Even during his student years, Sharambeyan showed a preference for portraiture and landscape painting. The numerous painted and graphic portraits and self-portraits from this period already demonstrate his ability to capture the individuality and distinctive features of his sitters.
In later years, he created many works portraying those close to him − family members, friends, as well as ordinary working people. He portrayed his wife, Sofya, with particular tenderness. In his portraits, physical likeness is combined with a subtle exploration of the sitter’s inner world and individuality.
A great admirer of classical music, Sharambeyan also frequently portrayed figures from the world of music, including Beethoven, Chaliapin, Medea Abrahamyan, Svetlana Navasardyan, and others