aiyin Zheng
illustration
Edinburgh College of Art
Graduates: 2026
Specialisms: Illustration
My location: Edinburgh, United Kingdom
aiyin Zheng
First Name: aiyin
Last Name: Zheng
University / College: Edinburgh College of Art
Course / Program: illustration
Graduates: 2026
Specialisms: Illustration
My Location: Edinburgh, United Kingdom
Website: Click To See Website
About
I am a visual development artist and illustrator based in Edinburgh, working across illustration, character design and visual storytelling.My work combines imaginative world-building with personal and emotional narratives, exploring themes of growth, grief, memory and self-discovery. I enjoy developing stories through characters, environments, illustration and handmade forms, creating visual worlds that feel both surreal and emotionally grounded.I am interested in how images can communicate experiences that are difficult to express through words, and how visual storytelling can create space for reflection and connection.
Healing Card Game: How Life Unfolds
This project looks at how images can be used to support self-reflection. It takes the form of a set of collage-style cards, combining ideas from narrative psychology and art therapy. The cards are based on the idea of “growth” in nature—such as snakes shedding their skin, butterflies emerging from cocoons, or crabs changing shells. These moments are often uncomfortable or uncertain, which feels similar to how we experience emotional change in real life. Instead of giving fixed meanings, the cards are meant to be interpreted freely. Players can project their own thoughts and feelings onto the images and use them to build personal stories. In this way, the cards work more like a visual tool for thinking, helping to make internal experiences easier to notice and understand. Full Project Link: https://aiyinart.cargo.site/healing
Competitions
