Moodboards: What are they? And why they are important.
What is a Mood board?
A mood board is a visual tool that designers (not just graphic designers, but also fashion and interior designers) use to gather and organize inspiration and ideas for a project. It is a collage of images, colors, textures, typography, and other design elements that convey the look, feel, and overall aesthetic direction of a project.
Basically, it’s a ViBe!
How do you put a mood board together?
There are several elements that a mood board needs to have.
The ingredients for an aesthetically relevant design!
Images: Photographs, illustrations, and artwork that inspire the visual direction.
Colors: Swatches that represent the color palette for the project.
Textures and Patterns: Samples that convey the tactile feel and visual motifs.
Typography: Fonts and typographic treatments that set the tone.
Design Elements: Icons, logos, or other specific design elements relevant to the project.
Words and Quotes: Keywords or phrases that encapsulate the mood or message.
Benefits of a Mood board in the Creative Process
Before sitting down to create logo concepts, the questionnaire and mood board process is an extremely important part of the entire process. It helps the client visualize what their branding could look like, as well as refine the overall vision. It’s much easier to say yes or no to something you can SEE, than to talk about it endlessly.
Clarifies Vision:
Benefit: Helps to visually communicate the overall direction and aesthetic of the project, and ensures that the client has a clear understanding of the intended style and feel, reducing the risk of misunderstandings.
Aligns Team and Client:
Benefit: Provides a guide for the designer and the client on the project's direction. It’s always good to reference the mood board and see if the project is going in the right direction. This allows for better communication and collaboration, ensuring that everyone is on the same page. We don’t want surprises here. Neither the designer or client should feel like they don’t know what’s supposed to happen.
Speeds Up Decision Making:
Benefit: Enables quicker and more informed decision-making by providing a visual framework, and reduces the time spent on back-and-forth discussions and revisions, streamlining the design process. Because NO ONE like the endless revision process.
Sets the Tone and Mood:
Benefit: Establishes the emotional and tone of the project early on, and it helps to guide the design process. This ensures that all elements work together to create the desired emotional response. We want to feel things!
Enhances Focus and Direction:
Benefit: Laser focus on the original vision and helps to maintain consistency throughout the project, as well as a constant reminder of the project’s goals.
Moodboard Examples
Want to create your own mood board? Download a step-by-step guide!