When I was younger I was always cutting out words and images from magazines, saving logo hangtags from clothes (ESPRIT was a fave), and collecting scraps of cool wrapping paper. I would glue them after arranging them by color or subject. I did not know then that was the beginning of becoming a “graphic designer.” Or that now that is what is referred to as a mood board or inspiration panel. I always have several in the works. The one that is in my design office is 40” by 112” and actually I don’t change it, just layer on top, all my favorites with greens (shown below). The one in my art studio is more the rainbow and filled with artist work. Then a final one I change seasonally. When I taught, students were always drawn to the diverse array of objects! From my daughters’s drawings to a vespa illustrated bottle cap top to a restaurant napkin, anything is fair game! This arrangement of images, materials, pieces of text, etc. always evokes a memory or sparks my imagination. It is also a good tool for starting the design process on a new project.
