Art Director how-to

How to Create a Mood Board

Mood boards align teams on the look.

Updated By the Career Education Institute Curriculum Team
Quick answer

Mood boards align teams on the look. In short: review; collect; group, then complete the remaining steps below.

Step by step

  1. Review the creative brief.

  2. Collect images, colors and type.

  3. Group by theme.

  4. Remove weak or off-brand items.

  5. Add notes.

  6. Present and get feedback.

Safety reminders for art directors

  • Manage team workload to prevent burnout
  • Respect licensing for images and fonts
  • Follow set safety on shoots
  • Protect client confidentiality

Concept · Mood board · Brand identity · Creative brief · Comp · Copywriter: see the full art director glossary.

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