I love moodboards. They are the first thing I do whenever I start a new project, whether that is a personal one or a client one from my studio. Moodboards set the tone and manage expectations. They have the power to lay the groundwork for any creative project, especially branding. Learning how to create a brand moodboard is a key ability for any budding entrepreneur.
Seriously, moodboards are amazing! They are the first step to visualize a dream and making it a reality. It sets the tone and gets you pumped for the possibilities of your brand. The best part? There’s no wrong way to create a moodboard, in fact everyone has a different process. Some people use Pinterest boards, others create collages in Photoshop, other’s keep it simple with a grid or, if you wanna go crazy, do it the old school way by cutting and pasting images on your wall. In short, moodboards are meant to be fun.
Creating a Brand Moodboard
You need to consider a couple of things when you begin to research images. I know lots of people usually start scrolling through Pinterest but there is a little bit of strategy behind the most successful moodboards. First off you need to decide what type of moodboard will work best for you. I kind of went through the various ones you can make, just make sure the one you pick speaks to your specific needs. For example, I just created a layout for myself that includes a palette, some words and the inspirational images. Don’t worry I’m going to be walking you through this.
Step 1: Figure Out Your Brands Keywords
You want to know what kind of mood you are looking for, so before you start pulling images write down 5-10 adjectives that describe your mood. You want to do this so you have a certain tone in mind when looking through images. Then you have something to measure them against. Think of things like… is your brand modern or more organic and boho? Is it feminine and classic? Are you going for minimal or textured?
Step 2: Have a General Color Palette in Mind
Most of the time you already have a specific color palette in mind. If not, you kind of have a sense of what kind of colors you want your brand to have. Either way, its best to focus on ONE main color. This way when you are scouring for images and see the color you like paired with some others, you’ll start to slowly create a palette. So for example in the example above, the first image is an artwork with the paint strokes… My main color was pink and in that image I saw how well it balanced out with warmer hues. That image started my color palette!
Step 3: Curate Images
The fun part is starting to pull images from Pinterest (or your prefered medium). Try getting 20-30 images that you can use for inspiration. Have them in a folder so that you can look at them together. If you have Photoshop or any Adobe product bring them all in there and start playing around. I like to create a balance between all my images, making sure I have textures, photography, colors, graphics and everything in between to really set the tone. Always make sure that every image represents all your adjectives. Play around until you get to a place where it feels right.
Step 4: Make Sure Your Moodboard is Telling a Story
Once your board is done, review it. Make sure it’s starting to tell your brand story. You want there to be a very obvious theme. Meaning, all the images you selected have to tie in together seamlessly. If something doesn’t click or fit right, swap it out! If you’re still unsure, maybe try a different style of moodboard that really speaks to you. There really is no wrong way as long as in the end you feel like it truly represents the direction of your brand.
—
What’s your favorite type of moodboard? Have you ever made one? Let me know in the comments!
