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In the Mood - The Open College of the Arts

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In the Mood

I have to let you into a little secret, I love making Moodboards and could work on them all day – although of course in the “real world” this is not possible. Still, in lieu of this I often see some fantastic ones produced by OCA students which really lift my day, so I’m sharing them with you here.

How luscious is the one above? It was made by Julie Davis as part of her design work towards the final weaving project in Textiles 1. The mood she chose to convey  was “Opulence”;  as you can see, she started by brainstorming her thoughts, finding words which carried those associated meanings for her. This is always a really good way to start a project and a component which is often under utilised. By capturing your thoughts and feelings in words first, you can then seek out images or threads, fabrics and fibres which fulfill those same qualities – you’ve pinned down the effect you’re after. I love the way that Julie has really thought through her ideas, look at those illustrations of precious stones, they say so much about that exotic, deeply rich effect she’s after. There are pictures of exotic maidens reminiscent of the harem and sultry, Eastern nights. She’s incorporated threads and yarns which demonstrate the colours and textures those words suggest (not necessary ones she’s going to use) they’re there because they’re  evocative of that opulent feeling. The whole board is so luscious you want to rush out and buy a whole wardrobe in those colours.
So that’s a Moodboard, a board (or several pieces of large paper, or any number of other formats to go through the post) which primarily conveys a mood, a feeling. All sorts of designers use them – interior designers, fashion designer, garden designers and beyond. How then do they differ from a Storyboard? Well, the later usually tells more of a complete story, it outlines how a project or a product is going to take shape. It will often have actual samples attached, part made up pieces of the finished design and/ or examples of the actual fabrics, colours or fibres to be used. This is usually shown to a client to give them some idea of what the completed product will look like, so its often made slightly later on. These distinctions not cut and dried, there can be crossover between the two and some would say they’re not separate at all.
Back to moodboards and here is another superb example by Victoria Farmilo, it just happens to be for the same project. Victoria wanted to convey the feeling of “Solitude” in this project and gave the word a great deal of thought, starting with online research to find various definitions and meanings.
Vicki points out in her logbook that although solitude can be a wonderful luxury, it can also fall over into something more sinister. Too much time alone can turn dangerous or obsessive, plus solitary confinement is seen as a threat, not a pleasure. She wanted to convey both types, “a warm, inviting solitude which uses colour, often a warm yellow light. Bad solitude uses far less colour, less contrast, dim light, less curves and more lines”. These descriptions are so sensitively and perceptively drawn and the resulting Moodboard is equally evocative. We are lucky to work in a medium which allows us to to play with feelings and effects and Moodboards are one (non fattening) sensual pleasure in which we can endlessly indulge.


Posted by author: Trisha Goodwin

5 thoughts on “In the Mood

  • hi trish, what a beautiful pair of moodboards. I also love making them. I am on illustration level one. Spider diagrams and moodboards were a revelation to me and I use them as much as I can. I also use fabric on them to sow mood, eg “frayed2 was an adjective I was describing visually. also “childhood”.
    I often find your articles are relevant for my course, in fact I printed your last one to keep by me for reference. I admire textile students so much…..I cant thread needles and have been told i make stitches like hedge posts,,,,alright if you are illustrating a hedge.
    Thank you for your contributions. dorothy

  • I’ve done several moodboards in the past and find them a marvellous way to declutter the mind and organise thoughts. I find the visual aspect of samples and ideas, along with key words to jog the brain, enables me to move forward more clearly and decisively without becoming overwhelmed and straying from a brief.
    The two boards above evoke such different emotions and are a good inspiration to those of us travelling along the same course. Thanks so much for sharing them. Claire.

  • Lovely. Why should designers have all the fun? Moodboards could also be of use to painters and sculptors- must try it.

  • Product designers use them too. It’s good to refer to during a long project to check that you are still on track. Not only do they convey mood, but can also define customers and textural qualities. On another note, I always used to laugh at key skills external examiners trying to assess a textile student’s preparation work for Problem Solving – the mood boards were large and chunky and none of the sketch books shut!

  • Hi Trish. Thanks for posting these. You just gave me a way out of the little artistic cul-de-sac I have been finding myself in. I am trying to get started on my stitching in project 2, and have been finding it hard to distil from my sketches what I actually want to show in textile form. I think a mood board might be a good way forward. They are amazing examples – two very talented artists and an inspiration to others like myself!

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