The Honour in Grief: Capstone Research Project

My final outcome involves 5 greeting cards related to grief and loss. Each card works on its own and as a set, featuring hand painted watercolour backgrounds and subjects, scanned into the computer and edited in Adobe Photoshop. I then added the typeface Miller Display, choosing a soft grey shade for the text. The phrasing was a crucial aspect, as I chose words that reflected the process of grief and loss, as well as how our loved ones live on within us after they pass away. Phrases like “you keep their memory alive,” “grief doesn’t mean the end,” “life persists because we do,” “every moment is precious,” and “walk alongside me.”

I used a palette of ultramarine blue, burnt sienna, and titanium white to create the imagery, mixing the colours to achieve various shades of brown and grey. This worked to unify the cards while also helping them exist as standalone cards. I also created handmade envelopes using Mi-Teintes paper to give them a worn, textured appearance.

Initially, I had decided to create 8 cards for my capstone project, but realized that 8 cards would have been overwhelming to create. I settled on 5 cards instead, allowing me to hone in on the phrasing and refine the figures and backgrounds. I chose coated, glossy paper for the illustrations to give an almost precious quality, making each card an artifact or piece of art to collect and treasure.