28 January 2026
How to create a Mood Board
What is a mood board?
A vivid description or representation of an overall look. A mood board is a visual aid used to share thoughts, influences, and concepts for a project. It is a pictorial reference point. It is used to refer to the creation of your total look to help with the continuity and consistency.
What does it look like?
This is an arrangement of images, materials, pieces of text, etc., intended to provide an overall feel or flow to illustrate the ideas relating to your theme and document your research and influences.
Finding Inspiration
- Your mood board can be physical or digital
- Before you create your mood board, decide on a theme.
- Your theme can be anything you want, as long as it involves colour.
- Look at magazines, books, TV, films, and music videos. Maybe you have a favourite picture, painting or place. Is there a material you would like to use?
- Anything that inspires you can be used for your mood board.
Choosing a theme
Previous themes and suggestions
- Avant Garde – experimental, pushing the ‘normal’ boundaries
- Catwalk/fashion
- Historical ideas
- Famous people
- Futuristic
- Disney© characters
Other eye-catching suggestions to inspire you
- Plants
- Fantasy animals
- Seasonal events
- Holidays
Carry out research
- Internet
- Magazines
- Trade magazines
- Books
Include images with hair, makeup and nails.
