SANDRA BARTELS | 2ND PLACE
2025 DRAWINGS COMPETITION

Dutch pastel artist, Sandra Bartels, lives in a small town in the Netherlands where she creates hyperrealist bird and wildlife artwork. After working in the advertising field as a graphic designer/desktop publishing artist for years, she began drawing with soft pastels, pastel pencils, and PanPastels in 2017, focusing on native Dutch species. Bartels’ work has won recognition in many prestigious competitions and has been published in several art publications.

Recently we spoke to Bartels about her inspiration and technique.

How did you discover pastel, and why is it your favorite medium?

I used pastel when I was studying design, and years later I picked it up again. I love pastels because they are so well-suited for achieving a realistic effect in my wildlife drawings and are very versatile, offering many creative possibilities.

What draws you to depicting wild animals in your artwork?

I have always loved animals and have traveled over the years to areas where you can find them in their natural habitat. It was wonderful to see how they behaved and how they hunted. We went to South Africa, Botswana, and Zambia, as well as Norway, Sweden, Ecuador, and the Galapagos Islands. My trips and my love for animals are the reason I have chosen to create wildlife artwork and (occasionally) pet portraits.

How do you try to convey an animal’s personality in your work?

I always choose my subject carefully. There must be a connection, and it must convey emotion. It’s all about character and expression. These elements are very important to me, and my own emotions at the time also figure into it. Therefore, in my wildlife drawings, you can see my own emotions communicated, even though that’s not always my intention. One of the key features of my drawings is that the subject is brought to life, not by making the animal more beautiful but by trying to draw it in such a way that its individual personality shines through. The eyes are very important in this process.

Do you work with your own photos or other reference photos?

When I have chosen my subject, I search for a good photo reference, sometimes taking them myself to get exactly what I need. When I use a reference photo I crop, rotate, or make color adjustments in the original as well as combining two or three photos until it reaches what I have envisioned for the final piece.

How do you determine the composition of your work?

I try to make the animal stand out while depicting it in its natural environment, so how it is displayed depends entirely on the type of animal it is. If I want to add more emotion and impact, I use close-ups.

Why do you use simplified backgrounds?

Since my drawings are usually small, I keep the backgrounds simple so the viewer’s attention is focused on the subject. If there is a detailed background, it can become too busy. But I hope to create larger works soon and then I’ll create more detailed backgrounds.

Bartels is represented by Galerie bij Leth; All in Gallery; and Grachten Galerie.

All images © Copyright Sandra Bartels, shared with permission