The mood board is a visual device that has become synonymous with my process and style. Over the last 15 years I’ve used it as a playground, map, and mirror. I’m looking back on the evolution of my mood boarding and I’m proud of the way I’ve invited change while retaining my voice.

I love the weird shape the cutout puffy shirt makes on the bottom left and the doodles. Paper, glue stick, ballpoint pen, and magazine clippings.

Original caption from my old blogspot read: “Once a desert girl always a desert girl. Inspiration for my new collection piece that will be revealed Monday. Have a rowdy weekend.” How true it is. Here I am, a desert girl once again. Having the rowdiest of weekends with my two wild coyotes.

This served as an exercise in unlocking a recipe of using different mediums (type, illustration, photos, products) to create my own fictitious characters. These characters became the basis for a line of wedding stationery I sold around the country. Later, I riffed off these character boards and created Pinterest boards for each of my characters (example: early Quimby mood board + later Quimby Pinterest board). I began mixing my illustrations and type lockups into the mood boards. While I didn’t know this term, they served as art direction for the designs.

MaeMae was originally MaeMae Paperie—a wedding and social stationery company 🙂

I layered numbers over my mood boards to give credit for all sources. When possible, I give credit for the images in my mood boards out of respect (and legal duty!) to other creatives anytime I share a mood board publicly. I do not list credit when sharing inspiration images internally (to a client or creative team member).

This history was originally shared in MOODBRD:NEWSLTR. If you’re not on my email list, subscribe below!