Students’ Exposure, Purpose, and Perception of Mood Boards in Creative Design Process

Abstract

Mood boards are essential visual tools in the creative design process, aiding designers in organizing ideas, exploring concepts, and producing coherent visual outputs. Despite their widespread use in professional practice, students’ exposure to mood boards, their purposes of use, and perceptions of their effectiveness in learning contexts remain underexplored. This study aimed to identify the level of students’ exposure to mood boards in the creative design process, examine the purposes for which students use mood boards during creative work, and investigate students’ perceptions of mood boards as a design tool in producing creative artworks. A quantitative research design was employed, utilizing structured questionnaires to collect data from diploma students enrolled in creative design programmes, including digital art and video production. The findings reveal critical insights into students’ practices and perceptions regarding mood boards, highlighting their pivotal role in enhancing visual literacy, creativity, and supporting design consistency. These insights provide valuable guidance for educators to optimize teaching strategies and better support students’ creative development in design education.