YIKE CEN


ABOUT ME

ILLUSTRATION

• OYSTER & HAMSTER CAGE
• HOW TO BUILD A HAMSTER CAGE
  
• LUNGS’GOTCHI
  
• AH-CHOO!
  
• ECHO’S WONDERLAND

ANIMATION

• BEAUTIFUL OLD WORLD

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‘HOW TO BUILD A HAMSTER CAGE’

ILLUSTRATION ZINE / 40P
2024 
Printed in 2026, First Edition of 50 Copies.


This zine evolved from my 2024 graduation project process book. It documents early drafts, concept art, and storyboards for the graphic novel ‘Oyster & Hamster Cage’, alongside sketches from my spring 2024 fieldwork in Jersey. The subject matter is a story about sexual shame, where the ‘hamster cage’ symbolises the shackles imposed upon human instincts.

The creative process was one of reflection and self-healing. These early manuscripts offer a more direct glimpse into the complex emotions hidden beneath the narrative, emotions that defy easy explanation. I named it ‘How to Build a Hamster Cage’. May you, upon reading it, find the courage to embrace every version of yourself that once was.

Awards & Events:
Outland Publishing Fair 2026 - Pubilc Table

©Yike Cen