What is a moodboard? Why do you need one?
If you're anything like us, we'd bet that you started making moodboards in your teenage years without even knowing it. Did you ever cut inspiring images out of your favorite magazines and paste them to a poster board or pin them on a cork board? Then yes, that's pretty much a moodboard.
Did it look like a jumbled mess or did it have a rhyme and reason? Our early moodboard making days in middle school were not good but those skills have improved over time now that we make them for a living. Well, kind of. We use moodboards to help build brands. A moodboard is a group of inspiring images, phrases, textures, patterns, type and colors that as a collection, help to develop and guide the mood of your brand. They're very helpful when trying to communicate your vision to others—especially designers.
Now that you know what one is, are you ready to make your own?
If you like to work with your hands, why not channel your inner teen, and take your now favorite (hopefully more adult) magazines, papers, fabrics, and collage them together? If that seems a little too juvenile and messy to you, how about you use the most popular mood board builder on the planet: Pinterest.
HOW WE USE MOODBOARDS
Before we start a project we ask our clients to create a Pinterest board! It is on our list of things to do before you start designing your website, or logo. We've even purposefully color categorized our own Pinterest to help people start thinking about their color palette. By creating a Pinterest board for us we're able to peek into your brain and see your vision for your brand and website. It's a great way for us to get our clients involved in the process. We'll admit that we've had discussions about eliminating the moodboard from our branding process. In some cases clients take the moodboard too literally. In the end, they are helpful and serve as a guide that really ties everything together.
Go create the moodboard of your brand's dream. Don't rush. Take your time. You might even need to walk away from it for a day or two and come back to the board with a clear head.