Why Moodboards Help Set the Mood for Any Project
We’ve all seen them. If you’ve worked with an interior designer, a web designer, or an event planner – you’ve more than likely been exposed to some sort of moodboard.
In real life, these can look like swatches of fabric, plants, magazine cutouts and everything in between taped or pinned to a board. In the digital world, it can look very much the same, but with the web at your disposal for all the elements you might be looking for.
What makes them so impactful?
The art of using visuals to express language.
When you’re working with a designer of some sort, or even by yourself, moodboards help connect the tissue between your idea and execution. It’s extremely helpful when there’s more than one person involved in a project to make sure you’re on the same page.
Colors
Moodboards help visualize the harmony of a color palette you’ve chosen. Whether that’s in the form or photography that uses the color values that appeal to your project or real Pantone color swatches for the exact swatch.
The temperature of the moodboard is usually defined by color. Blues, purples, and greens find their way into cooler settings. While on the other end of the color wheel, reds, oranges, and yellows tend to bring warmth into a project.
Emotion
What do you want the viewer of your moodboard to feel when they’re immersing themselves into it? Inspired? Cozy? Rustic? The emotion that your combination of color and visuals should pair together in a sense that leaves your viewer feeling the precise mood you’re designing for.
Do a few sample versions of your moodboards and ask people who are not involved in your project what they feel. What do they see? This a good gauge on what you’re creating and how it’s resonating.
Visuals
My favorite part of picking visuals is selecting a handful of elements that have nothing to do with each other, but look like they all came from the same family. They share a common element. A common light source. A common characteristic. Let your visual selection drift from subject to subject to see what you can create.
Give it a go for your next project. You can find our moodboard example inside Stagger’s templates as a starting point.
What emotion is your next moodboard going to evoke?