Branding Building Blocks: Craft a Compelling Moodboard

Ever wondered what the building blocks of a branding project is? If your mind went straight to logos, then think again! This class taught by Khadija El Sharawy, takes a deep dive into one of the most essential parts of the design process: the brand moodboard! This class is not just designed to guide you to creating a compelling and cohesive moodboard for your brand but also contains all the necessary steps before it. Join your instructor Khadija as she takes you through a fictional client branding process using a fictional brief packed with real-world tips to prepare and shape you into a confident and strategic brand designer. What will I learn in this class? * An understanding of why moodboards are important and strategic for any branding process * A detailed and thorough questionnaire example of what questions to ask a client before beginning a project * How to build an air-tight brief and strategy extracted from the questionnaire answers * A walk-through and insights on how to find and hunt for visual references using specific guidelines and categories * How to compile, filter and fine-tune your visual references on Adobe Illustrator * Using my specific format, you'll learn how to build your moodboard and visually manipulate your references * How to put it in a presentation format and tips on presenting to a client What tools do I need for this class? 1. Adobe Illustrator (this is where we'll construct the moodboard) 2. Adobe Photoshop (optional; it's mainly to manipulate your photo references if need be) 3. Keynote (I use this to present my work, but it's optional; you can stay and export straight off of Adobe Illustrator.) Who is this class for? This class is open to all levels of designers. Whether you're a beginner designer or a working professional, this class will not just help you learn and polish your moodboard curation skills but it will also teach you how to strategically build a brief and a strategy for a brand which will completely transform your design process. Why should you take this class? Being a skillful designer is only half the work. Great designers are also great strategists. This class will serve as an essential foundation to your design skills by being able to understand a brand, how to dissect keywords from a client, compile a brief and build a strategic visual moodboard. This class will leave you feeling more confident as a designer. Instructor bio: Khadija “Dija” El Sharawy is a British-Egyptian freelance graphic designer based in Cairo. After three years at a leading branding agency, she launched her solo career in 2020, specializing in brand identities, packaging design, and animation. Her work blends creativity with storytelling, bringing brands to life in meaningful and dynamic ways. Notable clients include Coca-Cola, where she designed limited edition cans. Passionate about both branding and motion design, Dija loves sharing her skills and creative journey to inspire and support other designers as they grow their craft.