Blog Tips #3: Thumbnail Competition Winners

I previously posted on some common and uncommon mistakes when creating thumbnails. That blog offered some advice for avoiding or fixing the problems when folks step into Thumbnail Traps, Cattywampi, Pitfalls, Blunders, and Dumpster Fires. But wouldn't it be nice if I offered some tips for creating great thumbnails?

Well, yes it would. However, I'm going to take it easy on myself for now. Instead of describing how to create great thumbnails I will offer inspiration!

"Okay," you sneer incredulously, "How do you intend to do that?"

My idea is to post examples of award-winning thumbnails that received recognition as best-of-the-best in a competition. So, where did these inspirational thumbnails come from? All the thumbnails shown earned best-of-category recognition in a monthly blogging competition hosted by the now-defunct The Blogger Awards. [A follow-on club was recently established at The Blogger Awards v2.0 and will begin competitions later this year. The club accepts bloggers, people who read blogs, and those who are curious about blogging processes.] 

Where the information was available, I also cite judges' comments on why a particular thumbnail was recognized as the best thumbnail among the blogs submitted. And, where I felt it useful or necessary, I analyzed why a thumbnail was deemed a success. In several instances, I resorted to only my opinion because the judges were busy judging and didn't have much time to write down significant details regarding why one thumbnail stood out from would-be peers. Well, that and the fact I like to spout off on topics, even if I'm not a recognized worldwide expert in the area. 😁

For the terminally curious, the thumbnail for this blog is a favorite from my thumbnail gallery. It was never part of any of The Blogger Awards competitions, but I am quite fond of it.

With all that out of the way, let's seek some inspiration.

First up, the winner from the February-March 2023 competition.

Punishing Beginner Mistakes in Daily Chess | by @alphaous

Why it won. R u kiddin' me? Just look at it!! Here is some of the effusive praise offered by one judge: "...creative, and that template was just absolutely perfect. The title, thumbnail, and template all have impeccable chemistry."

Let's break it down a little further. One, it's animated and the eye is incurably attracted to all the flashing lights and moving parts. Two, the scrolling ticker tape across the bottom of the image lets you know the chess context in which beginner's mistakes are to be punished. Third, that stark, black background makes everything pop. It's a surface that sets off the rest of the imagery.

Next the April 2023 competition.
Puzzles From The Master Games | by @AstroTheoretical_Physics

Just from those pictures you realize immediately that you'll be seeing classic games of different chess eras, starting with Paul Morphy. Plus, you receive a preview of some positions you'll get to experience. For instance, I immediately recognized the image in the upper right-hand corner as one of Frank Marshall's most famous queen sacrifices. Worthy of showering the players with gold coins in my opinion. Then there's the background. For me that fog-laden image raises the question of whether I'll see the forest, the trees, or both when working through the masterpieces I know will be in the blog. Great stuff!

Let's move on to May 2023 and another award-winning thumbnail

2013 World Chess Championship | by @AstroTheoretical_Physics

Strikes me as obvious why this was a winner after the prior explanations. But let's lay it out. First, a dark background so that the main characters (Anand, Carlsen, and the chess board) pop. Second, thoroughly modern, widely known chess players. Third, the fiery aura surrounding each competitor and use of related colors on the board reinforce the fact that it is two giants of the game facing each other, akin to the fabled Titans of mythology. Fourth, the arcing, electric rings of fire form a circle that draws the eye to the center where the battle will take place-on the board. Fifth, and last, a recognizable position on the board, not just some AI vague rendering of random pieces located helter-skelter (and sometimes with too many kings...or not enough!!) on the 64 squares.

This Astro fella must be pretty good...it's June and he wins again!

When Sherlock Played Moriarty | by @AstroTheoretical_Physics

Here's what one judge had to say, "Astro strikes again with another visually stunning thumbnail that breezes past all the competition."

Robert Downey Jr. is immediately recognizable as Sherlock, and it's clear the other individual must be Moriarty, even if the actor Jared Harris isn't quite as well-known as his counterpart. The nicely subtle touches that make this blog stand out are the chess king and clock in the background and between the antagonists. I look at this thumbnail and find myself asking whose flag is about to fall. Super stuff and Astro apparently produced this thumbnail at the last moment!

It's July 2023 and there's a new thumbnail victor.

The Best Troll Chess Games | by @The_turtlepro

Let's listen to the judges. "Quite a stunning thumbnail. Amazing creativity. Nice colors." and "Pretty sick thumbnail with popping colors and the like, plus the troll face is nicely edited on."

But we won't settle for their judgment. Let's conduct our own analysis.

• Dark background so the other colors pop? Check.
• Players with smoothly drawn outlines to separate dark clothing and hair from the background? Check.
• Troll head blends smoothly onto human torso? Check!
• Recognizable and definitely troll-ish positions on both chess boards? Double check!!

August brings us a new thumbnail winner (Astro won 3 other categories incl. Best Blog).

5 Great Underdog Triumphs in Chess History | by @nbrasington

Here's how the TBA owner explained the selection, "Many of you are probably shocked by this, but I felt that Nbras' thumbnail was more visually stunning than all the others, including Astro's...Nbras' was simple yet pretty in its nature."

Hey, dark background, one Sirius (forgive the pun on the Dog Star) constellation of players, and very clean images. That's the ticket to victory. And the image creates questions. It's obvious why Euwe was an underdog. And Alekhine was certainly an underwhelming choice to upset Capablanca, who knows what the over-under would have been on that match. But I absolutely had to read how and when Bobby could ever have been considered an underdog, even pitted against the mighty Soviet machine.

The Thumbnail supporting the longest title yet won in September

How to Play the London and Italian The Right Way | by @2000Knights

From staid old London to a colorful Italian town. Well, I know where I want to be from October - May!

But why did this thumbnail win? Hmm...lemme think. Perhaps because it skillfully blended both our common mental images of these openings and our mental images of these locations on a typical day? And even took the time out to show prototypical positions for each opening on boards that parallel the colors of their surroundings. That said, I've played both openings numerous times and know that the London can be a fireworks display while the Italian can turn into a snoozefest. So, I wanted to know what the story was. After all, the image was juxtaposed by a title that suggested there might be a different way to play these openings. A subtle, dichotomous hook and nicely done...imo.

Halloween Month! 🎃 What image scared the competition in October?

A Study On Emanuel Lasker – The Second World Champion! | by @2000Knights

Seeing one of the all-time greats of the 19th and 20th centuries superimposed on a giant chess board with the mists of time circling up from the bottom edge of the thumbnail works for me. Again, we find a winning thumbnail that leverages a dark background to bring drama to the post. And the receding pieces almost endow Lasker with a 3-D quality. Nice work!

And if you're wondering what happened to @AstroTheoreticalPhysics and his award-winning thumbnails, he was now firmly parked in the judges' booth.

November and one of the blogging world's best delivers a winner!

The Best Chess Players from A-Z: Part 3 - Letters L to Q | by @sleepyporcyy


Here's what the club owner had to say at the time, "Visually stunning and very artistic. Porcyy's best thumbnail yet." And let's put a quote from Astro in here as well! "It's a stunning thumbnail to me. The players are well placed, and the lightning is very well coordinated with the blue shining outline on the players. The boards look a bit goofy in the background, but this gets my vote here."

A few points from my point of view. First, the spacing of the five world champions ensures the picture is cohesive. Second, the title makes you want to explore more @sleepyporcyy blogs. I highly recommend that! (You may have to request access.)

It's December, with tons of holidays. And a repeat winner!

Chess Beyond Sight | by @sleepyporcyy

This is as visually appealing as the November thumbnail. Here's what one judge had to say, "Easiest choice here. Porcyy's thumbnail is just really stunning." While another judge stated it this way, "I am being honest, nobody came close to this thumbnail." And I have to posit that this is an even more compelling product than the winning effort in November. The palette was expanded, allowing the eye to be drawn by the motion of colors blending into each other. Really superb work. [This expanded image shows some bleed-over of the outline around one player. That won't be as obvious at the typical thumbnail scale but is a nuisance to be aware of.]

Did 2024 and the New Year ring in a new winner? (Nope, it's a three-peat!)

The Best Chess Players from A-Z: Part 3 - Letters L to Q | by @sleepyporcyy

Another fantastic rendition of a thumbnail. And with a bonus feature, the letters L through Q are smoothly integrated into the image, even reflecting the changing color scheme as your eye wanders from the left side to the right, or vicey-versey (that's vice-versa for language sticklers).

I find this series of victories by one individual offers the perfect statement on how a great thumbnail concept can evolve over time to become more captivating.

February sees no change at the top of the podium!!

From Triumph To Tragedy | by @sleepyporcyy

OMG, a four-peat! Wowsers. And every thumbnail compelling, insisting that the casual skimmer of a random web page pause and take notice.

A familiar thumbnail artist returns in March 2024

The Puzzle of a Lost Prodigy | by @AstroTheoretical_Physics

A fine dramatic touch to post two news articles and a black and white photo of the "kid wonder" below the title that poses two of the big questions we will all encounter multiple times during our lives, "Where are they now? What happened to them?" Those are two of the most compelling and repeated inquiries one can imagine.

What are some key points we can take away from these award-winners?
1.    A stark and dramatic aspect was central to all these thumbnails. Whether based on a dark background, the asymmetric use of a full-color palette paired with a black and white image, or startling images that flashed and moved.
2.    The thumbnail image has a direct linkage to the title.
3.    Images that include interesting game positions, famous players, or both can offer further inducements to jump into the main body of the text.

And there you have it, we've reached the end of this trail...for now. Why stop here? Well, March 2024 saw The Blogger Awards club signing off, so no more competitions and no awards. But The Blogger Awards v2.0 opened on 1 October and plans to begin competitions later this year. The club accepts bloggers, people who read blogs, and those who are curious about blogging processes.

Prior Blog Tips in the Series:
Blog Tips #1: Beating Blogger's Block 
Blog Tips #2: Thumbnails—Avoiding Traps, Cattywampi, Pitfalls, Blunders, & Dumpster Fires