Fall 2025
Check out work from these students at the Media School at Indiana University Bloomington:
Apple Pie Thumbnail
September 18, 2025
Katie Gibson
For this thumbnail, I used AI to generate an image of her smiling, since “The YouTube Thumbnail Faces That Attract the Most Views” article in our resources stated that smiling faces are effective for food related videos. I matched the font color with a color she typically uses in her other videos for consistency, included
Bless this Mess Thumbnail
September 18, 2025
Van Thlan
For this project, I took heavy inspiration from the Bon Appétit YouTube channel and their thumbnails. I first took a screenshot of her in a video where the stuff she laid out was not too different from the two meals that she would be cooking. I then used the AI remove background to remove her
The mess that got blessed
September 18, 2025
Cambell Wamsley
I made this thumbnail by taking a screenshot of her in the kitchen and adding big bold text so it stands out on YouTube. I used the object selection tool to cut out the dough and then added a stroke around it so it pops more on the screen. I even put the YouTube watch
A Click Worthy Watermelon Look
September 17, 2025
Mila Petkovic
I created a thumbnail that feels both trendy and homey. I used a photo of Melissa cutting a watermelon to match the recipe and highlighted her happy expression to draw viewers in. I also added her logo and branding colors for consistency.
How to make Spanish rice, French baguette
September 17, 2025
Natalia Nelson
Used generative AI to make it look like she was eating rice and used the colors from her logo to create coherence with her brand.
Harriet Potter
September 16, 2025
Abby Altschul
For this project, I chose to photoshop my friend Jasmine into a lab you’d find in Harry Potter.
Dog Stormtrooper
September 16, 2025
Katie Gibson
For this week’s project, I put my dog in the Star Wars universe. He is suited up as a stormtrooper and standing next to the real thing. I tried to match the lighting and colors so it looked like he actually belonged in the scene. I made sure his eyes stayed visible because that’s what
A Dark Knight Train Ride
September 15, 2025
Joseph Franklin
For this weeks “You, but anywhere else” assignment, I transported myself to the dark and gloomy streets near Gotham. As I read the IDS, I fail to notice who accompanied me on this train ride and what consequences I may endure. With this weeks assignment, I tried to add myself into the scenario by adding
Selfie with a Trooper
September 15, 2025
Van Thlan
I thought it would funny to add a picture of my friend and a storm trooper just taking a selfie while a whole battle is going down in the back. I’ve never watched star wars so I just looked at some references and tried to make the background as on theme as possible.