From moodboard to mayhem: The Smutorium designing process

(Or: how I turn music, vibes and a bit of chaos into actual designs)

Every now and then, a client will ask about my process. Not in a “tell me your secrets” kind of way. More like how did you take my vague, slightly feral brief and turn it into something that actually looks like me?

So here it is. The Smutorium method. A bit of instinct, a bit of Slavic tea (black, no milk), and a lot of trial and error until it just feels right.

Whether I’m working on a book cover, zine layout, or brand visuals for a creative business, the process always starts with feeling. It’s not linear. It’s not tidy. But it works.

Step 1: Feeling the brief

Before I open a design file, I open Apple Music or Spotify.

Music is how I tune into the emotional tone of a project. Whether it’s moody and intimate, loud and messy, soft and dreamlike or sharp as glass, I start by making a playlist. I want to get into the emotional space the client’s work lives in.

No moodboards yet. No fonts or colours. Just the right kind of sound in my ears until I can feel the atmosphere the design needs to hold.

That gut feeling becomes the foundation for everything else.

Step 2: Scavenging for chaos (a.k.a. moodboarding)

Once the vibe is set, I start pulling visuals. Not perfect references. Just pieces. Textures. Typefaces. Film stills. Old scans. Dusty design fragments that catch on something.

My moodboards are layered and messy. There’s no strict logic. I’m looking for sparks. Things that match the emotional tone, not just the aesthetic.

I also have aphantasia, which means I can’t visualise anything in my head. So I don’t see designs per se. I have to build them, physically, on screen. I find them by doing, not by thinking about it.

That’s why this stage is active. I collect and create at the same time. If it feels off, I move on. If it clicks, I keep it.

Step 3: Moulding

Once I’ve got a chaotic pile of bits that feel right, I start shaping it into something real.

This part is messy. I’ll try an idea, hate it, delete it, start again, then somehow come back to something I did two hours earlier. It’s not a straight line. But eventually, it starts to form its own logic.

I keep the elements that carry weight and throw out anything that doesn’t serve the energy of the piece. I don’t aim for perfection. I aim for believability – that feeling when it just clicks into place and looks like it was always meant to exist.

I don’t copy references. I digest them and make something entirely my own.

Step 4: Making it cohesive

Once the main visual is solid, I build out the rest. That could mean covers, teaser graphics, social templates, branding assets –  whatever’s needed for the project.

This part is about structure. I make sure everything fits together visually, but not in a boring, over-polished way. I want everything I create to feel like it belongs together without looking like it came from a template. Because even the strangest, boldest, most unconventional ideas deserve clarity and cohesion.

Good design doesn’t mean making everything match. It means making everything work.

.Final word

If you’re an indie author, creative business, or artist trying to communicate big ideas with visuals, I offer affordable, custom designs for projects with heart, grit and intention.

Reach out at contact@smutorium.com or stalk me on Instagram.

Let’s build something that looks and feels like you.