# Zebra-Patterned Portraits Patrick Seymour Renders Faces with Black & White Stripes By Jason Soy | Published 2012-04-12 | Pop Culture Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/patrick-seymour References: [lookslikegooddesign](http://lookslikegooddesign.com/illustration-patrick-seymour/) & [behance.net](http://www.behance.net/patrickseymour) Patrick Seymour decided conventional ways of rendering portraits have gotten stale, so he chose to depict pop culture characters and animals using strictly black and white stripes instead. Through varying degrees of width, the stripes in these pictures define value and shape similarly to [optical illusion images](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/ripples-collection). The result is a collection that is hypnotically alluring. Patrick Seymour is a Montreal-based art director and his design work similarly employs stripes, though used in a myriad of inventive ways. Surprisingly, in a series filled with animals, the zebra is nowhere to be found despite the black and white effect looking much like zebra skin. How ironic. Patrick Seymour is also adept at rendering [cutesy cartoons](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/patrick-star-superstar) and making [comedic animal collages](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/drawmypet) that use photographs of real creatures in imaginative manners. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 6.2/10 - Popularity: 86% | Activity: 92% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America, Africa ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Pop Culture](https://www.trendhunter.com/popculture) ## Key Themes ### Key Themes Behind This Trend - **Zebra-patterned Art:** Artists and designers are experimenting with zebra-patterned designs to create hypnotically alluring art pieces. - **Black & White Optical Illusion Art:** Artists are creating portraits and designs with black and white stripes, creatively defining shapes through varying degrees of width to create optical illusions. - **Animal-inspired Artwork:** Artists and designers are using animal-inspired designs to create unique and inventive pieces featuring both real animals and imaginary characters. ### Where This Applies - **Fine Art:** Fine artists can experiment with the zebra-patterned and optical illusion art trends to create unique and highly marketable pieces. - **Graphic Design:** Graphic designers can utilize the black and white striped designs to create bold and impactful designs for clients looking for something outside the box. - **Fashion:** Fashion designers can take inspiration from animal-inspired designs and incorporate them into their collections for a unique and eye-catching look. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Dynamic Structural Mirror Designs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/zigzag-collection.md) - [Public Art Displays](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/paul-anthony-smith.md) - [Striking Urban Wildlife Art](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/clare-allin.md) - [Artist-Based Residential Museums](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/charles-pachter.md) - [Artful Custom Mirror Collections](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/portraits-collection.md) - [Travel-Inspired Canvas Paintings](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-passport-series.md) - [Limited Humorous Art Prints](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/david-shrigley-1.md) - [Artful Graphic Beach Towels](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/artist-terry-beach-towel.md) - [Vibrantly Bold Wallpaper Collections](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/otto-studio.md)