Good Grief — Book Design, Package Design, Print + Production
We are where we are. How do we get to where we want to be?
This project is proudly dedicated to my grandfather, Ted Peyton Swope.
Grief is a universal yet unique experience. Death is a part of life, and while everything in nature has a life cycle, death can be challenging to accept and process. The most common explanation of the grief process is presented in the five stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance.
Good Grief interprets these steps as a non-linear process, veering from one stage to another to present a more realistic perspective of the five stages. This set aims to support individuals struggling with the weight of grief by offering accessible techniques to process their emotions without judgment.
Each box includes a poetry & collage book that serves as a visual representation of one’s grief journey, along with a journal containing prompts to help them process and communicate their grief through creative exercises.
All collage elements, including poems, are created by hand and scanned into digital formats. While choosing to do this step by hand was time-consuming, it adds that special touch of detail. I chose fonts, colors, and subjects based on the “phase” of grief I was experiencing within that spread.
The journal follows the same thematic treatment as the poetry book, using collaged text and photos to match emotions expressed in the prompts.
This journal aims to help readers navigate and document their experiences with grief. Collaged prompts help readers initiate the process of reflection, while “Junk Pages” serve as a language break, encouraging readers to express emotions through creative practices.
