I started by looking for an outlier — a thumbnail that was clearly performing well and doing something worth studying. The goal was not to copy it exactly, but to understand why it worked, what grabbed attention first, and which parts could be adapted into my own version.

 

For this thumbnail, I focused on a clean layout, a strong subject, simple visual direction, and text that reads quickly. I also wanted it to feel polished and high-end without adding too many elements.

 

Below, I’m also including the outlier that inspired this version so you can compare the two. That way, you can see how I took inspiration from a proven concept while still making the final result my own.

 

If you’re creating your own project for this class, I recommend sharing both your final thumbnail and, if possible, the outlier that inspired it. It makes the learning process much clearer, and it’s a great way to show how you applied the method from the course.