Communication Design School of Design
Yiwei Leng
I am a graduating student from the BA (Hons) Communication Design programme at the Glasgow School of Art, specialising in illustration. My practice is grounded in a strong interest in human-centred topics—particularly social issues and personal experiences—and how visual storytelling can evoke empathy and inspire reflection.
I believe illustration can highlight overlooked social concerns and foster emotional resonance. My narratives often incorporate subtle humour, symbolism, and metaphor, encouraging viewers to reflect on the deeper meanings embedded within everyday life.
I enjoy working with hand-drawn materials such as watercolour, coloured pencil, pastel, and charcoal. I am also exploring other mediums, including risograph printing and stop-motion animation, expanding my creative language.
My work currently focuses on comic-style publications, narrative illustrations, and animation. These formats allow for detailed storytelling and emotional pacing, enabling me to develop layered, character-driven narratives.
Looking ahead, I hope to continue exploring projects that combine narrative illustration with social commentary and expand into areas such as publication, animation, and possibly therapeutic or educational illustration.
Always Been There
This project is a hand-drawn graphic novel based on my personal experiences, created for people who deeply miss their deceased loved ones. I hope that when people face the sadness and pain of losing family members, they can transform their memory into a beautiful image and believe that their loved ones will always be with them.
Malice Behind the Screen
This project is an animated documentary that explores the issue of cyberbullying. It features interviews with experts in psychology and media studies, as well as individuals who have personally experienced online abuse. Through these diverse perspectives, the documentary aims to shed light on the psychological and societal impacts of cyberbullying.
Project Links
Unlucky Dave
This project was inspired by a period in my life when I experienced a string of unlucky events. I created a comic book and a board game for people who have gone through similar experiences, encouraging them not to blindly trust empty promises during difficult times but to stay grounded instead. I hope that those who read the comic will be able to view their misfortunes with a more optimistic perspective.
See! Go!
This project showcases the “gangster life” of a group of seagulls who recklessly break social rules and mess with humans, symbolizing people’s desire to escape boring societal norms and rebel against monotonous living. The unrestrained nature of the seagulls reflects a deep yearning within people to release suppressed emotions and pursue true freedom of expression.
