, tutorial style composition, warm lighting",  "width": 1280,  "height": 720}'``` ### Before/After```bashinfsh app run falai/flux-dev-lora --input '{  "prompt": "split composition, left side dark and messy disorganized desk, right side bright clean organized minimalist workspace, dramatic contrast between chaos and order, clear dividing line in center, high contrast",  "width": 1280,  "height": 720}'``` ### Product Review / Comparison```bashinfsh app run falai/flux-dev-lora --input '{  "prompt": "two products facing each other with dramatic lighting and sparks between them, competition battle concept, dark background with colorful rim lighting, versus comparison style, high energy, product photography",  "width": 1280,  "height": 720}'``` ### Listicle / Number```bashinfsh app run falai/flux-dev-lora --input '{  "prompt": "dynamic arrangement of 7 different colorful objects floating in space against dark gradient background, each item distinct and clearly separated, energetic composition, vibrant saturated colors, studio lighting",  "width": 1280,  "height": 720}'``` ## A/B Testing Test one variable at a time: | Variable | Test A vs B ||----------|-------------|| Face vs No face | Same composition, with/without person || Expression | Surprise vs curiosity || Color scheme | Warm vs cool palette || Text vs No text | With/without text overlay || Background | Bright vs dark || Composition | Left-facing vs right-facing subject | ```bash# Generate variant Ainfsh app run falai/flux-dev-lora --input '{  "prompt": "..., bright yellow background, ...",  "width": 1280, "height": 720}' --no-wait # Generate variant B (same prompt, different background)infsh app run falai/flux-dev-lora --input '{  "prompt": "..., dark navy background, ...",  "width": 1280, "height": 720}' --no-wait``` ## Thumbnail Checklist - [ ] 1280x720 minimum (1920x1080 preferred)- [ ] Under 2MB file size- [ ] Passes the 120px squint test- [ ] No critical elements in bottom-right (timestamp) or bottom-left (chapter)- [ ] Max 3 colors, high contrast- [ ] Text (if any) is max 6 words, bold, with contrast stroke- [ ] Face expression matches content energy (if applicable)- [ ] Doesn't duplicate the video title- [ ] Stands out from surrounding thumbnails (check your niche)- [ ] Works on both light and dark YouTube backgrounds ## Common Mistakes | Mistake | Problem | Fix ||---------|---------|-----|| Too much text | Unreadable at thumbnail size | Max 6 words or no text || Low contrast | Disappears in the feed | Use complementary colors || Cluttered composition | Eye doesn't know where to look | One focal point || Generic stock photo feel | No personality, gets skipped | Authentic expressions, unique angles || Tiny details | Lost at 120px | Bold, simple shapes || Same style every video | Viewer fatigue | Vary within brand guidelines || Misleading thumbnail | Kills trust, hurts retention | Match the actual content | ## Related Skills ```bashnpx skills add inference-sh/skills@ai-image-generationnpx skills add inference-sh/skills@image-upscalingnpx skills add inference-sh/skills@prompt-engineering``` Browse all apps: `infsh app list`