The following represents the electronic configuration and its associated term symbol for the ground state neutral gaseous atom. The configuration associated with ytterbium in its compounds is not necessarily the same.
Ground state electron configuration: [Xe].4f14.6s2
Shell structure: 2.8.18.32.8.2
Term symbol:1S0
The image below is a schematic representation of the shell structure of ytterbium - not what the atom of ytterbium "looks like".
