# Granular Urban Portraits These Robert Mearns Illustrations Feature a Gritty Appearance By Jordan M | Published 2011-03-12 | Pop Culture Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/robert-mearns-illustrations References: [shockblast.net](http://www.shockblast.net/robert-mearns-worx/) & [robertmearns](http://robertmearns.com/artist-statement/) These Robert Mearns illustrations are a refreshing reminder that not all great art is about shiny, bright and flawlessly colorful imagery. In fact, what makes these Robert Mearns illustrations so effective is that they willfully eschew a bubbly and idealized aesthetic in favor of one that is decidedly more gritty and realistic -- something that lends urgency to their impact on viewers without looking overly contrived, disingenuous or fabricated. From [monochromatic portraits](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/glass-portraits) to the juxtaposition of [people's faces on to shoes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/drip), these Robert Mearns illustrations are definitely worth checking out. If you're a fan of [creative artwork](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/painting-exhibition) that is happy to stand on its own, don't hesitate to check out this attached gallery to get a glimpse at some truly effective examples. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 2.4/10 - Popularity: 55% | Activity: 9% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America, Europe ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Pop Culture](https://www.trendhunter.com/popculture) ## Key Themes ### Key Themes Behind This Trend - **Grim Urbanization:** Trend towards gritty and realistic depictions of urban life, portraying the harsher realities of contemporary urban spaces. - **Monochromatic Portraits:** Increasing appeal of monochromatic illustrations in artwork, particularly in urban and street art scenes. - **Personification of Inanimate Objects:** Growing interest in the technique of merging inanimate objects with human features to create compelling illustrations. ### Where This Applies - **Illustration:** Artists and illustrators have an opportunity to create captivating illustrations that contrast from conventional artwork to captivate their audience. - **Urban Planning:** Urban planning firms and developers can incorporate more realistic representation of urban spaces in their proposals, showcasing the real environment to reduce potential urban myth surrounding cities. - **Photography:** Photographers can look to illustrate the gritty realities of urban life through black and white depictions, telling a real human story for their audience. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Digital City-Inspired Art Works](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/grand-central-station.md) - [AI-Generated Poetic Photo Series](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/emilio-alarcn.md) - [Public Art Displays](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/paul-anthony-smith.md) - [Laser-Cut Urban Artistry](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/laser-cut-city-maps.md) - [AI-Generated Real-World Transformations](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/ai-generated-world.md) - [Stunning Origami Portraits](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/origami-portaits.md) - [Food-Inspired Street Art](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/dish-pics.md) - [Apocalypse Post Pandemic Art](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/contemporary-urban-art.md) - [Limited Humorous Art Prints](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/david-shrigley-1.md)