Starting a new project or business venture can be extremely overwhelming. Your brain is constantly thinking of new ideas, scouring Instagram and Pinterest for inspiration, and making mental notes of things that you want to see carried over into your brand. That’s a LOT! What if I told you there is an easy, fun, and beautiful way to organize your thoughts? I’ve got two words for you: Mood Boards.
One of the first things you are taught in design school is how to create a mood board. The basic definition of a mood board is a physical or digital collage that arrange images, materials, text, and other design elements into a format that’s representative of the final design’s style. It is a creative project as much as it is a brain dump for ideas, and it is a super useful way to organize your thoughts and gather inspiration.
Gathering your ideas is great, but they are nothing without a direction. From the get-go you should decide on a few goal words that will embody your brand & how you want it to look. We have curated a few sample mood boards here on our Pinterest account to show you what we mean! These words will be the way your brand is represented visually, from your logo to your website. There are a few key pieces that make a mood board great… and helpful, rather than random.
- Text & font samples: Who doesn’t love a good font? No matter who you are or what your business is, you are probably drawn to a certain type of font or typeface. If you aren’t, your designer will be a great help in finding one that suits your brand! Like color, type is a language of its own, too!
- Color palettes & swatches: What colors move you? Is your brand soft and elegant? Bold and bright? Color is a language of its own and it is so important to capture your brand accurately!
- Inspiring imagery that matches your theme: Photos that match your color scheme of choice as well as imagery that fits your goals or brand theme is a helpful aspect of a mood board. What inspires you? What defines your brand?
- Inspiring words & quotes: Look for things that embody your brand and what you stand for. Bonus points if the quote is laid out to match your brand colors and vibe! Everything should go together in cohesion.
These collections are very helpful tools for your designer so that they can understand your brand and goals. They get everyone on the same page, which is also why when we start a new logo or website for a customer, we have them go through this process! No one is a mind-reader, so organizing your thoughts in a visual manner is essential to your designer being able work your goals into a finished product. Plus, it is fun! We really enjoyed curating these boards, and we hope that you will find inspiration in them, too! Happy mood-boarding!
~Chloe, Graphic Designer & Promotional Sales