Create Your First Thumbnail
Generate a 1280×720 PNG thumbnail in under 60 seconds — pick a lane, describe what you want, and let the AI handle the rest.
2 min read
Two lanes, one goal
FatThumb offers two generation paths:
- Quick — template-first. Pick an archetype that matches your video style, tweak the prompt, and generate. Best for creators who want speed and structure.
- Advanced — prompt-first. Write a freeform description, then optionally add a Person, Style References, and Images to shape the result. Best for custom, one-off thumbnails.
Both lanes produce exactly the same output: a 1280×720 PNG ready for YouTube Studio.
The Quick lane
- Navigate to Quick → Generate in the sidebar.
- Browse the template gallery and select an archetype (e.g. "Reaction", "Tutorial Step-by-Step").
- Edit the prompt field to describe your specific subject.
- Pick the number of variations (up to 4; the free plan is capped at 2) and hit Generate.
The template injects archetype-specific style guidance around your prompt, so even a short description produces a polished result.
The Advanced lane
- Navigate to Advanced (the Studio) in the sidebar.
- Write your prompt in the main text area. Be specific: subject, mood, text overlays, color feel.
- Optionally add a Person (for face consistency), Style References (to borrow a visual mood), or Images (to bring in a specific element).
- Choose the AI model, variation count, and quality, then hit Generate.
After generation
Results appear in the panel below the form as they complete. Each variation is auto-saved to your generation history. From there you can:
- Star a variation to mark it as a thumbnail candidate.
- Download the 1280×720 PNG directly.
- Open the detail view to Fork, Reuse, or attach it to a video.
Credits
Each generation costs credits based on model and variation count. The credit cost is displayed in the Generate bar before you submit. Free accounts start with 5 thumbnail credits; paid plans add monthly allowances.