Good Grief

Death is a taboo topic, and bereavement material carries a ‘one-size-fits-all’ narrative. Taking a twist on the typical ‘seven stages of grief’, Good Grief is a physical exploration into bereavement materials through creative mediums, narratives, and language. Good Grief embarks on a journey of celebrating and embracing all parts of the bereavement process.

Tools
Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Indesign, Adobe Fresco, Laser Cutter, Print Making

Services
Packaging + Branding + Graphic Design

Year
2024

Time
14 weeks

Descriptive > Prescriptive

Throughout my research during this project, I looked at Kubler-Ross’ stages of grief quite a lot. What appeared to me, through studies and user interviews, was that most grievers didn't follow the Kubler-Ross formula, but rather used it as a guide for their own pace. Every loss is different, therefore so will the grief journey.

Throughout the project, I experimented with different styles of illsutrations and typefaces. Some more sleek, and others more playful. It was important to me that the visual identity of Good Grief would be far away from looking medical and too playful. I wanted this project to be a beautiful gift to the griever. This included all of the physical interactions as well.

Visual Language

“The five stages model was meant as descriptive but has become prescriptive.”

— Ada McVean, McGill Bsc.

Black-Eyed-Susan
Anger

Hyacinth
Depression

Petunia
Guilt

Cornflower
Denial

Forget-me-not’s
Acceptance

Marigold
Distraction

Process

Why Flowers?

Flowers hold a large spot within funerals and the association of death. Whether they be incorporated into funeral arrangements, or gifted to grieving families: they hold a presidented spot.
Flowers themselves hold an intricate life cycle, much like we do. They grow, endure adversities within their climate, then they inevitably die — but their seeds leave an impact on the soil beneath them.

How it Works

With my new-found understanding of how varying every user’s journey of bereavment is, I designed the box accordingly. Due to the shape of the box, the user can start anywhere, depending on how they are feeling. It is all up to their own discrpency. But no matter where they start, the acceptance (forget-me-not’s) box will always be the last to complete.

User Interviews

For this project, I held 10 user interviews. All of my interviewees were between the ages of 18-35. Their losses ranged from sickness, accidents, and suicide. Their relationships with the person they lost ranged from parent, best friend, partner, and abuser. By having these interviews, I was able to understand the need of the user in a much broader spectrum.