Designers often keep swipe files of inspiration, which is a great place to start. Inspiration for a mood board can come from virtually anywhere. Instead, a mood board based on those themes could include things like natural textures or primary colors. For example, a kids’ clothing site might have a jungle or carnival theme, but that doesn’t mean it needs to have tigers or clowns incorporated. The theme should be closely tied to the goals of the design or brand, though it can be abstract. Settling on a theme can bring cohesiveness to the mood board as well as to the final design based on it. Including explanations for various elements of a mood board lends clarity to the ideas presented. Textures: Any textures or patterns a design will incorporate should be included in the mood board.Įxplanations: As needed, explanations for elements included in the mood board can add context and make it easier to see how all of the different parts will work together toward the end design. Words: Words that tie into the brand or message that should be conveyed can be an important part of any mood board.įonts: Designers should include specific fonts (or at least general font styles) into their mood boards for any design where the text will be prominent. Visual Metaphors: Visual metaphors are an important part of modern advertising and branding, and can be included if appropriate.
Images: These can include brand images, stock photography, product images, photos found on Instagram or other photo sharing sites, illustrations, and even things like logos.Ĭolors: Incorporating the design’s color palette is an important part of most mood boards and can be included as swatches or incorporated into images and other design elements. Here are some ideas for things to include in a mood board: The important thing is to include as many elements as needed to convey the look and feel of the design being created. A brand mood board might include a lot more elements than one for a package or website design. (by Planoly)Įvery mood board is different, and what a designer chooses to include will vary based on the project.
For those who create mood boards digitally, there are a number of options available, from Photoshop templates to dedicated apps.Ĭreating a physical mood board with photos and color swatches is one option. Some designers create them digitally while others create physical collages. They come in all different formats, shapes, and styles. There isn’t just one way to make a mood board. One designer’s idea of minimalist might be a lot more maximalist than their colleague’s. But show them a mood board that incorporates those things and they immediately understand and can express whether they love or hate the ideas.įinally, mood boards can also ensure that design teams are all on the same page when working on a project together. When a web designer says “minimalist” or “Grotesk fonts” or “realism,” a lot of clients will be completely clueless as to what that means. Mood boards are also an excellent way to convey design ideas to clients. Mood boards that incorporate images, illustrations, logos, typography, and color are excellent communication tools. They’re a much lower investment than mockups and prototypes in terms of resources and time and can convey a lot about the look and feel of the final design. Mood boards are also an excellent way to refine a project’s style before diving into the actual design process. They can be a valuable resource throughout the design project, to help keep the style and aesthetic consistent and on track with a client’s goals and expectations. Mood boards can serve many purposes, starting with organizing the inspiration around a project. Mood boards can be used for creating brand designs, product designs, website designs, and pretty much any other type of design project. Mood boards are physical or digital collages that arrange images, materials, text, and other design elements into a format that’s representative of the final design’s style.
Organizing it and turning that inspiration into a more cohesive base for creating a design that wows clients and users is an entirely different beast. Finding inspiration for design projects is one thing.
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