youtube

Various

Nationwide

To be honest, I could take or leave Cable TV, as well as most streaming services. I am, however, a Youtube junkie. I’m always adding videos to my “Watch Later” list. I consume hours of content about retro gaming, pro wrestling, and other topics. During the pandemic, my band could not rehearse in person for over a year, so I decided to focus on creating content for our channel. I went all in, studying how Youtube algorithms worked. One of the crucial elements in building a successful channel is to make sure  your Youtube thumbnail design is on point. I observed techniques many creators used in their thumbnail creation and put them to work for both my band and my regular clients.

Youtube Thumbnail Design Story

During the 2020 quarantine, I laser focused on some of my favorite creators. I noticed that channels such as Punk Rock MBA and Top Hat Gaming Man employed an effective thumbnail design style. Since thumbnails often display at very small sizes, it is important to maximize the space you are given. The most impactful art in this format tends to employ a bright colored background. A big, bold headline occupies approximately one half of the space, usually in white and outlined in black. Most importantly, the other half of the thumbnail usually features someone’s face, with a clear, often exaggerated expression. A face with an obvious expression, when paired with a compelling headline, can spark curiosity and generate clicks.

After study time, I put all of this knowledge to work. I sharpened my thumbnail skills while editing original music videos for Sempervivi and clips of Zoom classes by my clients You Net Results and Sara Drury. One such video for the band enabled me to partner with my favorite female pro wrestler Thunder Rosa, using footage from her career before she signed with AEW.

Do You Need A Youtube Thumbnail Design Created? Contact Me Today!

From the beginning, I have loved creating quick turnaround web graphics. Moving from one concept to the next on a tight deadline keeps my creative skills sharp. Do you need an experienced graphic designer to make your Youtube thumbnail design shine? Perhaps you even might need some video editing for your productions. Contact me today to see if we are a good fit!

Ronald Jenkees shirt design

Ronald Jenkees

Louisville, KY

This Ronald Jenkees shirt design is one of my biggest hits! RJ is a friend of my old band from Kentucky. If you’ve never heard of him, he is an electronic music prodigy, as well as a YouTube phenom.

RJ is instantly recognizable, squinting in his Coke bottle glasses while wearing an assortment of fedoras and other hats. In his live performance videos, he always encourages viewers to have fun with their music, no matter what their skill level may be. This makes him a kindred soul to me, so I was happy to work up some apparel art for him.

He commissioned a simple shirt design in 2013, which he would release along with a new album. His only request was that I keep the shirt to a simple two to three colors. Since I have a background in screen printing, simple designs are a specialty of mine. He encouraged me to get creative with shirt colors and depictions of him.

Ronald Jenkees shirt design story

First, I used Boris Black Bloxx for the text, which a thick, wacky font. I decreased the spacing of it in order to add to the fun. Then, I simplified a screen capture from one of Ronald’s Youtube jam videos to create a one color image. Finally, the product displays his vibrant personality while promoting his jaw dropping musical prowess.

This version is the men’s style, which is displayed on an Ice Grey T-shirt with orange and dark grey inks. The design is also available in a grey ladies cut with pink and dark grey ink colors. Order one for yourself here! Then go see him in action on “the YouTubes” here!

Shirt design for musicians and Youtube stars alike

Are you crowdfunding your next album and in need of a shirt design for one of the perks? Do you need merchandise to capitalize on your viral videos that are blowing up on Youtube? Contact me today for the perfect shirt design!