Charles Walker is a professional YouTube thumbnail designer, ranked #1 on YTJobs and credited with over a billion views.
With a degree in graphic design, he began thumbnail work in 2022 as a side project, which quickly led to a full-time role with Lankybox before moving into freelancing.
Since then, he’s collaborated with popular creators including Dude Perfect, Zhong, Zach King, Brent Rivera, Futcrunch, and many more. Walker is available for hire.
Walker was previously featured in edition #02 of this newsletter back in 2025.
Twitter (X) → x.com/WalkerThumbs
Featured design
Overview
Futcrunch approached me via X and we quickly got working on the thumbnail as it was a pretty tight turnaround. Although the initial communication was pretty simplistic, we’ve since worked together on another project, and he’s been great to work with.
The initial brief was simple - “Check the PSD for notes and brief - if u got any questions lemme know!” The PSD provided had the BG asset, and some rough cut examples of the images Futcrunch wanted me to use for the overall image.
The inspiration cited was this video (thumbnail below).
This was all the prep I needed to get started.
Thumbnail inspiration
Assets
Composition
The approach was relatively simple: placement, and making sure every subject had space to breathe and stand out, was essential.
Sizing was hierarchical, so that Futcrunch stood out first, then the ball, and then the directing line toward the keeper and the goal.
Editing Process
First, it was simply blending each subject and creating an overall cohesive scene. The next step was improving the lighting, while also making sure each subject stood out clearly and was distinct from the others.
This gave me an excellent base to essentially churn out a tonne of variations in colour grading and lighting, as well as experiment with AI to add realistic elements such as dirt, debris, and ambient occlusion.
My main goal when approaching this design was not only to replicate previous designs on the channel, but to add further attention to detail to make it more realistic, while still maintaining an optimised approach alongside saturated colours, etc.
Unlayered
Workstation
Software
Chrome (research)
Photoshop, Freepik (editing)
Discord, Slack, Whatsapp (communication)
Hardware
PC: RTX 4070 Super, Ryzen 7 7700X (8‑core), 32 GB RAM, 4 TB SSD
Laptop: MacBook Pro (2024) with M4 Pro chip
Monitor: Dell Ultrawide monitor
Chair: Herman Miller Cosm
Peripherals (Logitech):
G502 X Plus mouse
PRO X TKL keyboard
POWERPLAY wireless charging mouse pad
G733 headset
What was your biggest highlight of 2025?
Career‑wise, it was signing retainers. That felt like the first legit step in giving myself security, but it also felt like a huge step in solidifying myself. Creatively, it was around October this year. I had a run of varying clients and niches where, no matter what it was, I got the job done at a high quality, and it just felt good to know I could handle anything thrown my way creatively.
What are you most looking forward to in 2026?
Signing more retainers, hopefully! But I also really plan to solidify myself as a business and position myself as more than just a freelancer. I plan to do this by building a stronger online presence, taking on consultancy roles, and working with some bigger names and companies, which should also provide some protection against the huge steps AI will likely take.
Best thumbnail you’ve ever made?
Super critical of my own work, but in terms of a flawless process and solid execution, these are my picks:
Best thumbnail you’ve ever seen?
Super hard to call, as it’s subjective and my tastes change a lot, but in terms of evergreen style and optimisation, I always refer to this thumbnail as one of my favourites when paired with the title.
If you found this edition of Unlayered helpful, please consider sharing it with someone who might benefit from this workflow too! 💙
