Guide
Build a mood board that guides all design
A 1-page visual reference that keeps every future design consistent.
Start a Pinterest board or Figma frame
Pinterest for quick collecting, Figma for structured layout. Either works. Skip Canva mood board templates, they lock you into someone else's aesthetic.
Collect 30 to 50 images across 4 categories
1) Colours (photography, textures, art), 2) Typography (posters, book covers, packaging), 3) Photography style (product shots, portraits), 4) Textures and patterns.
Delete anything you're 'meh' about
Ruthlessly cut down to 15 to 20 images. Only the ones that give you a visceral 'yes'. A cluttered mood board is a useless mood board.
Extract 5 colours across the mood board
Use coolors.co image picker. Pull 3 to 5 dominant colours. These become your brand palette. Never randomly pick from a colour wheel, always extract from imagery.
Identify 2 typography styles
One serif or display font (headlines), one sans-serif (body). Look at 3 to 5 mood board images with type and identify the style: geometric? Humanist? Playful?
Add 2 to 3 words that describe the mood
'Warm, editorial, unhurried.' Or 'Bold, direct, industrial.' Three adjectives you'd use in a designer briefing. Attach to the mood board.
Reference on every design decision
New Instagram post? Check mood board. New product page? Check mood board. New email template? Check mood board. This is what creates 'brand'.
That’s the whole thing.
Keep going
What to read next
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- 02
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The 7-step process to a simple, timeless logo, no design degree needed.
- 03
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Write your brand story (About page)
An About page people actually read, the second most-visited page on your site.