Use case
Build brand mood boards with AI
Brand projects stall when people cannot agree on words like modern, warm or premium. A mood board turns adjectives into pictures that a client can point at. Generation produces custom imagery in each direction, rather than a collage of stock photos from other brands, so the conversation is about your future identity and not about someone else’s.
Why this approach works
- Showing two or three clearly different directions makes decisions faster than discussing one in the abstract.
- Custom imagery can include your actual product category, audience and setting, which stock collages never do.
- Boards are cheap to redo, so feedback becomes an iteration instead of a restart.
Step-by-step workflow
- 1
Gather the brief in five words
Collect the audience, the product, three brand adjectives and what to avoid. Write them down; every board should be judged against this brief.
- 2
Define two or three directions
Name each direction with a short title and a one-line description, such as Quiet Craft or Bold Pop. Make sure they are genuinely different in palette and mood.
- 3
Generate six to nine images per direction
Mix image types: a product or scene, a texture, a portrait, a detail and an environment. Use the same palette words in every prompt of one direction.
- 4
Compose the boards
Arrange the best images in a grid with varied sizes, add a swatch row of five colours and three keywords. Keep one board per direction for a fair comparison.
- 5
Collect feedback and narrow down
Ask the client to pick favourite images, not favourite boards. Combine their picks into one refined direction and regenerate only what is missing.
Recommended models
| Model | Role | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| SeedDream v4.5 | Rich colour and design-led compositions. | 1 / image |
| Gemini 3 Pro | Photographic realism for lifestyle and product scenes. | 5 / image |
| Nano Banana 2 | Quick volume for textures and details. | 3 / image |
| FLUX Schnell | Instant sketches to test a direction. | 1 / image |
Example prompts
Lifestyle photograph of hands shaping a ceramic bowl in a bright studio, natural linen apron, warm oatmeal and clay palette, soft window light, shallow depth of field, calm and authentic, editorial photography.
Graphic still life of a ceramic bowl on a saturated cobalt block, hard flash light, sharp pink shadow, playful geometric shapes around it, high contrast, pop editorial style.
Macro texture of hand-glazed ceramic in warm oatmeal with tiny speckles and a soft matte finish, top-down view filling the whole frame, even light, subtle natural imperfections.
What a mood board round costs
Three directions of nine images each, with five sketches per direction and four hero shots upgraded.
| Item | Model | Qty | Credits each | Subtotal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sketches | FLUX Schnell | 15 | 1 | 15 |
| Board images | Nano Banana 2 | 27 | 3 | 81 |
| Hero shots | Gemini 3 Pro | 4 | 5 | 20 |
| Total per board round | 116 credits |
| Plan | Allowance | Per board round | Of monthly credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starter (€15) | 100 credits | €17.40 | 116% |
| Pro (€35) | 300 credits | €13.53 | 39% |
| Business (€89) | 900 credits | €11.47 | 13% |
Refinement rounds cost less because you regenerate only what the client rejected. Price your own mix with the video cost calculator.
Frequently asked questions
Is a mood board the same as a logo?
- No. A mood board sets direction for tone, colour and imagery. Logos and wordmarks are designed afterwards in a vector tool.
How many directions should I show a client?
- Two or three. More creates indecision and fewer gives no real choice. Make sure each is clearly different.
Can I extract a colour palette from the board?
- Yes. Use a colour picker on the strongest images and pick five tones: two base, two supporting and one accent. Test them for contrast before adopting them.
Related use cases
- E-commerce product photosTurn one plain product shot into a full catalogue of lifestyle and studio images.
- Fashion lookbooksShow a garment on consistent models, in several settings, without a studio day.
- Real estate virtual stagingFurnish empty rooms, test styles and add a walkthrough clip for property listings.
- Game concept artExplore characters, environments and props quickly, then lock a visual direction for your game.
- Course and ebook visualsCreate covers, lesson illustrations and promo clips for online courses, ebooks and digital products.
Start your Brand mood boards workflow
Subscribe, open the studio and run the first step of this workflow with the recommended model.
Start creatingA subscription is required before generating. Plans from €15/month, cancel anytime.