Mood Board
Collected references that set the look of a project
Also known as: Moodboard · Reference board · Reference collection · PureRef board · Visual reference · Inspiration board
Definition
A mood board is a collection of reference images that captures the look, color, atmosphere and style a project aims for. Concept artists and art directors build it at the start, with photographs, paintings, screenshots, materials and shapes, to agree on a direction before making art. It keeps the team's work consistent and helps explain ideas without long descriptions. PureRef is the most popular tool for assembling references on a canvas, and Pinterest and ArtStation are common sources.
In production
Organize the board by topic, such as shapes, color, materials, lighting and costume, and mark which parts of each image matter. Use references for the principles, not to copy a single image, and credit the sources if you share them. Keep reviewing the board as the project grows, and use real photographs for materials and anatomy. A focused board of a few dozen strong images beats hundreds of random ones.
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Tools that use Mood Board
See also
Concept Art
Visual design before 3D production
Color Script
Color plan for a story or a game
Design Language
The shared rules that make a world feel consistent
Photobashing
Building a concept by combining and painting over photos
Shape Language
How basic shapes communicate personality
Kitbashing
Composing detail from pre-made parts
Environment Storytelling
Telling the story of a place through its objects