Ayse Sule Ekiz | Painting & Charcoal

Painting & Charcoal Art

Paintings

Painting has always been my way of blending memory, emotion, and atmosphere into a single frame. Whether using oil, gouache, or pastel, each piece becomes a quiet conversation between color and light—moments that feel familiar yet dreamlike. Many of these works were created during late nights, drawing inspiration from moonscapes, friendships, and places that shaped who I am.

Girl & Moon

Oil painting on canvas exploring cool lunar light against warm skin tones and soft gradients.

This piece was painted during a full moon night in 2023, after watching The Tale of Princess Kaguya. I imagined the girl and the moon as reflections of each other – one in the sky, one on earth – quietly mirroring the same lonely glow. The soft edges, dark blues, and warm highlights are meant to feel like a dream you just woke up from but still don’t want to let go of.

Angel & Moon

Pastel illustration on toned paper focusing on layered light, soft blending, and gentle highlights.

I wanted this angel to feel like she can only rest when wrapped in moonlight – as if the sky keeps her secrets safe. The glowing halo around the moon and the soft folds of her wings aim to create a quiet, weightless moment, like time has slowed down just for her. I used a dark pencil for the sketch of the angel, and vibrant pastels for the sky and her hair, this creates contrasts and makes the angel feel otherworldly.

Friends

Gouache painting based on a Bosphorus trip reference photo, studying backlighting and reflections.

This piece is a love letter to a simple moment with friends – the kind you only realize was important much later. The water, the boat, the city & nature in the distance… all of it became a soft backdrop so their silhouettes and shared laughter could be the real focus. I wanted the scene to feel like a sun-faded memory you happily revisit again and again.

Pastel / #1

Soft pastel on blue watercolor paper, focusing on vibrant lighting and layered color transitions.

Using a blue base let the lights of the coastal town glow more intensely, almost like they’re floating on the water. This piece was inspired by Manarola – a place I’ve never visited in person, but often visit in my imagination. The stacked houses, tiny windows, and bright reflections become a quiet, dreamy maze of light and shadow.

Pastel / #2

Soft pastel on blue watercolor paper inspired by my hometown mountains and atmospheric depth.

These mountains come from childhood memory more than reality – in my mind they were always as big and dramatic as Mt. Fuji. I wanted the sky to feel wide and the land to feel small, like the world is both familiar and a little overwhelming. It’s a quiet landscape, but for me, it holds the feeling of going home after a long time away.

Charcoal Sketches

Charcoal sketching allows me to strip everything down to the essentials—light, shadow, and form. With no color to rely on, every stroke becomes intentional, capturing emotion through contrast alone. These pieces were my first explorations into charcoal, where I learned how expressive simple values can be, turning quick studies into quiet, intimate portraits.

Charcoal Drawing

Charcoal still life study of a bottle composition, focusing on value range, edges, and reflections.

This was my first charcoal drawing, and I loved how everything became about light and shadow. The bottles started to feel like quiet characters standing in the dark, holding their own little pockets of light. It taught me how dramatic a simple arrangement can become when the world around it fades into deep gray.

Sketch / Taehyung

Graphite and charcoal portrait study of Taehyung from BTS’s “Blood Sweat & Tears” era, with subtle wing detail.

I wanted this sketch to feel like a moment between innocence and temptation, just like the “Blood Sweat & Tears” era. The faint suggestion of wings behind him is intentionally unclear: are they really there, or just something the viewer projects? That ambiguity between good and evil, purity and sin, is what makes this piece so fascinating to me.

Sketch / #1

Graphite and charcoal portrait sketch emphasizing facial structure, shading, and contrast.

This sketch was an experiment in letting strong shadows define the mood of the face. By deepening the darks and softening some edges, the figure starts to feel like someone you might recognize, but can’t quite place – a familiar stranger from a dream you almost remember. I wasn't professional by any means when I started sketching, so you can see the etched paper for my math class, but I think it adds an extra layer to my artistic journey and its story.

Sketch / #2

Graphite sketch with charcoal accents, focusing on hair texture and subtle expression.

Here I focused on capturing that quiet, in-between expression – not fully smiling, not fully serious. The loose lines and soft smudges are meant to feel like thoughts that haven’t been spoken yet, hanging lightly in the air around the subject. But the dark pencil creates great contrast regardless.

Sketch / Mika

Anime-style graphite portrait of Mika from Seraph of the End, focusing on clean line work.

This was my first time fully committing to an anime-style sketch. Mika’s character carries so much tragedy and softness at the same time, and I wanted that mix to show in his eyes. The sharp lines around the hair and collar contrast with the softer shading of the face, echoing the tension between his gentle heart and the world he’s trapped in.