Moodboard

Pictured above is an example of information visualization known as a "moodboard," which is defined by Oxford Languages as "an arrangement of images, materials, pieces of text, etc. intended to evoke or project a particular style or concept." In this case, I have used a moodboard as a means to uniquely conceptualize the story of Maria's adoption. Many of the images above serve a logical purpose in explaining the story of Maria's adoption, while others were included for their artistic and aesthetic value. Included in the moodboard is a photo of my parents holding Maria shortly after she was placed in their care. To the right of this picture is a digitized version of Maria's (belated) birth and adoption announcement. Truth be told, this small piece of paper actually dictated the color scheme of the entire moodboard. The pinks and greens throughout the entire composition were all inspired by the colors in this announcement. Furthermore, there is a small piece of paper in the lower left hand corner with the word "adoption" typed on it. The vintage map of Chicago serves as a reminder of Maria's city of birth. The capital "M" next to this map is symbolic of three names: Maribeth, Mark, and Maria. The plant, newspaper, stamp, and fabric swatches provide the moodboard a unifying artistic element.

Despite the attractive nature of moodboards, this form of information visualization does have its drawbacks. It would be difficult for someone who is unfamiliar with this story to understand this moodboard due to its limited information. A complete stranger might be able to gather that a young couple adopted a baby in 1998; any details beyond the basics are absent. For the purpose of this project, however, I found that a moodboard was both engaging and sensible. The overall composition of this moodboard is also reflective of the positive light in which Maria views her adoption story. The pastel colors and floral imagery evoke a sense of serenity and contentment. This, when combined with the basic information of Maria's adoption, reflects the overall pleasant nature of this aspect of our family history. In all, I'm very pleased with the results of this moodboard, and I hope I've done artistic justice to a topic close to my heart.