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Agency Dictionary

mood board

nounPronunciation: /ˈmuːd bɔːrd/

In Portuguese: mood board

What does “mood board” mean?

A panel of images, colours, textures and type samples gathered to show the visual direction and the atmosphere intended for a project before it is designed.

Etymology

A compound of mood and board, both from Old English. Mood comes from Old English mod (mind, spirit, disposition, heart); board comes from Old English bord (flat plank or surface). The compound mood board is a modern coinage from the design and advertising industries, referring to a collage of images, colors, and textures assembled to communicate a visual or emotional direction.

Synonyms

  • inspiration board
  • reference board

Word family

  • mood
  • board

Rhymes with

  • cord
  • lord
  • sword
  • ford

Usage examples

  • Art directors often present and pitch visual concepts, mood boards, and design proposals to the creative directors and stakeholders, effectively communicating the artistic rationale and potential impact.

    Design.3 - The Disciplines of Design

Source editions

Where this entry comes from in the Agency editorial.

Words of the same theme

Buttonnoun
A physical or graphical control element that triggers an immediate action or command when pressed or clicked. In software interfaces, buttons communicate system affordances through visual boundaries and labels.
recipientnoun
The person who receives something. In communication, the one to whom a message is addressed and who interprets it, as opposed to the sender who composes it.
Superfluousadjective
Exceeding what is sufficient, necessary, or useful.
iconnoun
A simplified image that represents a thing by resembling it. In semiotics, a sign that signifies through likeness; in digital interfaces, a small picture that stands for an object or a function.
Screennoun
A flat physical display surface on an electronic device that projects visual images, interfaces, and text to a viewer. It serves as the primary visual output medium for modern personal computers and mobile phones.
symbolismnoun
The use of symbols to represent ideas or qualities, and the set of meanings that a form, an image or an object carries beyond its literal sense.
Desaturationnoun
The progressive loss or removal of chromatic intensity, rendering a color closer to a neutral gray.

Also from these editions: terms

Typographynoun
The art and technique of arranging type to make written language legible, readable, and visually appealing. It encompasses typeface selection, point size, line spacing, tracking, and spatial kerning.
wireframenoun
A skeletal visual guide that outlines the basic structure, hierarchy, and functionality of a user interface.
stakeholdernoun
A person or group with an interest in a project or an organization and affected by its results, such as clients, managers, investors or users.
Rendernoun
A finished two-dimensional image or video generated from a three-dimensional mathematical scene by computer software. It synthesizes geometric coordinates, lighting algorithms, textures, and shading into final pixels.
pain pointnoun
A specific problem, difficulty or frustration that a person experiences when using a product or a service, and that design or marketing sets out to solve.
briefingnoun
A concise set of instructions or background information provided to guide a project or creative assignment.
Mjolnirnoun
In Norse mythology, the hammer of the god Thor, forged by dwarfs and known for its short handle. It is the weapon with which he defends gods and humans.
Iterationnoun
The repetition of a process or procedure in order to generate an improved version or achieve a desired outcome.
Machiningnoun
A manufacturing process in which a raw material block is shaped into a final geometric part by controlled material removal. It employs cutting tools, lathes, and mills to achieve exact engineering tolerances.
Portfolionoun
A curated collection of creative work, technical projects, or artistic samples assembled to showcase a designer's competence.
Prototypenoun
An early preliminary model of a product from which subsequent forms and manufactured copies are developed and refined.
Storyboardnoun
A sequence of illustrated panels and captions used to pre-visualize a motion picture, animation, or commercial narrative. It outlines camera angles, character movements, and scene timings before filming or animation begins.

Also from these editions: concepts

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Cite this entry

“mood board”. Agency Wiki, Agency Brasil. Published on November 11, 2026. https://www.agencybrasil.com/en/wiki/dictionary/mood-board