How to create a mood board for a creative project

Do you want to learn how to create a mood board?

When I’m developing an idea for a creative project, be it something I’m writing, a room I’m decorating, or even a special outfit I want to plan, one of the first things I do is create a digital mood board. It helps with so many parts of the project; it helps me visualize the characters and aesthetics (which is important even if you’re working on a nonvisual medium), it helps me create a vibe or feeling for the piece, and it gives me something to reference when I’m feeling stuck and need to get in the right headspace to create.

So how do you create a mood board for a creative project? Let’s dive in!

Choose your medium

There are a number of ways you can go about creating a mood board. You may be picturing a piece of paper with printed photos pasted on them, or perhaps a bulletin board covered with pictures and items that represent your project. That’s absolutely an option if you have the space and resources to create a physical mood board! I personally like to create a digital mood board, since it takes less time and doesn’t take up any room in my house.

Here are a few options for places you can create your mood board:

Pinterest. You can easily create a Pinterest board and search for images that represent your story on there. There are a lot of great images already uploaded to Pinterest, or you can find your own from a site like Pexels and pin them. You’re welcome to make your board public or private. For a peek behind the curtains, here is a Pinterest board I created for a horror novel I’m working on.

Part of a moodboard for a horror novel.

Milanote. I’ve written about how great Milanote is before. This online tool is specifically designed to help you with your creative projects. Regardless of what type of project you’re working on, Milanote has options for you. I’ve used Milanote to plot out entire novels, create mood boards for screenplays, and even plan out the interior design for a new home or room makeover. Here’s a mood board for my office makeover.

Milanote has templates for mood boards for films, novels, interior design, and more. You can search the Pexels library for inspiration, or upload your own photos. You can also include Youtube videos (in case a specific song really captures the vibe of your project) or add text for inspiration.

Canva. I use Canva every day for my work, and I’m obsessed. It’s pretty easy to create a mood board on Canva; you can search for templates or make a collage from scratch. Some templates you can only access if you pay for Canva pro, but there are also free templates available. Here’s a mood board I created to help me shop for a special event that I created using a Canva pro template.

Create your mood board

Once you’ve chosen your medium, it’s time to create your mood board. Take the time to look for pictures, colors, and textures that capture the mood of your project. If you’re designing a room or an outfit, think about what items you already own and incorporate them into your mood board. If you’re planning for a film or a novel, think about the things that are important to your story; think about landscapes, characters, weather, buildings, and of course just the general mood or vibe of your story. All of the digital mood board tools I’ve listed have the capacity to search for images, but you can also look on websites like Pexels. Pexels is great because the images are free to use, which is not necessarily the case on websites like Pinterest. If you’re making a mood board for your private use that doesn’t matter, but if you plan to share it publicly you should think about the permissions of the photos you’re using.

Reference your mood board

Once you’ve created your mood board, you should revisit it throughout the course of your project. Maybe you can print it and hang it up in your workspace. Sometimes I like to make my moodboard the background of my phone or computer so that I can see it often when I’m working. Even if you don’t do those things, keep your moodboard in a place where you can reference it often. Remember, this is a way to stay inspired and keep in touch with your initial creative vision. 

As you work, your vision of the project is likely to change. If that happens, there’s no problem with creating another mood board to reflect your updated thoughts. I know when I’m writing, I learn more about the world I’m creating as I go, so sometimes I need to tweak things to keep my inspiration up to date.

Do you think you’ll try creating a mood board for your next creative project?