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youtube-thumbnail-design

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YouTube Thumbnail Design

YouTube缩略图设计

Create high-CTR YouTube thumbnails with AI image generation via inference.sh CLI.
通过inference.sh CLI工具，借助AI图像生成功能制作高点击率（CTR）的YouTube缩略图。

Quick Start

快速开始

bash
curl -fsSL https://cli.inference.sh | sh && infsh login
bash
curl -fsSL https://cli.inference.sh | sh && infsh login

Generate a thumbnail

Generate a thumbnail

infsh 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 }'
undefined
infsh 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 }'
undefined

Specifications

规格参数

SpecValue
Dimensions1280 x 720 px (minimum)
Recommended1920 x 1080 px
Aspect ratio16:9
Max file size2 MB
FormatsJPG, GIF, PNG
规格参数
尺寸1280 x 720像素（最小值）
推荐尺寸1920 x 1080像素
宽高比16:9
最大文件大小2 MB
支持格式JPG, GIF, PNG

The 120px Test

120像素测试

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.
你的缩略图在移动端显示时宽度约为120像素——这是大多数观众首次看到它的尺寸。
在120像素尺寸下，观众必须能够识别出：
  1. 情绪氛围（从色彩和表情判断）
  2. 大致主题（从构图判断）
  3. 文字内容（如果有——必须足够大）
测试方法： 将你的缩略图缩放到120像素宽度查看。如果画面模糊不清，就需要重新设计。

Safe Zones

安全区域

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                                             │
│   ✅ 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)
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                                             │
│   ✅ SAFE FOR TEXT AND KEY ELEMENTS         │
│                                             │
│                                             │
│                                             │
│                                             │
│                                       ┌───┐ │
│                                       │ ⏱ │ │ ← 时间戳位置
│                              ┌────────┴───┘ │   （右下角）
│   ┌────┐                     │  DURATION    │
│   │ CH │ Chapter marker      └──────────────│
└───┴────┴────────────────────────────────────┘
     ↑ 左下角：章节标记、进度条位置
请勿将关键元素放置在以下区域：
  • 右下角（视频时长戳位置）
  • 左下角（章节标记、进度条位置）
  • 边缘极端区域（不同设备的裁剪范围不同）

Color Strategy

色彩策略

High-Contrast Pairs That Work

实用高对比度色彩组合

CombinationMoodBest For
Yellow + BlackUrgency, attentionTech, business, lists
Red + WhiteEnergy, excitementEntertainment, reactions
Blue + OrangeProfessional contrastEducation, tutorials
Green + WhiteGrowth, moneyFinance, success stories
Purple + YellowPremium, creativeDesign, art, creativity
White + DarkClean, minimalLuxury, minimalist channels
色彩组合氛围适用场景
黄+黑紧迫感、吸睛科技、商业、清单类内容
红+白活力、兴奋娱乐、反应类内容
蓝+橙专业感、对比强烈教育、教程类内容
绿+白成长、财富金融、成功故事类内容
紫+黄高端、创意设计、艺术、创意类内容
白+深色简洁、极简奢侈品、极简风格频道

Color Rules

色彩规则

  • 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
  • 背景与文字/主体应使用互补色或高对比度色彩
  • 避免同色系色彩相邻（如红配橙会显得浑浊）
  • 每个缩略图最多使用3种颜色
  • 饱和度要高于真实场景——缩略图需要在明亮的界面中脱颖而出

Text on Thumbnails

缩略图文字使用指南

When to Use Text

适合添加文字的场景

  • Lists/numbers: "7 Tips", "Top 10"
  • Strong opinions: "STOP Doing This"
  • Results: "$10K in 30 Days"
  • Comparisons: "vs" between two things
  • 清单/数字类内容："7个技巧"、"Top 10"
  • 强烈观点类内容："别再这么做了"
  • 成果展示类内容："30天赚1万美元"
  • 对比类内容：在两个事物之间添加"vs"

When NOT to Use Text

不适合添加文字的场景

  • The video title already says it (redundant)
  • The emotion/visual tells the story
  • You can't make it large enough to read at 120px
  • 视频标题已经包含相同信息（冗余）
  • 画面情绪/视觉元素已经能传达主题
  • 无法将文字放大到120像素尺寸下仍清晰可读

Text Rules

文字使用规则

RuleReason
Max 6 wordsReadability at thumbnail size
Min 60pt equivalentMust be legible at 120px width
Bold sans-serif fontThin fonts disappear at small sizes
Contrast stroke/shadowEnsures readability on any background
No small textIf it's not readable small, cut it
规则原因
最多6个单词保证缩略图尺寸下的可读性
最小等效60号字体在120像素宽度下必须清晰可辨
粗体无衬线字体纤细字体在小尺寸下会消失
添加对比描边/阴影确保在任何背景下都可读
无小文字如果小尺寸下不可读，就删掉它

Face Expression Psychology

面部表情心理学

Thumbnails with faces get higher CTR than faceless thumbnails. Expression matters:
ExpressionCTR ImpactBest For
Surprise/shockHighestReaction, reveal, discovery content
CuriosityHighTutorial, how-to, tips
ExcitementHighUnboxing, reviews, announcements
Concern/worryMedium-highWarning, mistake, problem content
ConfidenceMediumExpert advice, authority content
NeutralLowestAvoid unless your brand is minimalist
有人物面部的缩略图点击率比无面部的缩略图更高。表情选择至关重要：
表情点击率影响适用场景
惊讶/震惊最高反应类、揭秘类、发现类内容
好奇高教程、指南、技巧类内容
兴奋高开箱、评测、公告类内容
担忧/焦虑中高警告、错误、问题解决类内容
自信中专家建议、权威内容
中性最低除非品牌走极简风格，否则避免使用

Face Composition Rules

面部构图规则

  • 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
undefined
  • 面部应占据缩略图的30-50%
  • 视线应朝向文字或主体（引导观众注意力）
  • 直视镜头：建立情感连接。看向物体：引发好奇心。
  • 将面部放在一侧（通常是左侧），文字或主体放在另一侧
bash
undefined

Generate a face-forward thumbnail

Generate a face-forward thumbnail

infsh 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 }'
infsh 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 thumbnail

Generate a face-looking-at-subject thumbnail

infsh 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" }'
undefined
infsh 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" }'
undefined

Thumbnail Patterns by Content Type

按内容类型分类的缩略图模板

Tutorial / How-To

教程/指南类

bash
infsh 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
}'
bash
infsh 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

前后对比类

bash
infsh 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
}'
bash
infsh 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

产品评测/对比类

bash
infsh 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
}'
bash
infsh 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

清单/数字类

bash
infsh 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
}'
bash
infsh 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

A/B测试

Test one variable at a time:
VariableTest A vs B
Face vs No faceSame composition, with/without person
ExpressionSurprise vs curiosity
Color schemeWarm vs cool palette
Text vs No textWith/without text overlay
BackgroundBright vs dark
CompositionLeft-facing vs right-facing subject
bash
undefined
每次仅测试一个变量：
变量A/B测试内容
有人脸vs无脸相同构图，添加/移除人物
表情惊讶vs好奇
色彩方案暖色调vs冷色调
有文字vs无文字添加/移除文字层
背景亮色vs暗色
构图主体朝左vs朝右
bash
undefined

Generate variant A

Generate variant A

infsh app run falai/flux-dev-lora --input '{ "prompt": "..., bright yellow background, ...", "width": 1280, "height": 720 }' --no-wait
infsh app run falai/flux-dev-lora --input '{ "prompt": "..., bright yellow background, ...", "width": 1280, "height": 720 }' --no-wait

Generate variant B (same prompt, different background)

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
undefined
infsh app run falai/flux-dev-lora --input '{ "prompt": "..., dark navy background, ...", "width": 1280, "height": 720 }' --no-wait
undefined

Thumbnail Checklist

缩略图检查清单

  • 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
  • 最小尺寸1280x720像素（推荐1920x1080像素）
  • 文件大小不超过2MB
  • 通过120像素模糊测试
  • 关键元素未放置在右下角（时间戳位置）或左下角（章节标记位置）
  • 最多使用3种颜色，高对比度
  • 文字（如果有）最多6个单词，粗体，带对比描边
  • 面部表情与内容风格匹配（如果有人脸）
  • 与视频标题无重复内容
  • 在同类缩略图中脱颖而出（参考你的细分领域）
  • 在YouTube浅色和深色背景下都能正常显示

Common Mistakes

常见错误

MistakeProblemFix
Too much textUnreadable at thumbnail sizeMax 6 words or no text
Low contrastDisappears in the feedUse complementary colors
Cluttered compositionEye doesn't know where to lookOne focal point
Generic stock photo feelNo personality, gets skippedAuthentic expressions, unique angles
Tiny detailsLost at 120pxBold, simple shapes
Same style every videoViewer fatigueVary within brand guidelines
Misleading thumbnailKills trust, hurts retentionMatch the actual content
错误问题解决方法
文字过多缩略图尺寸下不可读最多6个单词或不添加文字
对比度低在信息流中容易被忽略使用互补色
构图杂乱观众不知道看哪里只保留一个视觉焦点
通用图库风格缺乏个性，容易被跳过使用真实表情、独特角度
细节过小在120像素下丢失使用大胆、简洁的形状
风格一成不变观众产生审美疲劳在品牌框架内尝试变化
缩略图误导失去信任，降低留存率与实际内容匹配

Related Skills

相关技能

bash
npx skills add inference-sh/skills@ai-image-generation
npx skills add inference-sh/skills@image-upscaling
npx skills add inference-sh/skills@prompt-engineering
Browse all apps: 
infsh app list
bash
npx skills add inference-sh/skills@ai-image-generation
npx skills add inference-sh/skills@image-upscaling
npx skills add inference-sh/skills@prompt-engineering
浏览全部应用：
infsh app list