How do you relay emotion in your work?
I relay emotion not through exaggerated expressions, but through the physical tension of the anatomy and the dramatic collision of light and shadow. I use a strict Tenebrism approach. By enveloping my subjects in absolute, pitch-black darkness, I isolate them from the chaotic world. The emotion lies in the silent, sculptural presence of the form emerging from that deep void, forcing the viewer to confront the raw human condition.
How has social media impacted your daily routine or work ethics?
My daily routine is built on severe discipline and isolation, much like an athlete's regimen. While social media is an excellent tool for sharing the final result with a global audience, it has zero impact on my work ethic. True creation requires absolute silence. When I am in my studio, working behind an acetate shield for hundreds of hours, listening to classical music and applying charcoal dust micron by micron, the noise of the digital world ceases to exist.
How do you select the subjects or models in your drawings?
I never seek flawless or idealized beauty. I am captivated by the weight of time on the human body. I look for life that has been authentically lived—deep wrinkles, the structural tension of veins in aging hands, the rough texture of skin. My subjects must carry a silent history. I choose models whose physical reality allows me to carve out the truth using only light and shadow.
Which colors must you have in your palette before starting to work?
I do not use colors. My palette is completely stripped of them; it consists entirely of the absolute black of charcoal and the pure white of the paper. I am not chasing hues; I am an architect of form and light. By removing the distraction of color, I leave only the naked truth of the anatomy. My entire focus is on building optical realism through the darkest shadows and the sharpest highlights.
Which was your breakthrough artwork and tell us what happened after?
My true breakthrough was the moment my relentless dedication to figurative realism was recognized on the global stage, particularly with my artwork "Mirada". Having it selected for exhibition at the prestigious MEAM Museum in Barcelona, and subsequently being featured in the ModPortrait competition and the Leonardo 2026 guide, was a monumental shift. It validated my years of solitary, uncompromising work and proved that the strict, classical discipline of charcoal realism still commands immense respect in the contemporary art world.
Onur Sarıal (b. 1985) is an internationally recognized contemporary figurative artist based in Istanbul, Turkey, who specializes in charcoal realism and the dramatic art styles of Tenebrism and chiaroscuro. His highly sought-after drawings—crafted on materials like professional Pastelmat—focus heavily on human psychology, vulnerability, and the interplay between light and absolute darkness.