New style templates #25
Description
Perfect — let’s break down what makes these thumbnails work visually so you can tell an AI image generator exactly what elements to include and control.
Here’s a full thumbnail breakdown framework — focusing on what elements are used, how they’re arranged, and how to prompt for them clearly.
🎯 1. Core Composition Formula
Every thumbnail like these follows a structured layout that you can explicitly describe to the generator:
Prompt structure example:
“YouTube thumbnail design featuring [SUBJECT] on [SIDE], bold headline text on [OPPOSITE SIDE], minimal tech background, high contrast lighting, cinematic mood, ultra-sharp focus”
🧩 Elements:
Element Description How to Control It
Subject (Person) A presenter, mid-shot or close-up, expressive emotion (shock, curiosity, confidence). Add “male/female presenter, mid-shot, expressive facial emotion (surprised/thinking/smiling)”
Lighting Strong directional or rim light to separate subject from background. Often colored glow (green/yellow/red). “studio lighting, rim light, soft shadow, neon glow from side”
Background Simple dark tech texture or gradient; subtle icons or UI frames. “dark gradient tech background, floating icons, soft vignette, depth of field blur”
Text Area Always clear, high contrast, bold sans-serif font; 3–5 words max. “space on right for bold headline text, yellow or white lettering, clean composition”
Accent Icons App or tool logos, tech symbols, glowing geometric shapes. “floating icons of apps/tools, glows around them, integrated into background”
Emotion & Gesture Human emotion draws click: surprise, pointing, thinking. “person pointing at text, expressive face, cinematic expression emphasis”
🎨 2. Visual Style & Aesthetic
These thumbnails combine dark cinematic color grading with bright accents for emotion and clarity.
Feature Style Guidance Prompt Words
Color Palette Dark neutral background + bright accent color (yellow/green/red/blue). “color contrast, neon highlight, dark background, accent lighting”
Mood Techy, confident, slightly cinematic. “tech aesthetic, cinematic lighting, professional studio tone”
Sharpness High detail on face and eyes, soft background. “ultra-sharp focus on face, shallow depth of field background blur”
Typography Integration Reserve open space for large text blocks, not cluttered. “composition balanced with negative space for headline text”
⚙️ 3. Typical Layout Templates
You can describe the thumbnail layout by scene type:
Layout Name Description Prompt Additions
Side Split Person on left, big bold text on right. “subject left, text space right”
Centered Hero Person centered, icons and light flares around. “centered subject, floating glowing icons, cinematic lighting”
Reaction + Object Person reacting to product/logo. “person pointing at floating icon, surprised expression”
Stacked Text Text above/below face with strong background glow. “text above and below subject, glowing highlight, cinematic shadows”
💡 4. Key Prompt Ingredients (Reused Across Topics)
You can use these reusable keyword blocks to control each element:
Base Setup:
"YouTube thumbnail, cinematic lighting, dark background, bold composition, ultra-detailed face, expressive pose"
Lighting Options:
"neon rim light, glowing highlight, studio contrast lighting, volumetric light beam"
Color Accent:
"accent color yellow", "accent color teal", "accent color red"
Background:
"soft tech gradient background, floating UI panels, abstract circuit glow"
Typography Area:
"blank space for text overlay, right side, balanced composition"
Mood Variants:
"energetic tech style", "mystery tone", "professional modern YouTube design"
🧠 5. Example Full Prompts
Prompt 1 – Tech Alert Style:
“YouTube thumbnail, man reacting with shocked face, neon yellow accent lighting, dark tech background with glowing icons, empty space for headline text on right, cinematic lighting, ultra sharp detail, 16:9 composition”
Prompt 2 – Tutorial Style:
“YouTube thumbnail design, confident man explaining with hand gesture, studio lighting, modern dark background with abstract lines, green accent glow, bold composition, space for title text left side”
Prompt 3 – Update / Breaking News:
“YouTube thumbnail, intense expression, blue neon glow, dark cinematic gradient background, glowing logo icon on one side, dramatic lighting, balanced composition, text space clear”
Would you like me to make a “prompt template pack” (for Midjourney, Leonardo, etc.) that uses variables like [topic], [color accent], [emotion], [composition] — so you can reuse and auto-generate thumbnails for any subject in that same style?