ORIGINS OF MOODBOARDS

Background and purpose of moodboards in design

A moodboard is a type of collage of images gathered together to convey an idea, a style, a concept that a designer is aiming for in a project. Pinterest is an excellent example of an online moodboard-based social media application. A moodboard is like a painter’s palette - a space for workings or premixing of colours to decide what’s going to be used on the final canvas (design). A fashion or interior designer would use moodboards as a collection of themes, colours and fabrics for example.

Putting feelings, thoughts or events onto a surface with paint or image has been around for a long time, probably beginning with the cave paintings of cavemen, usually after a hunt or battle. Egyptian tomb walls are another example; images depicting the person’s life, their character and what they imagine they will encounter in the afterlife. A moodboard is a valuable tool used to put all ideas in one place in order to visually stimulate the design process and be referred back to for inspiration. When it comes to a client or team pitch, a visual expression of the style you’re going for can be understood much more easily than an audio description; a visual description is needed for a visual industry.