I made a litle plugin for helping me to generate thumbnails fast.
Basically allows you to define a grid of thumbnails and define a “thumbnail session” (with X time for each thumbnail), and the plugin manage to change automatically (or manually) every region/thumbnail, so you can focus simply on drawing and generate ideas fast.
It also comes with an action for selecting a random brush preset (this is useful for experimenting, coming up with different textures/shapes for each thumbnail, and kinda to “embrace serendipity”).
The cases I use this is for generating ideas before making any ilustration. The plugin just help me to keep the flow while I’m painting.
Yes, it makes “small canvases” (but that is good for thumbnails). It was inspired by some lessons by Stephan (Wootha) Richard that I personally highly recommend.
I love this plugin, @Suzuka. It’s great for a morning warmup as well as making thumbnails for a specific idea.
Two tips for anyone who enjoys using the “randomize brush” setting:
Open the docker called brush preset history. Clear it if it’s already open from another session. This gives you a list of all the brushes used (in case you stumble upon one that you love).
If you don’t like the random brush that came up, click the “random brush” button and you’ll be presented with a different one.
And thank you for adding that tip for the brush preset history docker. Is one of my favourite dockers and didn’t know about that option! Thats very useful!
Just loving the simplicity and imagination behind this plug-in @Suzuka !
Using this plug in,is actually helping me to realize what can be achieved within a short time,specailly when you not allowed to think too much !
I never had an idea that I can produce something like this within 6 minutes ( 40 seconds each) !
Is there any option to use automatic random thumbnail size selection ? Like getting options for selection size of different shapes randomly ?
Sometimes this can be creatively challenging in a different way.
It can be little helpful, if there is an option available to save custom parameters (Time,Subdivision,Padding etc).
Is it possible to implement something like this in future versions ?
Thanks again for sharing this small but powerful plug in.
@ari Thanks to you for your kind words friend! And also, pretty good thumbnails tbh, they are very dynamic, you have a good sense of composition and I see a few that are pretty evocative and could turn out into great pieces!
About your questions:
Do you mean like making different thumbnails with different aspect ratios/sizes? I thought about it and I would like to add it, since is always good, different sizes offers different compositions and would be nice to discover more ideas. I’ll probably add it.
Oh yes, this is totally doable. I can add some kind of pressets it if you find it useful
@Paulo Looks awesome! Love the color combinations!
Yes !
I believe as Thumbnailing is an universal approach used in process like painting,storyboarding,comics making,so having some random or more customized aspect ratio/sizes can enhance the creative processes .
Ex -I am guessing probably randomness like option 1 and 2 selection sizes are possible,but option 3 like randomness can be a little far-fetched,right ?
Thank you very much @Suzuka !
I think I was also very much fascinated by the simplicity and unique approach of your plug in.
On the other hand,I am one of those people who can express their views through images better than words!
Combining both factors,I was trying to convey my viewpoints to you via that mock sample.
Now it is very satisfying to know,through this,somehow I have managed to make you interested !
Thank you for the kind words @ari Is always cool to know other people (apart of myself) that find it cool/useful :]
I already started working on the different options for the sizes, like what you did in your mockup! I have to refactor/dessign some things a bit better, and if life don’t have a secret plan for me, I hope to finish it soon
Sorry for my ignorance, does this create the painted thumbnail or just empty ones to paint in?
When I found this plug-in i thought about “Alchemy” ( https://al.chemy.org/) and thought it produced Random thumbnail images to inspire artwork. Maybe someone smart (@Suzuka) could look at making something like this?
Hi @Barry_De_Beer ,as per my experience this plug creates empty selections (based on the provided sub division details) with a customizable auto timer system,Where you can also avail an extra option of random auto brush selection,“decided” by the plug in.
I personally found this plug in very creatively challenging and fun !
I also loved Alchemy,when I used it a few years back,specially the way it works.
Krita do have some similar approach in few brushes and tool options like Alchemy,but with less randomness .
I did one such art using Alchemy and krita and probably I can understand what you are saying.
It can be a great addition,if some of the properties/options of Alchemy can be mimicked inside krita (via some plug in).Then everything can be approached inside one single software.
Though this Thumbnailer plug in is created for different purpose.
but in future if @Suzuka or someone else,get interested…maybe we can hope for a new magic !
Thank you for letting me know! 
!
!