About the channel:
Dusk & Dynasties is a premium world history sleep channel on YouTube. We cover Ancient Egypt, Rome, Feudal Japan, The Vikings, Medieval Europe and more. We publish 2-3 videos per week and need a talented thumbnail designer for ongoing long-term work.
The style — please read this carefully as it is the most important part of the brief:
Our thumbnails need to achieve two things simultaneously — and getting this balance right is the entire job.
Thing 1 — Premium and cinematic
Dark, atmospheric, high quality. Think high-end history documentary poster. Deep navy backgrounds, antique gold text, cinematic historical imagery. Never bright. Never cluttered. Never cartoon-like.
Thing 2 — A dry, knowing curiosity hook
The thumbnail must make the viewer feel something — slight discomfort, curiosity, a dry amusement at something being slightly absurd or alarming about the historical subject. Not slapstick comedy. Not exaggerated cartoon faces. Intelligent, sardonic humour that makes the viewer ask a question they need answered. Think less cartoon sitcom, more dark observational wit. The humour comes from the subject matter itself being alarming or absurd — not from a funny face.
The combination of these two things is what makes a great Dusk and Dynasties thumbnail. Premium visual foundation. Dry curiosity hook on top. Like a nature documentary caption placed on something quietly horrifying.
Example for our first video — Why You Wouldn't Last a Day in Ancient Egypt:
A beautifully rendered cinematic Egyptian scene — dark, atmospheric, golden — with a visual element that is simultaneously alarming and slightly absurd. For example a close up of an Egyptian sandal with a scorpion visible inside it. Dark background. Bold gold title text. Premium but with a wink. The viewer feels curious and mildly alarmed and clicks to find out more.
This is the creative challenge. We want thumbnails that look like they belong on a premium documentary channel but make you click because something about them is slightly wrong or alarming or unexpectedly funny.
Brand palette — must be followed exactly on every thumbnail:
Primary background: Deep midnight navy #0D1B2A
Key text: Antique gold #C9A84C
Secondary text: Warm cream white #F0E6D3
Accent highlights: Moonlight gold #E8C97A
Supporting tone: Warm slate #4A5568
Our logo, banner and full brand reference will be shared with the successful candidate.
What each thumbnail needs:
A dark, cinematic central image relevant to the video topic — historical scenes, ancient monuments, dramatic landscapes, period-accurate illustrated characters. AI generated imagery is acceptable if it matches the premium cinematic style
A curiosity or dry humour hook built into the visual — not added as text but felt through the image itself
Bold, clear title text — large enough to read clearly on mobile at small sizes
Channel name or logo incorporated
Must feel instantly distinct and premium in a YouTube search results feed
Must create enough curiosity or mild alarm that a cold viewer clicks
Delivered as 1280x720px JPG or PNG
2 versions per thumbnail — slight variations in layout, image or text so we can A/B test which performs better
What I provide:
Video title
Topic description and specific visual ideas where relevant
Full brand palette, logo and banner files
Reference examples showing the style direction
Notes on the specific curiosity hook angle for each video
What I need from you:
2 versions per thumbnail delivered within 48 hours of receiving the brief
Consistent house style across every thumbnail — the channel must look like a professional brand that viewers recognise instantly
Creative input on the curiosity hook — I want a designer who brings ideas, not just someone who follows instructions mechanically
Ability to handle 2-3 thumbnails per week on an ongoing basis
Budget:
$10 per thumbnail — this covers both versions. We will do a paid trial with one thumbnail before committing to ongoing work.
To apply you must do all three of the following. Applications that do not will not be considered:
Share 3-5 examples of previous YouTube thumbnail work — Google Drive or direct image links only
Tell me specifically how you would approach the curiosity hook challenge described above — what would your creative instinct be for a thumbnail called "Why You Wouldn't Last a Day in Ancient Egypt"
Confirm you can deliver within 48 hours and handle 2-3 thumbnails per week ongoing
If you have read this job description in full, please write your favourite ancient civilisation at the beginning of your proposal.
We are looking for a long-term creative partner who brings genuine creative thinking to this role. If your work is excellent, there is plenty of it.