Brian Sunter

Art

Studies and finished pieces across pen and ink, charcoal, watercolor, graphite, and digital work. 60 pieces.

Graphite Eye Study Graphite 2026 Studio Close study of an eye in graphite, focused on the gradient from lash line to lid. The plan was to push the upper lashes dark early so the rest of the drawing could stay quiet around them. 11 x 8 in Bristol paper Graphite Eye Study

Graphite Eye Study

Graphite 11 x 8 in

Close study of an eye in graphite, focused on the gradient from lash line to lid. The plan was to push the upper lashes dark early so the rest of the drawing could stay quiet around them.

Quiet Portrait Graphite 2026 Studio A loose graphite portrait — sketched lightly to keep the linework alive without committing to hard edges. The hair was the main exercise — suggesting volume without drawing every strand. 9 x 12 in Sketchbook paper Quiet Portrait

Quiet Portrait

Graphite 9 x 12 in

A loose graphite portrait — sketched lightly to keep the linework alive without committing to hard edges. The hair was the main exercise — suggesting volume without drawing every strand.

Standing Figure Pen and ink 2026 Studio Vertical figure study in pen and ink, working out gesture and weight before refining contour. The line of action was the first mark on the page — everything else hangs off it. 9 x 14 in Bristol paper Standing Figure

Standing Figure

Pen and ink 9 x 14 in

Vertical figure study in pen and ink, working out gesture and weight before refining contour. The line of action was the first mark on the page — everything else hangs off it.

Pearl Necklace Charcoal 2026 Studio Soft charcoal portrait — light wraps the jaw and catches the strand of pearls. Each pearl was lifted out of the drawing with a kneaded eraser rather than added as a highlight, so the surface becomes its own light source. 11 x 14 in Toned paper Pearl Necklace

Pearl Necklace

Charcoal 11 x 14 in

Soft charcoal portrait — light wraps the jaw and catches the strand of pearls. Each pearl was lifted out of the drawing with a kneaded eraser rather than added as a highlight, so the surface becomes its own light source.

Charcoal Head Study Charcoal 2026 Studio Direct charcoal head study made with the side of a charcoal stick and a kneaded eraser — no pencil, no edge work. Forces you to treat every edge as a value relationship rather than a line. 11 x 14 in Toned paper Charcoal Head Study

Charcoal Head Study

Charcoal 11 x 14 in

Direct charcoal head study made with the side of a charcoal stick and a kneaded eraser — no pencil, no edge work. Forces you to treat every edge as a value relationship rather than a line.

Bird on a Branch Watercolor 2026 Studio Color study of a bird on a thin branch — quick washes for the body, clean line for the legs and beak. Once the wash settles on the breast feathers you can't fight it, only respond to where the pigment landed. 9 x 12 in Cold press paper Bird on a Branch

Bird on a Branch

Watercolor 9 x 12 in

Color study of a bird on a thin branch — quick washes for the body, clean line for the legs and beak. Once the wash settles on the breast feathers you can't fight it, only respond to where the pigment landed.

City Block Pen and ink 2026 Studio Wide cityscape sketched on location — quick lines for crowds, careful line for the architecture. Drawing on location forces you to edit while you draw because nothing stays still long enough to render. 14 x 9 in Sketchbook paper City Block

City Block

Pen and ink 14 x 9 in

Wide cityscape sketched on location — quick lines for crowds, careful line for the architecture. Drawing on location forces you to edit while you draw because nothing stays still long enough to render.

Anatomy Page Pencil 2026 Studio Anatomy study with annotations — multiple poses on a single sheet for memory practice. First pass without reference, second pass next to it after checking what I got wrong. 11 x 14 in Sketchbook paper Anatomy Page

Anatomy Page

Pencil 11 x 14 in

Anatomy study with annotations — multiple poses on a single sheet for memory practice. First pass without reference, second pass next to it after checking what I got wrong.

Window Light Oil 2026 Studio Oil portrait study of a figure by a window — soft pink dress against the cool light. The challenge was keeping the warm fleshtones from going gray as the cool window light fell across them. 12 x 16 in Linen panel Window Light

Window Light

Oil 12 x 16 in

Oil portrait study of a figure by a window — soft pink dress against the cool light. The challenge was keeping the warm fleshtones from going gray as the cool window light fell across them.

Yellow Dress Oil 2026 Studio Bright yellow drapery study in oil — a problem in painting saturation without losing form. Yellow is the trickiest color to keep readable as form because most of the value range is so close to white. 12 x 16 in Linen panel Yellow Dress

Yellow Dress

Oil 12 x 16 in

Bright yellow drapery study in oil — a problem in painting saturation without losing form. Yellow is the trickiest color to keep readable as form because most of the value range is so close to white.

Memento Mori Oil 2026 Studio Skull and books still life — a traditional vanitas exercise. Almost the entire painting lives in the bottom half of the value range, with only a few highlights breaking the surface. 16 x 12 in Linen panel Memento Mori

Memento Mori

Oil 16 x 12 in

Skull and books still life — a traditional vanitas exercise. Almost the entire painting lives in the bottom half of the value range, with only a few highlights breaking the surface.

Stained Field Acrylic 2026 Studio Multicolored abstract — soft stains worked across the surface for variety in temperature. Started as an underpainting for something else; halfway through I realized the underpainting was the painting. 12 x 16 in Canvas Stained Field

Stained Field

Acrylic 12 x 16 in

Multicolored abstract — soft stains worked across the surface for variety in temperature. Started as an underpainting for something else; halfway through I realized the underpainting was the painting.