Have you ever found yourself in a creative rut and struggled to move past it? There is a simple solution to becoming inspired again – create a mood board!
A mood board is a single place where inspirational graphics, sketches, and ideas are gathered to help you focus on your projects art direction. By gathering this information you are essentially doing research and exploring the design aesthetic you hope to achieve. Taking the time to create a mood board will help you move past or avoid creative blocks all together.
The first time I created a mood board was when I was a little girl; my mom and I would clip out magazines together and tape them into a notebook. As I grew up I continued to make collages as an artistic outlet. The first thing I was asked to do in my University design class was to create a mood board for our project. Today I am still gathering this inspiration and research within my profession to help pitch my ideas.
When creating a mood board (like the one above) I primarily gather color schemes, typography, and graphics. I usually use sites like Pinterest or Dribbble to find my inspiration. My rule when doing research is if it fits the style I envision, save it.
Mood boards do not have limitations – anyone can make one, it does not need to look a certain way, and you can create it anyway you’re comfortable with. While I primarily use mood boards for design projects, I also occasionally make one for fashion inspiration or home decor looks. Most of the time I design digital boards but other times I collect physical inspiration, put it together, then photograph it. I usually use Adobe Illustrator to create my mood boards but don’t let that scare you away – use whatever program you understand, like Microsoft Word. Below are some great examples of different types of mood boards (especially perfect for spring).
As you can see, this is an extremely beneficial tool that always inspires creativity. Next time you find yourself stuck in a rut, try designing a mood board to help you focus and move past it. Is there anything else you tend to do when you have a creative block? Be sure to share in the comments!
