How to create a YouTube Video Thumbnail using GIMP

GIMP is an open-source, stand-alone (desktop) raster editor. It falls in the same general category as Photoshop. It is the most powerful paint-like free tool on the market. GIMP works on all common desktop operating systems (Mac, Windows and Linux). Here's how to create a YouTube thumbnail from scratch:

1. Create an empty document using the standard YouTube thumbnail size (1280 x 720 pixels)
2. Add an image layer as background.
3. Add effects, graphic elements and text as needed.
4. Save and export the final thumbnail to your local computer.

References

• GIMP homepage

• How to Make a Custom Thumbnail for YouTube (on wikiHow)