thumbnail-concept

name	thumbnail-concept
description	Generate high-CTR thumbnail concepts for a video — layout, focal subject, text overlay (≤4 words), color/contrast, and an image-gen prompt. Use when designing a YouTube/short thumbnail, asked for 'thumbnail ideas', or planning cover art for a video.
version	0.1.0
domain	media
tags	["thumbnail","design","youtube","cover","ctr"]

Thumbnail Concept

A video topic → several high-CTR thumbnail concepts with image-gen prompts.

Purpose

The thumbnail decides whether good content gets watched. This skill produces a few distinct, honest, high-contrast thumbnail concepts — each with a layout, a short text overlay, a color logic, and a ready image-generation prompt — so the creator can pick and generate quickly.

When it fires

• Keyword triggers: thumbnail, cover art, thumbnail ideas, ctr, video cover
• File triggers: thumbnails/**
• Command triggers: /thumbnail-concept

Inputs

Input	Required	Notes
topic	yes	Video subject + the promise.
subject	no	Hero image/asset (e.g. a nebula, a rocket).
count	no	Number of concepts, default 3.

Workflow

1. Find the visual hook — the single image idea that conveys the promise. ✅ Check: readable at small size.
2. Per concept: layout (subject placement, rule-of-thirds), overlay text (≤4 words, high contrast), color/contrast logic, and emotional read.
3. Honesty check — the thumbnail must match the actual content (no bait).
4. Image-gen prompt — a concrete prompt to produce the background/subject; if using NASA imagery, note the rights step.

Output contract

{
  "concepts": [{
    "layout": "string",
    "overlay_text": "string — ≤4 words",
    "color_logic": "string",
    "emotional_read": "string",
    "image_prompt": "string"
  }]
}

Tools & MCP

• Tools: Read. MCP: optional image-gen MCP.

Quality bar

• Overlay text ≤4 words and legible at thumbnail size.
• Concept matches the real content (no clickbait).
• High contrast / clear focal point.
• Rights noted if real agency imagery is used.

Example

Input: "Why Webb sees what Hubble can't" → 3 concepts, each with a 2–3 word overlay, contrast logic, and an image prompt.

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Built on SIP — Starlight Intelligence Protocol Substrate: starlightintelligence.org/protocol v1.1.0 Layers used: [file-contract, attestation, sovereignty] Vertical: starlight-agent-skills · portable capability layer