Daniyar Meirbek is a 21-year-old YouTube thumbnail designer from Kazakhstan. He began taking thumbnail design seriously about two years ago after completing his military service, though his very first thumbnail dates back to 2013, when he was simply looking for ways to earn a bit of money. After stepping away from it for a while, he eventually returned to the craft.
By profession, Daniyar is a programmer, but even during his college years he knew he didn’t want to pursue that career path. His true interests have always leaned more toward creative and visual work. Daniyar is available for hire.
Twitter (X) → x.com/meirthumbs
Featured design
Brief
I’m sitting inside a 7-Eleven with a Slurpee, looking a bit unsettled. Through the window, a masked figure can be seen outside, adding suspense. The scene should feel like late night with the outside dark to fit the video title. We can adjust lighting and mood if needed.
References
Concept sketch
Starting asset
Editing process
Build the Base: Generated the background using AI, applied light color correction, and used generative fill to remove unnecessary elements for later manual additions.
Environment Design: Extended the scene by adding the gas station and 7-Eleven sign through AI prompts and harmonization. Integrated a hooded silhouette outside, added glass and cracked-glass textures, and refined the shop interior with vending machines, snack shelves, a clock, and a counter in the foreground.
Subject Integration: Placed the main object into the scene, applied harmonization to match colors and lighting, and used subtle color correction for a natural blend with the environment.
Depth & Lighting: Softly blurred the gas station background beyond the window to create depth and focus on the subject, and adjusted shadows and highlights for realism.
Polish: Applied final color correction to unify tones, balance contrast, and enhance micro-details for a cinematic and cohesive thumbnail.
Tools
1. What do you enjoy most about creating thumbnails?
I enjoy seeing the final result. When you look at what you made and think it actually looks good, that moment feels really nice. It’s fun to see your idea turn into something visual.
2. Where do you usually get inspiration for your thumbnails?
For me it’s the idea and how you bring it to life. Using good assets, picking the right colors, and making everything fit together well. That’s what makes a thumbnail stand out.
3. What’s one tip you’d give to someone just starting out with thumbnail design?
Don’t stress too much about making it perfect. Just make a lot. The more thumbnails you create, the more you’ll get used to it. Over time you’ll start to feel what works without overthinking it.
If you found this edition of Unlayered helpful, please consider sharing it with someone who might benefit from this workflow too! 💙