Annik Janssens, from Belgium, has been immensely fascinated by nature, animals and drawing for her entire life. For the past six years, that passion has led her to create photorealistic pastels that capture the characters of a variety of different animals—from orangutans and zebras to foxes and deer. 
Time for action, pastel, 15¾ x 19½"“After all, images say so much more than words. I try to convey to the viewer that they are all individuals, each with their own character and personality. The viewer must feel a connection with the animal, almost as if they want to touch it, to feel it,” says Janssens.
The sprinter, pastel, 15¾ x 19½"In Time for action, Janssens depicts a wild dog in mid-roar, capturing the muscles in the animal’s face and the bunching of its fur. “With this work, I wanted to bring attention to the fact that the painted dog, a not so well known animal, is having a tough time,” she says. “Over the past 100 years, their population has declined by 98 percent. Today, only 6,500 animals are left in the wild; Time for action!”
Dreaming is an intimate portrait of an orangutan. “Maybe this gentle boy is dreaming of a better place to live for all orangutan,” Janssens says of the piece. “All three species of orangutan are currently listed as ‘critically endangered,’ due to habitat loss and poaching. They need protection.”
Dreaming, pastel, 15¾ x 19½"In addition to her wildlife art, Janssens often works on commissioned portraits of pets, which gives her “enormous satisfaction, especially the enthusiastic reactions of the owners.” —
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