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"[Updated] From Bites to Blocks Top 10 Video Editing Principles for 2024"
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From Bites to Blocks: Top 10 Video Editing Principles
YouTube Video Editing Tips for Beginner Editors
Marion Dubois
Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions
Creating good-quality videos regularly can be difficult, especially when you are a beginner. The most crucial part of making a video is editing. This is the part where you have to look at every intricate detail. This is the part where you remove unwanted footage and place useful shots in their position. Every creator has their editing style by which they put their mark on their videos.
Editing can be a long and tedious process. It takes time, patience, and an immense amount of creativity to create a video good enough to impress the viewers. Here are few tips that will make your editing process easier and cut your editing time in half.
Top 10 Video Editing Tips for YouTube Beginners
The following will not tell you how to edit your YouTube videos, but will surely make editing a little more convenient.
1. Choose a Good Video Editor
One of the first things you have to do is make sure that you have chosen a video editor that is best for you.
Using either too complicated or too basic a video editor can only create problems for you. An advanced video editor may create very high-end, professional videos, but it will take months just to get the hang of the software. Whereas a free basic video editor may not give as many options as you’d need to edit your videos properly.
2. Use Fast Computers
Being a video creator, you’ll have to store numerous huge files on your computer. To improve your current PC, you can invest in an SSD, which is a lot faster than the traditional hard disk.
SSD will not only improve your export, loading, and rendering time but it will allow you to access files and editing software much faster. Another improvement you can make to make your editing process faster is to increase the RAM of your computer (it should be at least 8 GB). Also, make sure to get the recommended video card and processor for your video editor.
3. Invest Your Time in Video Editing Tutorials
You can watch video editing tutorials to learn and perfect the art of video editing. You can easily find free tutorials online, visiting websites like Skillshare and Red Giant tutorials to access free video editing tutorials. Search for tutorials that are specific to the editing software you use. You can also search for tutorials that will help improve your content.
4. Use Keyboard Shortcuts
Learn the keyboard shortcuts for various functions in the software, especially the ones that are usually repeated throughout the process like undo, redo, delete, etc.
You can also invest in an Editing keyboard, they are software specific and already have keyboard shortcut icons in them.
5. Add Good Music
Another important tip to keep your audience all ears is to add good music to your videos. Whether it is background music or a soundtrack in between shots, it has to pair well with your video.
If you are on a budget and don’t want to spend money on music, there are royalty-free options available. But, know that good music only comes at a price.
6. Add Text, Titles, and Graphics
You can choose from a wide variety of text and titles. You’ll also have tools to enhance the graphics of your video. When you have so many options, choosing the right one can be difficult. It is better to keep the font of the text simple.
You can also use video editors to add flashy motion graphics to your videos. You can either create your graphics by hand or you can also choose from a variety of ready-made graphics templates.
7. Don’t Forget to Color Correction
Not color correcting your videos may render them looking dull and lifeless. Color is one of the major elements that play a crucial part in setting the mood of your video. Depending upon the type of content you’re portraying in the video, you can use a color scheme to highlight specific aspects or to evoke certain emotions in the audience.
Color correction is used to make your video appear consistent throughout the scenes. Whereas color grading is used to make videos stand out. Both are essential to differentiate certain scenes from others.
8. Learn Important Terms
Learn the terms commonly used in video editing. It will help you become proficient with the software and the process of editing. Some common terms used in the editing sphere are:
- Cutaways
- Jump Cuts
- Match Cuts/Match-Action Montage
- J and L Cuts
- Cutting on Action
9. Store Your Video Files on an External Drive
Storing your huge video files on an external drive will free up a lot of space on your computer. This will help speed up your device so you don’t have to worry about slow rendering.
10. Make Copies of Your Files
Always make more than two copies of your files. You can use the 321 rule. The rule is to make 3 copies of your files, store them in two different places, where one place should be physically separate from the other.
The Best YouTube Video Editing Software for Beginners
There are many video editing software available in the video editing market, but Wondershare Filmora is the best video editor for beginners and professionals alike. It has a beginner-friendly interface, contains advanced editing tools, and is available at a reasonable price.
Here is a list of few features offered by Wondershare Filmora.
1. AI Portrait
It helps make your videos vibrant and colorful
2. Visual and Audio Effects
Visual and audio effects can be added to improve the image and sound quality of the video
3. Audio Ducking
You can layer one sound on top of the other.
4. Cool Texts
You can add cool texts and titles from the library.
5. Screen Recording
You can record the screen activity of your device.
Final Word
As a beginner, the time and effort required to make a good video can be reduced to half if you follow a few simple tricks that professionals use daily. It’s all about working smart and not hard. You can save time by learning the editing term and keyboard shortcuts. You can save your files in an external drive to save storage and make backup in case of any mishaps. Remember to color grade, add cool texts and good music to make your videos distinct.
Marion Dubois
Marion Dubois is a writer and a lover of all things video.
Follow @Marion Dubois
Light Up Video Images: Add a Gleaming Frame
Your YouTube video, or any other clip published on any forum, gets a larger number of hits if it has an attractive thumbnail. And, the fact is, a thumbnail becomes 10x more attractive when the main character that the image has have a neon border around it.
With that said, in the following sections, you will learn a couple of methods on how to add a YouTube thumbnail border around the main characters and/or objects that are significant to the clip.
In this article
01 Add Glowing Neon Border to YouTube Thumbnail with Filmora
02 Add a Glowing Neon Border in YouTube Thumbnail with Canva
03 Outline a Person in a YouTube Thumbnail with Photoshop
Part 1: How to Add Neon Border to YouTube Thumbnail for Free with Filmora
Being one of the most versatile and intuitive post-production tools available in the market today, Wondershare Filmora X allows you to add a neon border to a YouTube thumbnail quite conveniently. You can learn how to get this done on Windows or Mac by following the steps given below.
For Win 7 or later (64-bit)
For macOS 10.12 or later
Step 1: Define Project Settings and Add Image to the Timeline
Launch Wondershare Filmora X on your PC (a MacBook Pro M1 is used here), ensure that the project aspect ratio is set to 16:9 (Widescreen) on the splash screen, and click New Project. On the main interface, click the Preview quality and display settings icon from the upper-right area of the Timeline, click Change Project Aspect Ratio, click to select 1280 x 720 (HD) from the Resolution menu of the Project Settings box, and click OK to save the custom project settings.
Then select My Media from the menu bar if not already selected, click Project Media from the navigation pane, and click Import from the Media box to select and import the image of the main character or object that you want to use in the thumbnail.
Now, drag the image from the Media box to the Timeline at the bottom.
Step 2: Clear Image Background, Add Border, and Add Custom Background
Go to Effects from the menu bar, click to select the Default tab and then AI Portrait from the navigation pane, and click and drag the Human Segmentation preset from the right box, and place it over the image track in the Timeline.
Double-click the image layer, scroll down the upper-left box to the Video Effects section, and use the Edge Thickness and Edge Feather sliders to adjust the character’s edges to make them as realistic as possible. Click OK when done.
Next, click and drag the Human Border preset over the image track in the Timeline, and follow the same procedure to customize the border. This will give the character a neon border effect.
Now, use the method explained earlier to import a custom image for the background, and drag and place it under the previous track in the Timeline.
If you are running the latest version of Filmora, you will find there are some neon light effects available under AI Portrait as well.
Step 3: Add Titles to Thumbnail
Go to Titles from the menu bar, click to select the Default tab and then Lower 3rds from the navigation pane, and click and drag your preferred lower-third preset from the right window to a separate layer in the Timeline. Double-click the lower-third layer, and use the available options in the upper-left window to change the text, its color, etc., and drag the textbox to place it to your preferred position on the image as well. Click OK to save the changes.
Next, click to select Titles from the navigation pane, and drag your preferred title from the right window to the upper-most track in the Timeline. Now use the method explained earlier to edit the text, its color, position, etc. to make it look professional.
For more tips and tricks for creating YouTube thumbnail, you can check this You Tube thumbnail creating guide.
Step 4: Get the Neon Border Thumbnail
Click the Snapshot (Camera) icon from the upper-right area of the Timeline, go to My Media from the menu bar, right-click the thumbnail of the screenshot you captured, and click Reveal in Finder (on Mac) or Reveal in Explorer (on Windows) to get to the folder the YouTube thumbnail border is saved in.
Part 2: How to Add a Glowing Neon Border in Your YouTube Thumbnail with Canva
Canva is another intuitive editing program that works on the web interface rather than having you download and install an app on your PC. You can add a neon border for YouTube thumbnails using Canva by following the instructions given below:
Step 1: Define Project Settings and Add a Background
After signing in to your Canva account, click Create a design from the top-right corner of the page, click Custom size from the bottom, define 1280 and 720 in the Width and Height fields on the box that appears respectively, and click Create new design.
Now, click to select Background from the navigation bar on the left (if the Background tool is not visible, click More and then choose Background from the expanded list), and click to select a background from the images available in the center pane.
Step 2: Upload an Image and Add Effects
Click Uploads from the navigation bar, click the More icon from the right of the Upload media button present at the top of the center pane, choose your preferred method to upload the image (with the transparent background) that you want to use, upload the image, and drag it from the center pane to the Canvas.
Note: You can use any of the tools available online to remove the background from your image for free.
To add a YouTube thumbnail border, make sure that the image that you added to the Canvas is selected, click the Duplicate icon from the upper-right area, and use the scaling handles of the copy of the image to increase its size a bit. Reposition the image back to its original location as well.
Then, click Edit image from the upper-left corner of the Canvas, click Duotone from the Edit image pane at the center, if need be, click See all, choose your preferred duotone effect to apply on the image, choose your preferred highlight and shadow colors from the box that appears next, and click Back from the top of the pane.
Next, click See all next to the Adjust section from the center pane, and drag the Blur slider to the right to increase the blur effect on the image.
Step 3: Position the Layers
While keeping the duplicate image selected, click the Position button from the upper-right area of the Canvas, and click Background to send the second image behind the first one to get the neon border effect for the photo.
Part 3: How to Outline a Person in a YouTube Thumbnail with Photoshop
Because YouTube thumbnails are nothing but static images, creating YouTube thumbnail border with Adobe Photoshop is comparatively easier. The process of doing this is given below:
Step 1: Define Document Preferences and Import an Image
Launch Adobe Photoshop on your PC, click Create new, and on the New Document customization box, define the width and height values to 1280 and 720 pixels respectively. Select Transparent from the Background Contents menu as well if not already selected. Click Create from the bottom to create a new Photoshop document with the specified document settings. Next, open the folder that contains the source image, drag the photo to Photoshop, and press Enter to place the photo.
Step 2: Remove Background from the Image
Make sure that the image layer is selected in the Layers panel on the right, go to Select from the menu bar at the top, and click Subject. From the bottom of the Layers panel, click the Add a mask icon to get rid of the background, leaving only the human on the Canvas.
Step 3: Add a Custom Background and an Outline Around the Subject
Use the method explained earlier to import a background image of your choice to Photoshop. Drag the background image layer to the bottom in the Layers panel. Double-click the masked layer, click to select Stroke from the left pane of the Layer Style box, and use the options available on the right to manage the size, color, position, etc. of the stroke that has been added around the human subject. Click OK when done, and then export the image normally to use it as a YouTube thumbnail border.
Summary
It is important to know that the default resolution of a YouTube thumbnail is 1280 x 720 pixels that is usually written and referred to as 720p. While adding a YouTube thumbnail border, it is also imperative to have a good sense of color combination and fonts. Furthermore, a decent tool like Wondershare Filmora X must be used to add an appealing neon border around the main subject in the thumbnail image easily and quickly.
02 Add a Glowing Neon Border in YouTube Thumbnail with Canva
03 Outline a Person in a YouTube Thumbnail with Photoshop
Part 1: How to Add Neon Border to YouTube Thumbnail for Free with Filmora
Being one of the most versatile and intuitive post-production tools available in the market today, Wondershare Filmora X allows you to add a neon border to a YouTube thumbnail quite conveniently. You can learn how to get this done on Windows or Mac by following the steps given below.
For Win 7 or later (64-bit)
For macOS 10.12 or later
Step 1: Define Project Settings and Add Image to the Timeline
Launch Wondershare Filmora X on your PC (a MacBook Pro M1 is used here), ensure that the project aspect ratio is set to 16:9 (Widescreen) on the splash screen, and click New Project. On the main interface, click the Preview quality and display settings icon from the upper-right area of the Timeline, click Change Project Aspect Ratio, click to select 1280 x 720 (HD) from the Resolution menu of the Project Settings box, and click OK to save the custom project settings.
Then select My Media from the menu bar if not already selected, click Project Media from the navigation pane, and click Import from the Media box to select and import the image of the main character or object that you want to use in the thumbnail.
Now, drag the image from the Media box to the Timeline at the bottom.
Step 2: Clear Image Background, Add Border, and Add Custom Background
Go to Effects from the menu bar, click to select the Default tab and then AI Portrait from the navigation pane, and click and drag the Human Segmentation preset from the right box, and place it over the image track in the Timeline.
Double-click the image layer, scroll down the upper-left box to the Video Effects section, and use the Edge Thickness and Edge Feather sliders to adjust the character’s edges to make them as realistic as possible. Click OK when done.
Next, click and drag the Human Border preset over the image track in the Timeline, and follow the same procedure to customize the border. This will give the character a neon border effect.
Now, use the method explained earlier to import a custom image for the background, and drag and place it under the previous track in the Timeline.
If you are running the latest version of Filmora, you will find there are some neon light effects available under AI Portrait as well.
Step 3: Add Titles to Thumbnail
Go to Titles from the menu bar, click to select the Default tab and then Lower 3rds from the navigation pane, and click and drag your preferred lower-third preset from the right window to a separate layer in the Timeline. Double-click the lower-third layer, and use the available options in the upper-left window to change the text, its color, etc., and drag the textbox to place it to your preferred position on the image as well. Click OK to save the changes.
Next, click to select Titles from the navigation pane, and drag your preferred title from the right window to the upper-most track in the Timeline. Now use the method explained earlier to edit the text, its color, position, etc. to make it look professional.
For more tips and tricks for creating YouTube thumbnail, you can check this You Tube thumbnail creating guide.
Step 4: Get the Neon Border Thumbnail
Click the Snapshot (Camera) icon from the upper-right area of the Timeline, go to My Media from the menu bar, right-click the thumbnail of the screenshot you captured, and click Reveal in Finder (on Mac) or Reveal in Explorer (on Windows) to get to the folder the YouTube thumbnail border is saved in.
Part 2: How to Add a Glowing Neon Border in Your YouTube Thumbnail with Canva
Canva is another intuitive editing program that works on the web interface rather than having you download and install an app on your PC. You can add a neon border for YouTube thumbnails using Canva by following the instructions given below:
Step 1: Define Project Settings and Add a Background
After signing in to your Canva account, click Create a design from the top-right corner of the page, click Custom size from the bottom, define 1280 and 720 in the Width and Height fields on the box that appears respectively, and click Create new design.
Now, click to select Background from the navigation bar on the left (if the Background tool is not visible, click More and then choose Background from the expanded list), and click to select a background from the images available in the center pane.
Step 2: Upload an Image and Add Effects
Click Uploads from the navigation bar, click the More icon from the right of the Upload media button present at the top of the center pane, choose your preferred method to upload the image (with the transparent background) that you want to use, upload the image, and drag it from the center pane to the Canvas.
Note: You can use any of the tools available online to remove the background from your image for free.
To add a YouTube thumbnail border, make sure that the image that you added to the Canvas is selected, click the Duplicate icon from the upper-right area, and use the scaling handles of the copy of the image to increase its size a bit. Reposition the image back to its original location as well.
Then, click Edit image from the upper-left corner of the Canvas, click Duotone from the Edit image pane at the center, if need be, click See all, choose your preferred duotone effect to apply on the image, choose your preferred highlight and shadow colors from the box that appears next, and click Back from the top of the pane.
Next, click See all next to the Adjust section from the center pane, and drag the Blur slider to the right to increase the blur effect on the image.
Step 3: Position the Layers
While keeping the duplicate image selected, click the Position button from the upper-right area of the Canvas, and click Background to send the second image behind the first one to get the neon border effect for the photo.
Part 3: How to Outline a Person in a YouTube Thumbnail with Photoshop
Because YouTube thumbnails are nothing but static images, creating YouTube thumbnail border with Adobe Photoshop is comparatively easier. The process of doing this is given below:
Step 1: Define Document Preferences and Import an Image
Launch Adobe Photoshop on your PC, click Create new, and on the New Document customization box, define the width and height values to 1280 and 720 pixels respectively. Select Transparent from the Background Contents menu as well if not already selected. Click Create from the bottom to create a new Photoshop document with the specified document settings. Next, open the folder that contains the source image, drag the photo to Photoshop, and press Enter to place the photo.
Step 2: Remove Background from the Image
Make sure that the image layer is selected in the Layers panel on the right, go to Select from the menu bar at the top, and click Subject. From the bottom of the Layers panel, click the Add a mask icon to get rid of the background, leaving only the human on the Canvas.
Step 3: Add a Custom Background and an Outline Around the Subject
Use the method explained earlier to import a background image of your choice to Photoshop. Drag the background image layer to the bottom in the Layers panel. Double-click the masked layer, click to select Stroke from the left pane of the Layer Style box, and use the options available on the right to manage the size, color, position, etc. of the stroke that has been added around the human subject. Click OK when done, and then export the image normally to use it as a YouTube thumbnail border.
Summary
It is important to know that the default resolution of a YouTube thumbnail is 1280 x 720 pixels that is usually written and referred to as 720p. While adding a YouTube thumbnail border, it is also imperative to have a good sense of color combination and fonts. Furthermore, a decent tool like Wondershare Filmora X must be used to add an appealing neon border around the main subject in the thumbnail image easily and quickly.
02 Add a Glowing Neon Border in YouTube Thumbnail with Canva
03 Outline a Person in a YouTube Thumbnail with Photoshop
Part 1: How to Add Neon Border to YouTube Thumbnail for Free with Filmora
Being one of the most versatile and intuitive post-production tools available in the market today, Wondershare Filmora X allows you to add a neon border to a YouTube thumbnail quite conveniently. You can learn how to get this done on Windows or Mac by following the steps given below.
For Win 7 or later (64-bit)
For macOS 10.12 or later
Step 1: Define Project Settings and Add Image to the Timeline
Launch Wondershare Filmora X on your PC (a MacBook Pro M1 is used here), ensure that the project aspect ratio is set to 16:9 (Widescreen) on the splash screen, and click New Project. On the main interface, click the Preview quality and display settings icon from the upper-right area of the Timeline, click Change Project Aspect Ratio, click to select 1280 x 720 (HD) from the Resolution menu of the Project Settings box, and click OK to save the custom project settings.
Then select My Media from the menu bar if not already selected, click Project Media from the navigation pane, and click Import from the Media box to select and import the image of the main character or object that you want to use in the thumbnail.
Now, drag the image from the Media box to the Timeline at the bottom.
Step 2: Clear Image Background, Add Border, and Add Custom Background
Go to Effects from the menu bar, click to select the Default tab and then AI Portrait from the navigation pane, and click and drag the Human Segmentation preset from the right box, and place it over the image track in the Timeline.
Double-click the image layer, scroll down the upper-left box to the Video Effects section, and use the Edge Thickness and Edge Feather sliders to adjust the character’s edges to make them as realistic as possible. Click OK when done.
Next, click and drag the Human Border preset over the image track in the Timeline, and follow the same procedure to customize the border. This will give the character a neon border effect.
Now, use the method explained earlier to import a custom image for the background, and drag and place it under the previous track in the Timeline.
If you are running the latest version of Filmora, you will find there are some neon light effects available under AI Portrait as well.
Step 3: Add Titles to Thumbnail
Go to Titles from the menu bar, click to select the Default tab and then Lower 3rds from the navigation pane, and click and drag your preferred lower-third preset from the right window to a separate layer in the Timeline. Double-click the lower-third layer, and use the available options in the upper-left window to change the text, its color, etc., and drag the textbox to place it to your preferred position on the image as well. Click OK to save the changes.
Next, click to select Titles from the navigation pane, and drag your preferred title from the right window to the upper-most track in the Timeline. Now use the method explained earlier to edit the text, its color, position, etc. to make it look professional.
For more tips and tricks for creating YouTube thumbnail, you can check this You Tube thumbnail creating guide.
Step 4: Get the Neon Border Thumbnail
Click the Snapshot (Camera) icon from the upper-right area of the Timeline, go to My Media from the menu bar, right-click the thumbnail of the screenshot you captured, and click Reveal in Finder (on Mac) or Reveal in Explorer (on Windows) to get to the folder the YouTube thumbnail border is saved in.
Part 2: How to Add a Glowing Neon Border in Your YouTube Thumbnail with Canva
Canva is another intuitive editing program that works on the web interface rather than having you download and install an app on your PC. You can add a neon border for YouTube thumbnails using Canva by following the instructions given below:
Step 1: Define Project Settings and Add a Background
After signing in to your Canva account, click Create a design from the top-right corner of the page, click Custom size from the bottom, define 1280 and 720 in the Width and Height fields on the box that appears respectively, and click Create new design.
Now, click to select Background from the navigation bar on the left (if the Background tool is not visible, click More and then choose Background from the expanded list), and click to select a background from the images available in the center pane.
Step 2: Upload an Image and Add Effects
Click Uploads from the navigation bar, click the More icon from the right of the Upload media button present at the top of the center pane, choose your preferred method to upload the image (with the transparent background) that you want to use, upload the image, and drag it from the center pane to the Canvas.
Note: You can use any of the tools available online to remove the background from your image for free.
To add a YouTube thumbnail border, make sure that the image that you added to the Canvas is selected, click the Duplicate icon from the upper-right area, and use the scaling handles of the copy of the image to increase its size a bit. Reposition the image back to its original location as well.
Then, click Edit image from the upper-left corner of the Canvas, click Duotone from the Edit image pane at the center, if need be, click See all, choose your preferred duotone effect to apply on the image, choose your preferred highlight and shadow colors from the box that appears next, and click Back from the top of the pane.
Next, click See all next to the Adjust section from the center pane, and drag the Blur slider to the right to increase the blur effect on the image.
Step 3: Position the Layers
While keeping the duplicate image selected, click the Position button from the upper-right area of the Canvas, and click Background to send the second image behind the first one to get the neon border effect for the photo.
Part 3: How to Outline a Person in a YouTube Thumbnail with Photoshop
Because YouTube thumbnails are nothing but static images, creating YouTube thumbnail border with Adobe Photoshop is comparatively easier. The process of doing this is given below:
Step 1: Define Document Preferences and Import an Image
Launch Adobe Photoshop on your PC, click Create new, and on the New Document customization box, define the width and height values to 1280 and 720 pixels respectively. Select Transparent from the Background Contents menu as well if not already selected. Click Create from the bottom to create a new Photoshop document with the specified document settings. Next, open the folder that contains the source image, drag the photo to Photoshop, and press Enter to place the photo.
Step 2: Remove Background from the Image
Make sure that the image layer is selected in the Layers panel on the right, go to Select from the menu bar at the top, and click Subject. From the bottom of the Layers panel, click the Add a mask icon to get rid of the background, leaving only the human on the Canvas.
Step 3: Add a Custom Background and an Outline Around the Subject
Use the method explained earlier to import a background image of your choice to Photoshop. Drag the background image layer to the bottom in the Layers panel. Double-click the masked layer, click to select Stroke from the left pane of the Layer Style box, and use the options available on the right to manage the size, color, position, etc. of the stroke that has been added around the human subject. Click OK when done, and then export the image normally to use it as a YouTube thumbnail border.
Summary
It is important to know that the default resolution of a YouTube thumbnail is 1280 x 720 pixels that is usually written and referred to as 720p. While adding a YouTube thumbnail border, it is also imperative to have a good sense of color combination and fonts. Furthermore, a decent tool like Wondershare Filmora X must be used to add an appealing neon border around the main subject in the thumbnail image easily and quickly.
02 Add a Glowing Neon Border in YouTube Thumbnail with Canva
03 Outline a Person in a YouTube Thumbnail with Photoshop
Part 1: How to Add Neon Border to YouTube Thumbnail for Free with Filmora
Being one of the most versatile and intuitive post-production tools available in the market today, Wondershare Filmora X allows you to add a neon border to a YouTube thumbnail quite conveniently. You can learn how to get this done on Windows or Mac by following the steps given below.
For Win 7 or later (64-bit)
For macOS 10.12 or later
Step 1: Define Project Settings and Add Image to the Timeline
Launch Wondershare Filmora X on your PC (a MacBook Pro M1 is used here), ensure that the project aspect ratio is set to 16:9 (Widescreen) on the splash screen, and click New Project. On the main interface, click the Preview quality and display settings icon from the upper-right area of the Timeline, click Change Project Aspect Ratio, click to select 1280 x 720 (HD) from the Resolution menu of the Project Settings box, and click OK to save the custom project settings.
Then select My Media from the menu bar if not already selected, click Project Media from the navigation pane, and click Import from the Media box to select and import the image of the main character or object that you want to use in the thumbnail.
Now, drag the image from the Media box to the Timeline at the bottom.
Step 2: Clear Image Background, Add Border, and Add Custom Background
Go to Effects from the menu bar, click to select the Default tab and then AI Portrait from the navigation pane, and click and drag the Human Segmentation preset from the right box, and place it over the image track in the Timeline.
Double-click the image layer, scroll down the upper-left box to the Video Effects section, and use the Edge Thickness and Edge Feather sliders to adjust the character’s edges to make them as realistic as possible. Click OK when done.
Next, click and drag the Human Border preset over the image track in the Timeline, and follow the same procedure to customize the border. This will give the character a neon border effect.
Now, use the method explained earlier to import a custom image for the background, and drag and place it under the previous track in the Timeline.
If you are running the latest version of Filmora, you will find there are some neon light effects available under AI Portrait as well.
Step 3: Add Titles to Thumbnail
Go to Titles from the menu bar, click to select the Default tab and then Lower 3rds from the navigation pane, and click and drag your preferred lower-third preset from the right window to a separate layer in the Timeline. Double-click the lower-third layer, and use the available options in the upper-left window to change the text, its color, etc., and drag the textbox to place it to your preferred position on the image as well. Click OK to save the changes.
Next, click to select Titles from the navigation pane, and drag your preferred title from the right window to the upper-most track in the Timeline. Now use the method explained earlier to edit the text, its color, position, etc. to make it look professional.
For more tips and tricks for creating YouTube thumbnail, you can check this You Tube thumbnail creating guide.
Step 4: Get the Neon Border Thumbnail
Click the Snapshot (Camera) icon from the upper-right area of the Timeline, go to My Media from the menu bar, right-click the thumbnail of the screenshot you captured, and click Reveal in Finder (on Mac) or Reveal in Explorer (on Windows) to get to the folder the YouTube thumbnail border is saved in.
Part 2: How to Add a Glowing Neon Border in Your YouTube Thumbnail with Canva
Canva is another intuitive editing program that works on the web interface rather than having you download and install an app on your PC. You can add a neon border for YouTube thumbnails using Canva by following the instructions given below:
Step 1: Define Project Settings and Add a Background
After signing in to your Canva account, click Create a design from the top-right corner of the page, click Custom size from the bottom, define 1280 and 720 in the Width and Height fields on the box that appears respectively, and click Create new design.
Now, click to select Background from the navigation bar on the left (if the Background tool is not visible, click More and then choose Background from the expanded list), and click to select a background from the images available in the center pane.
Step 2: Upload an Image and Add Effects
Click Uploads from the navigation bar, click the More icon from the right of the Upload media button present at the top of the center pane, choose your preferred method to upload the image (with the transparent background) that you want to use, upload the image, and drag it from the center pane to the Canvas.
Note: You can use any of the tools available online to remove the background from your image for free.
To add a YouTube thumbnail border, make sure that the image that you added to the Canvas is selected, click the Duplicate icon from the upper-right area, and use the scaling handles of the copy of the image to increase its size a bit. Reposition the image back to its original location as well.
Then, click Edit image from the upper-left corner of the Canvas, click Duotone from the Edit image pane at the center, if need be, click See all, choose your preferred duotone effect to apply on the image, choose your preferred highlight and shadow colors from the box that appears next, and click Back from the top of the pane.
Next, click See all next to the Adjust section from the center pane, and drag the Blur slider to the right to increase the blur effect on the image.
Step 3: Position the Layers
While keeping the duplicate image selected, click the Position button from the upper-right area of the Canvas, and click Background to send the second image behind the first one to get the neon border effect for the photo.
Part 3: How to Outline a Person in a YouTube Thumbnail with Photoshop
Because YouTube thumbnails are nothing but static images, creating YouTube thumbnail border with Adobe Photoshop is comparatively easier. The process of doing this is given below:
Step 1: Define Document Preferences and Import an Image
Launch Adobe Photoshop on your PC, click Create new, and on the New Document customization box, define the width and height values to 1280 and 720 pixels respectively. Select Transparent from the Background Contents menu as well if not already selected. Click Create from the bottom to create a new Photoshop document with the specified document settings. Next, open the folder that contains the source image, drag the photo to Photoshop, and press Enter to place the photo.
Step 2: Remove Background from the Image
Make sure that the image layer is selected in the Layers panel on the right, go to Select from the menu bar at the top, and click Subject. From the bottom of the Layers panel, click the Add a mask icon to get rid of the background, leaving only the human on the Canvas.
Step 3: Add a Custom Background and an Outline Around the Subject
Use the method explained earlier to import a background image of your choice to Photoshop. Drag the background image layer to the bottom in the Layers panel. Double-click the masked layer, click to select Stroke from the left pane of the Layer Style box, and use the options available on the right to manage the size, color, position, etc. of the stroke that has been added around the human subject. Click OK when done, and then export the image normally to use it as a YouTube thumbnail border.
Summary
It is important to know that the default resolution of a YouTube thumbnail is 1280 x 720 pixels that is usually written and referred to as 720p. While adding a YouTube thumbnail border, it is also imperative to have a good sense of color combination and fonts. Furthermore, a decent tool like Wondershare Filmora X must be used to add an appealing neon border around the main subject in the thumbnail image easily and quickly.
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- Title: "[Updated] From Bites to Blocks Top 10 Video Editing Principles for 2024"
- Author: Jeffrey
- Created at : 2024-06-06 14:59:20
- Updated at : 2024-06-07 14:59:20
- Link: https://eaxpv-info.techidaily.com/updated-from-bites-to-blocks-top-10-video-editing-principles-for-2024/
- License: This work is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.