It’s a common misconception – perpetuated by pop culture – that most of us have ideas that thrust themselves into our minds fully formed. The ‘eureka moment’ is something that a lot of people talk about, but the reality is that this isn’t how most of us have our best ideas. Rather for the majority of us, ideas tend to gradually formulate in our minds over a long period of time and ‘gestate’ for days, months or even years before emerging fully formed. And even when we do have those light-bulb moments where we have a brilliant idea suddenly emerge in our minds – we won’t always recognize it as such without further rumination.
Most great ideas then start life as throwaway thoughts (‘wouldn’t it be great if… ‘) or just little concepts (‘a pen that’ not just a pen… hmm… ‘) but don’t develop until they’ve been mulled over for a while in our mind or bounced off a few other people who contribute further to the concept.
In other words, you probably already have a few of those amazing brainstorms lurking in the recesses of your brain, but just require further rumination to make them into something that could make a lot of money, change your life or perhaps change the world. Which is why it’s so useful to have a method that can help you conceptualise and develop them.
The Mood Board
This is where the mood board comes in – a fantastic tool for coming up with ideas and for developing our thought processes that is commonly employed in the world of art and design. When many artists or designers embark on a new project they will begin with a mood board which will basically be a collage made up of colours, images, words, textures, photos and items that inspire them and that help to set the tone for their intended artistic direction. This then allows them to start to ‘zero in’ on the design traits and the elements they want to use, as well as to communicate to the rest of their team or to their commissioners what their intended direction is.
If you have any kind of idea or project you’re working on, you can employ a similar strategy in order to start to organize your thoughts and visualize your perhaps abstract ideas. For instance, if you want to design a new entrepreneurial project to sell you could create a mood board using photographs of similar devices, using sketches of your mechanical ideas, and using thought balloons describing the current challenges you’re facing.
Likewise if you just want to use your mood board around the home and your personal life then it can similarly be a great way to start getting ideas for where you want to go on holiday and how you want that holiday to pan out, or for your interior design when you’re remodelling the kitchen or coming up with new colour schemes and layouts for your bedrooms. A mood board can even be a great gift if you use it to ‘capture’ the feeling you have for someone or the time you’ve spent together by using emotive words, photographs and sketches of shared interests.
For Personal Development
The mood board can also be a useful exercise when it comes to personal development, and is perfect for visualizing where you want to be in several years’ time or finding what’s currently wrong in your life.
For instance, if you are looking for a new career or ways to find more direction in your life, then you can use a mood board in order to collect images that you find inspiring, people you look up to, or professionals you envy to try and get a feel for the direction you want your life to head in. Likewise if you aren’t currently satisfied with your current situation you could make a mood board of your life as it is now in order to find the things that you aren’t happy with and that need improvement.
Either way, by creating a mood board it’s possible to start to grasp abstract feelings or intentions so that you can come up with more concrete plans and goals. It’s a lot of fun too putting your dreams down on paper in this visual way, so get to it!
AuthorAdam Sinicki720 posts
Adam Sinicki is a full time writer who spends most of his time in the coffee shops of London. Adam has a BSc in psychology and is an amateur bodybuilder with a couple of competition wins to his name. His other interests are self improvement, general health, transhumanism and brain training. As well as writing for websites and magazines, he also runs his own sites and has published several books and apps on these topics.
FAQs
Mood boards are great when you're creating designs for yourself as they will keep you on track and accountable. They are also fantastic when you're working with a client because it gives your client a visual representation of where you're going to head with your designs.
What are the disadvantages of mood board? ›
Moodboards lack realism. By piecing together static images from different sources, the interior designer is unable to bring all of the elements together to make the space feel realistic.
Can a mood board be only used for your own inspiration? ›
Mood boards help establish a strong foundation
While many assume mood boards are used as visual inspiration for creative projects, they can also be used for things like competitor analysis(opens in a new tab or window).
What's the difference between a mood board and a vision board? ›
Though similar, vision boards and mood boards are not one and the same. A vision board relates to your life direction, says Larry. A mood board, on the other hand, is more of a planning tool used for aesthetics—decorating a room or planning a party scheme, for example.
Why do people use moodboards? ›
Mood boards are used early in the design process of a new product or when substantially revising an existing product. For example, they might be created during the Define or Ideate phases in the design-thinking cycle. They help gather consensus on the style of the visuals before designers begin working on prototypes.
What are the pros and cons of moodboards? ›
Pros: A visual approach is likely the fastest, most client-efficient way to showcase design concepts. Mood boards not only save time but allow a more seamless flow of communication between your team and clients. Cons: Unlike other more robust processes, mood boards don't show the detailed timeline of an end project.
Do interior designers use mood boards? ›
As a residential interior designer, one of the most valuable tools you can have in your arsenal is a mood board. By creating a mood board before starting any project, you can help your clients visualize the end result and ensure everyone involved is on the same page.
Are mood boards legal? ›
Agencies May Draw Raw Inspiration from Mood Boards
The court's ruling could be interpreted as giving design agencies the freedom to draw inspiration from mood boards when the inspiration can be described as ideas belonging to the public domain.
What should be included in a moodboard? ›
A mood board typically includes a combination of images, texts, photographs, and textures to explore and present an idea in a way that words alone cannot. However, these design elements are not standalone features on a board. Instead, these components combine to tell a cohesive story about a vision.
What are two purposes of a mood board? ›
Digital mood boards allow you to evaluate and provide feedback on a design idea when multiple people are involved in the project; feedback is instant, whether you like or dislike a certain vision or aesthetic. Physical mood boards allow you to sample patterns, textures, materials and fabric in person.
HomeBoard is the best tool to create mood boards, making it easy to design your home. HomeBoard is a useful tool for interior designers as it allows them to visually communicate the overall aesthetic and design direction for a specific project or space.
Who might use a mood board? ›
Graphic designers, interior designers, industrial designers, photographers, user interface designers and other creative artists use mood boards to visually illustrate the style they wish to pursue.
What are the two types of mood board? ›
There are two types of ad mood boards: digital or physical. It's completely up to you and your working style to choose the one that best fits your marketing campaigns.
What are the 4 components of a mood board? ›
A mood board typically includes a combination of images, texts, photographs, and textures to explore and present an idea in a way that words alone cannot. However, these design elements are not standalone features on a board. Instead, these components combine to tell a cohesive story about a vision.
Do architects use mood boards? ›
Mood boards are an integral part of the design process for architects, as these visual collages can provide a comprehensive overview of all the elements that need to be taken into account.
Do fashion designers use mood boards? ›
Before designing your garments, the images and objects on the board will help you steer in the right direction. The fashion mood board also helps you communicate your ideas and give you the same visual reference with your team. The fashion industry is enormous, with hundreds of thousands of brands.
