Project Introduction

Once you have chosen which Project Design Brief you want to work on, it’s time to jump right into the research phase for the look & feel of the brand you are about to build. We will do this by creating a Mood Board, which will help your clients get a sense of what you want to do with the project, as well as offer a great way to get feedback directly from the client early in the branding process.

“The entire point of this project is to get your creative brain moving, and to present your take on the brief to the other designers in the room, for feedback. Once you have done your Mood Board, you will present it to the class, and talk about your choices in an open setting. This project will require research for typography, images, colors, textures, stationery, web… you name it!” – GD

If you don’t know how to get started, or have never done a Design Mood Board before, this Lynda Video titled Developing a Mood Board will give you the bare bones basics. From there, it’s up to you to be creative, and be sure that you actually seek the goals set out in the brief.

Sample Design/Brand Mood Board

Here you will see a sample project, which covers all the basics for the upcoming branding endeavor for one of the sample Project Design Briefs. My version is auto animated when embedded here in a portfolio, but would be presented by the designer for the open setting.

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Project Requirements & Helpful Links

• At a minimum, the Mood Board Slide Deck will need to cover the following design aspects (more is encouraged):
  • Colors, Textures, Patterns
  • Typography & Font Use
  • Print Inspiration & Screen/Web Inspiration
  • Logo Concepts & Inspiration
• Photos should be masked or cropped in Google Slides, not cut or trimmed beforehand in a photo editing software.
  • The Presentation should take roughly 10 minutes to present, too long or too short will reduce the grade of the project.  Allow for time to discuss your design choices with the class.
  • The Presentation should be a 16:9 Aspect Ratio, since you will be projecting it on a wide screen projector.
  • If you have forgotten the basics of Google Slides, you can use Google Drive Essential Training videos from the last section to sharpen up.
• This project needs to be what the client ASKED for in the Design Brief. How close or distant you are from the client requirement has a direct impact on your grade.

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Project Grading Rubric

The grade for this project is weighted heavily on “what the client wants” and your ability to comprehend what they requested. The design/layout of the Mood Board itself is also a large consideration for the grade of this project, and should showcase mastery of the tools used, as well as your ability to present your final product.

AMAZING 90-100	GREAT 80-89	GOOD 70-79	SUB PAR 60-69	POOR <60
You showcased an complete understanding of what the client asked for, and delivered it perfectly in all requirements.	Student was slightly off either what the client requested, or didn’t create a perfect mood board.	Student did a basic job, but not outstanding. The mood board was either off the mark or very dull.	Student followed directions, but provided poor examples of what the client wanted, or did a very poor job of designing the board.	Student did not follow directions, did not demonstrate proper use of the tools, or did not complete assignment completely.