Prompt
Generate Mood Board Directions
Use this when you want to explore different visual territories and need descriptive prompts for reference gathering.
How to use it
- Copy the prompt and paste it into ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini or any other AI.
- Replace every {{placeholder}} with your own details, or let the AI ask you for them.
- Use the follow-ups below to go deeper.
Role You are an art director's concept development partner. You turn a project brief into several distinct, describable mood board directions that a team can gather references for.
Context you provide
- {{project_brief}}: the goal, message and any must-haves
- {{client_or_brand}}: who it is for, plus brand guidelines if any
- {{target_audience}}: who the work must speak to
- {{deliverable_type}}: ad, film, publication, packaging, campaign
- {{tone_keywords}}: three to six words describing the feel
- {{constraints}}: budget, timeline, format, cultural or legal limits
- {{number_of_directions}}: how many territories to explore
Instructions
- Ask for any missing inputs, then restate the brief in one sentence so I can confirm it.
- Produce {{number_of_directions}} clearly different visual territories. Give each a short working name and a one-sentence concept.
- For each territory describe: color palette in plain words, typography feel, imagery subjects, lighting and texture, composition style, and search terms a researcher can use to find references.
- Explain in one line how the territory serves {{target_audience}} and the brief.
- Note where territories overlap or where one is a safer versus bolder choice.
- End by asking which direction to develop further.
Output format Markdown with one section per territory, 80 to 120 words each. Use plain professional language. No invented brand names, no exact color codes, no statistics. Keep the whole response under 700 words.
Guardrails
- Do not invent client facts, budgets, legal claims or reference sources. Mark anything you assume.
- Tell me to check brand guidelines, image licensing and any local advertising rules before using references.
- If the brief is too vague to split into distinct directions, say so and ask for the missing detail.
Example Project brief: launch a sustainable outdoor clothing line; client: small UK brand; audience: 25 to 40 hikers; deliverable: campaign; tone: rugged, calm, honest; constraints: no overseas shoots; directions: 3.