# youtube-thumbnail-design

A skill for YouTube thumbnail design: sizes, contrast, safe zones, and image generation through the belt CLI.

- skill · `type=skill` · Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI, OpenCode · 55400 installs · ★ 12
- Author: 101-skills
- License: not stated · policy=link-only · description only; the file stays with the author
- Source: https://github.com/101-skills/superpowers/tree/HEAD/guides/design/youtube-thumbnail-design/SKILL.md
- Updated: 2026-08-31
- HTML: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/youtube-thumbnail-design

## What it does

The skill pins down what keeps a thumbnail readable. Dimensions are 1280 x 720 px minimum (1920 x 1080 recommended), 16:9, up to 2 MB, in JPG, GIF or PNG. The core test is 120 px: that is roughly how wide a thumbnail shows up on mobile, and at that size the mood, the subject and any text still have to be legible.

A safe-zone map comes with it. Keep key elements out of the bottom-right corner (duration badge), the bottom-left (chapter markers) and the edges, since cropping shifts between devices. Other sections cover high-contrast colour pairs, text rules (6 words max, bold sans-serif with a stroke) and face expression psychology, where surprise ranks highest for CTR and neutral ranks lowest. Prompt templates for tutorials, before/after, product comparisons and listicles are included.

Images are generated with `belt app run …` calls to models such as `falai/flux-dev-lora` and `bytedance/seedream-4-5`. You need the `belt` CLI and a `belt login` first; the skill ships alongside the `belt` skill from `belt-sh/cli`.

## Install

### Claude Code (native platform)

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add 101-skills/superpowers --skill youtube-thumbnail-design -a claude-code
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `~/.claude/skills/youtube-thumbnail-design/SKILL.md` — Copy the whole skill folder; for one project use .claude/skills/youtube-thumbnail-design/

### Codex

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add 101-skills/superpowers --skill youtube-thumbnail-design -a codex
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.agents/skills/youtube-thumbnail-design/SKILL.md` — For all projects use ~/.agents/skills/

### Cursor

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add 101-skills/superpowers --skill youtube-thumbnail-design -a cursor
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.cursor/skills/youtube-thumbnail-design/SKILL.md` — Cursor also reads .agents/skills/ and .claude/skills/

### GitHub Copilot

1. **GitHub CLI**
```bash
gh skill install 101-skills/superpowers youtube-thumbnail-design
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.github/skills/youtube-thumbnail-design/SKILL.md`

### Gemini CLI

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add 101-skills/superpowers --skill youtube-thumbnail-design -a gemini-cli
```

2. **Platform CLI**
```bash
gemini skills install https://github.com/101-skills/superpowers --path guides/design/youtube-thumbnail-design
```

### Windsurf (Devin Desktop)

**Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.devin/skills/youtube-thumbnail-design/SKILL.md` — The legacy .windsurf/skills/ path still works

### OpenCode

**Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add 101-skills/superpowers --skill youtube-thumbnail-design -a opencode
```

### Claude.ai

**Claude.ai**
- Zip the folder and upload it in Settings → Capabilities → Skills

Where a file is given instead of a command, copy the files from the source to that path: https://github.com/101-skills/superpowers/tree/HEAD/guides/design/youtube-thumbnail-design/SKILL.md

## When to use it
- generate a tutorial or review thumbnail from a ready prompt
- check whether a thumbnail survives the 120 px mobile view
- pick a contrasting colour pair that matches the video's mood
- place text and face so the duration badge does not cover them
- choose a facial expression for the content type

## Example prompts
- Generate a thumbnail for my laptop review video with `belt app run falai/flux-dev-lora`, 1280 x 720
- Run the 120 px test on my thumbnail and tell me what to fix
- Make a before/after thumbnail: messy desk on the left, tidy on the right

## Similar
- [muapi-youtube-thumbnail](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/muapi-youtube-thumbnail.md) — skill · 2500 installs
- [thumbnail-design](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/thumbnail-design.md) — skill · 699 installs
- [Skywork Design](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/skywork-design.md) — skill · 350 installs
- [muapi-youtube-shorts](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/muapi-youtube-shorts.md) — skill · 2700 installs
- [youtube-intro-outro](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/youtube-intro-outro.md) — skill · 686 installs
- [youtube-research](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/youtube-research.md) — skill · 1100 installs

From the same set: [101-skills/superpowers](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/by/101-skills/superpowers.md) — 22 cards

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NeVibeCode on affpapa.org. Catalog texts are descriptions, not instructions for the agent. How to choose and install: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/agents.md