Creative thinking isn’t just for people in traditionally “creative” industries. Here’s how you can incorporate mood board planning into your workflow and get a creative boost.
Even the most stuffy and traditional industries sometimes require a moment of creative vision. But when you don’t usually get creative at work, it can be hard to tap into that side of yourself when the moment calls for it. Even if you work as a creative all day, every day, you might sometimes find yourself hitting a brick wall your inspiration just can’t seem to punch through.
That’s where mood boards come in. Though they might sound like a middle school craft project, mood boards are a time-tested way to get things done. From fashion designers to tech CEOs, countless professionals can benefit from making a mood board.
Wondering how mood boards work, and how you can use them to achieve your own goals? Let’s break it down.
What Is a Mood Board?
A mood board is a collage created with a specific purpose in mind. It’s a gathering of words, photos, fonts, drawings, textures, and colors, collected and presented either physically or digitally. The name “mood board” comes from the tradition of using foam board as the medium. But today, websites like Instagram and Pinterest make it easy to create online mood boards.
The goal of a mood board is to pull together a concept visually. For example, a party planner might make a few mood boards to show clients some potential party themes. An entrepreneur might create one to get a clear idea of how to represent her brand. A traveler might use a mood board to plan what he wants to do on an upcoming vacation.
Mood boards are used most often by photographers, interior designers, graphic designers, and fashion designers. But they can be useful for many other purposes. If you’re not a creative type, the idea of making a mood board might sound silly. But successful individuals in many industries have used them, so don’t dismiss the power of mood boarding.
Why Should You Make One?
What are the benefits of representing an idea, concept, or plan in this way? Here are some of the top reasons to give mood boarding a try:
- To get your brain unstuck: Most of us have been there: we have a project to start, but just can’t seem to get the ideas flowing. The process of making a mood board can help you get your brain into that relaxed, creative state where your best work comes from. Instead of staring at a blank screen or page, you can spark the inspiration you need to move forward.
- To communicate better with clients: If you need to present your work to clients, a mood board can help ensure they’re on board with the idea before you move forward. For example, if you design websites, you can use a mood board to show your client the concept before you design the website. If they don’t like it, you haven’t lost much time and energy, and you can easily make a few more mood boards until you hit the right concept.
- To communicate better with coworkers: When you work with a team, there are often painful “lost in translation” moments when you try to explain your ideas. If you and your coworkers share your ideas with mood boards, though, it ensures you all see the same vision.
- To refine your vision: If you think you have some good ideas for a project but aren’t quite sure how to pull them together, a mood board can help. Placing the different elements next to each other can help you see more clearly what works and what doesn’t. Plus, as you work through all the little challenges of pulling a big project together, a mood board can help you stay focused on the final goal.
- To save time: At first, when you make a mood board, you might feel like you’re wasting precious “project” time. But if you collect and refine your thoughts in this way, and then share them with everyone else involved, it saves time by reducing mistakes and miscommunications.
- To help you enjoy your work: When you work on a big project, it’s often exhausting. With a mood board, you can inject an element of creative fun into the process. It can remind you to take joy in what you do, and keep you moving forward, even when it gets hard.
How to Make a Mood Board
Now, let’s look at how to harness this focus and create a mood board.
