Monday, March 28, 2016

Designing a Moodboard


Moodboards, vision boards, inspiration boards... I'm sure you've heard of one or all of these terms, especially when it comes to establishing your brand's visuals. So what exactly is a moodboard, why do you need one, and how do you even go about creating one? Let's find out!

WHAT IS A MOODBOARD?

A moodboard does just what it says: it sets the mood for your project with the use of photos, colors, typography, textures and patterns. All these items together will help you, or your client, get a better sense of the direction you want to go when it comes to your design. They ca be used for logos, a brand or rebrand, a website, interior design, etc., the possibilities of it's many uses are endless.

As a designer it helps to keep me on track by providing a visual point of reference throughout the design process. If I'm working with a client, I involve them in the process, this way i know we are both on the right page, and if they like the moodboard it's very likely that they will love the finished design whatever it may for.

Keep in Mind: The idea behind a moodboard is not to copy design elements right from it but to figure out what design aesthetic you are most attracted to and use that as inspiration for creating your own visuals.



WHERE TO FIND A MOODBOARD TEMPLATE?

You can do a quick google or Pinterest search to find plenty of free templates. You can also find them in Canva for a small fee or you could save an image of one and upload it as a Canva background, and use it as a foundation for you to add images on top of.



HOW TO CREATE A MOODBOARD?


Step 1: Gather Images

My favorite way to gather images for a moodboard is through Pinterest. You can search for images featuring any color, pattern, texture, font style, photographs, etc. and pin them to a board.

A lot of times, especially when you are not 100% sure of the direction you want to go, you'll be able to see a pattern emerge in your pins. Gather anywhere from 15-30 images and this will lead you to the next step.

Step 2: Eliminate

Go over all the images you have collected and start eliminating that ones that aren't a perfect fit. Pick out 1 or 2 of your favorites, the ones that have ALL or close to all the elements that embody the look and feel you wish your board to have. Then go through the rest of the images keeping the ones that have that same feel in style, colors, patterns, etc., and remove the rest.

Also keep in mind the layout of your moodboard, be sure to save images that are vertical or horizontal so you have a variety to pick from when doing the final layout.

Step 3: Organize

Now it's time to organize all those images. First you'll notice the colors, and depending on the moodboard you've chosen, select between 3-6 colors that stand out the most from your images.

Then start moving your images around. Place paint chips next to photos and texture next to flat color blocks, just keep moving them and organizing until you find an overall layout that you like.

If you find an image that just doesn't sit well with you, it probably doesn't belong, always follow your gut, it's usually right.

Step 4: Save and Share

Now that you're done with your moodboard, save it and share it on Instagram, Pinterest, or on your blog. They are a lot of fun to design and very simple to put together!



Design Prompt #003 - Designing a Moodboard

This week I want you to create a moodboard for your brand, or any other project that you are currently working on and share it with the group.

If you are a creative boss that wants to learn some basic graphic design skills, join my Facebook group (The Life of a Graphic Designer) to get design tips, tutorials, and advice on everything relating to graphic design and printing as it pertains to your business!

Hope you enjoyed this tutorial, and I'll see you next week with more design information you can easily apply to your business today!

Love,


P.S. If you are in need of professional graphic design work, please feel free to visit my website at www.corpimg.net!

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