Design a Brand Identity: Create Unique Color Palettes using Mood Boards

Create Unique Color Palettes using Mood Boards is the 5th class in my Design a Brand Identity series. This class will take you through the step-by-step process I use to develop color palettes for clients using a mood board.

Following Ask the Right Questions, Write an Airtight Creative Brief, Create a Compelling Mood Board, and Stand Out from the Crowd, this class will continue to take you through the overarching design process I follow when designing brand identity projects for my clients.

You are not required to take any of the other classes. Even though this class is part of a series, it was designed to also work well as a standalone class.

Who this class is for:

As with all of my classes, I've created this course with designers in mind, but the material is accessible even if you don't have any design experience at all.

Some previous knowledge of branding and the design process would be helpful, but it's not a prerequisite.

Here's what you'll learn:

• How a color palette is structured
• The three main categories of color and how they're used
• How to use a mood board to create a color story
• How to translate a color story into a color palette
• How to narrow down multiple palette options into one signature color palette

You'll need a few things to get started:

1. A client or project that you intend to develop a color palette for. This can be a pretend or dream client — it doesn't have to reflect a real life project!
2. A mood board that accurately represents the visual direction for that project.
3. A design program that allows you to do a couple of things:
   • Draw boxes for your color swatches.
   • Sample colors from your mood board.

I'll be demonstrating with Illustrator, but you could use Photoshop or any other app you prefer instead.

After completing this course, you'll leave with a few things:

1. A unique and purposeful color palette for your own client or personal project.
2. Working knowledge of the 4 steps I use to create color palettes using a mood board.
3. A general understanding of how creating color palettes fits into my overarching brand identity design process.

• Getting Started
• Color Palette Structure
• Create Your Color Story
• Cull and Categorize Your Swatches
• Build Your Color Palette Options
• Refine and Finalize Your Color Palette
• More Examples & Next Steps