Creating a Brand Board

A brand board is a short and easy-to-read document that includes all of the visual elements of a brand. It usually includes variations of a logo, brand colors, typography, and graphic elements such as textures, patterns, and styled imagery. There are a few reasons why you should create a brand board. For one, it will help you see how all the branding puzzle pieces match up as a whole. It also gives you something to reference so you don’t lose sight of what you’re trying to attain. It’s easy to start using another font if you’re not careful. 

Tools

You can use a variety of different tools to create a brand board; however, Canva is my go-to. Canva is a free, easy-to-use design software. I do recommend getting the paid version because then you have access to more design elements, but test it out and see for yourself before going that direction.

Board Elements

Logo Design– this is the design that will be used most often on your brand materials and should be immediately recognizable.

Color Palette– Color is ESSENTIAL to setting the mood in your branding. Pick at least 4 brand colors.

Textures + Patterns- Some brands may include textures and/or patterns. These things can make your materials more rich and sensory.

Typography- A brand’s core fonts must be kept consistent in all materials, including online graphics, printed ads, and signage. Pick at least 2 different fonts.

You can also include:

Inspiration Images- These are images that inspired your branding design.

Secondary Logo- Alternative logo styles show variations including extra elements – like your tagline! – and additional color options for your logo.

Favicon + Icon- This is a symbol that can act as a shorthand for your full logo. You sometimes see these in the graphic image (icon) associated with a particular website (known as Favicon).