How and Why to Create a Mood Board (free Canva template)

What the heck is a mood board?! It’s pretty much exactly what it sounds like! A mood board can be used for so many different things (think vision board, goal board, etc.) and is basically things that bring you joy or motivation into one place.

Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

What the heck is a mood board?! It’s pretty much exactly what it sounds like! A mood board can be used for so many different things (think vision board, goal board, etc.) and is basically things that bring you joy or motivation into one place.

A mood board is essential to creating your brand because it’s a starting point on what you want your brand to reflect. What colors speak out to you, what style are you leaning towards? It’s a way to get fun & creative with what you want your brand to reflect.

As a designer, I love creating mood boards for clients because it’s a way to try and capture their personalities along with what their goals are for their business and find photos that I think represent that. From there I put them into a mood board, pull some color swatches and pair fonts that I think fit those styles. Once the mood board is finalized by the client then the branding starts!

Branding should reflect your personal style (especially when you are a service based business) it speaks to potential ideal clients so they not only see what you do and what you offer but they get a taste of what to expect working with you! For example: Calm, beachy vibes might reflect into you being laid-back and go-with-the-flow person. Bright & eclectic colors might mean you are in for a party and a whole lotta fun!

A mood board sets the tone for your branding and is the ultimate essential starting point!

So how do you create a mood board? For me, I ask my clients to create a secret Pinterest board that they can share with me and have them pin any and all images that speak to them. It can be anything from home decor, outfits, party set-ups, etc. Once they are done, I scroll through them and pick out the ones that stand out to me based on their answers to my initial design questionnaire and create a mood board that I think represents them and their brand. I pull color swatches from the images and pair fonts that I think go with the overall theme of their style.

Once the mood board is finalized the fun begins with the branding!

Are you thinking about a rebrand or starting a new business but have no clue where to even start with what you want? Try creating a mood board for yourself and see what speaks to you! And when you are ready to take the plunge you have a starting point of what you want your brand to reflect.

Download my FREE Canva template for creating a mood board here.