Design Technique 5: Mood Boards
About two years ago Andy Clarke proposed the idea on his blog – inherited in front of the television – that maybe mood boards would be useful as a design tool. Its one of those techniques I instinctively liked because you can simply explain what you want to the client and send them home to do the work – and you get a design artefact you can use! So how do you go about using a design board in your process?
In short its up to your client as its their board. Having seen this technique used you really have to give the client control over what they choose to paste onto it – magazine clippings, material, headings in certain fonts and anything they feel is akin to their taste (watch out for that pasted teddy bear ear with dripping goats blood). There isn’t really a wrong answer on their part.
Key to the process of mood boards is the buy in of the client. They need to feel they have some ownership in the following process (of your work) so you might have to be prepared to compromise a little. Its definately not for everyone or for every job. But it does offer a small window into the clients mind – likes and dislikes – and can open a completely new dialogue. Its more about getting a feel for how they see the world. Plus its actually one thing that a client may just take up.
In some ways the hardest part of responding to a brief is in reacting to what is between the lines. The mood board is of some assistance in that direction.
August 13th, 2007 at 3:24 pm
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