Before introducing a new clothing line, many fashion designers give their buyers and suppliers an overall impression of the image they want to portray. They often do this through a collage method called “mood boards.” A fashion mood board may contain cutouts from books or magazines, key words or phases, fabric swatches, music selections, and much more. Any sensory item that gives the viewer an idea of the designer’s direction is attached to the mood board.

In scrapbooking, you can use this same image-collage technique to determine your own style which will help you design and construct your layouts

Making Your Mood Board

1.      To begin, flip through some of your favorite magazines (general living, fashion, home design, etc.). Find pictures that appeal to you or represent your personal taste. They don’t have to make sense or even fit together. You don’t even have to understand why a certain picture appeals to you. If it makes an impression or elicits a positive response, tear it out.

2.      Next, look for colors, embellishments, techniques, or any other sensory items that please you. You may want to pick your favorite song or download a sample of your favorite fonts. Be creative with what you use to pull together as you work at discovering your own style.

3.      When you are through collecting, fasten each item onto an appropriately sized piece of cardboard or a bulletin board in collage form. 

4.      Finally, study your work. It’s okay if your mood board doesn’t feel quite complete yet. Analyze what you have.  What impressions or moods do the grouped items give you? Is there a general theme to your style? Can you narrow or even pinpoint your idea of beauty? What colors do you prefer? Figure out what your mood board is telling you. 

This lesson was taken from A Scrapbooker’s Guide #1: Scrapbooking Fundamentals (An Instant Downloadable E-Book). To purchase a copy today, click here. Use coupon code ART151 and get 10% off the already-low sale price.