Welcome to Charmed by Christine Portraits

Hi! My name is Christine Norman and I specialize in producing realistic People and Pet Portraits.

I hope you enjoy viewing my artwork and will be back to visit again soon!

If you'd like to order an original portrait of your own, or to give to that special someone, please contact me via the Contact Me link to the right of this page or by phone at (709) 730-0906.

Slideshow of My Recent Work

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Friday, October 21, 2011

DA Agility Trial... combined photos for this portrait

So I'm hard at work again. Just finished a gorgeous portrait of a little dog. It's a wedding gift from somebody, so I have to wait until AFTER the recipients have seen it before posting pictures! It'll be worth it. I PROMISE!! It's so darned adorable!!!

I'm going to be working on another special gift as soon as things are finalized. I've been figuring and sketching, and I'm almost at the "let's start drawing" stage. I just need to chat with the "boss."

I'm nearly finished with a drawing of my own. As some of you know, I have been the photographer at the  NADA Agility Trials held in September and October of this year. Through the process, I discovered that my Nikon D50 camera can take up to a 2G SD card! This is fantastic news, as it frees me up from the need to dash back and forth from the field to the computer to download the pictures between each event. I'm not getting any younger, and I have to say that the activity is keenly felt the following day.

The picture I've been working on is from a pair of photos. In one, the cute little chihuahua is leaping over a jump bar. The second photograph shows the same little guy after he's jumped through the tire jump.

Hopping over the jump bar

Just finished the tire jump


Now take a look at what I've done with these photographs!

Jumping through the tire jump


I'm still working on it, but I thought I'd show you how it's going.

Input, anybody? :D

Monday, October 10, 2011

Happy Thanksgiving, Everybody!

I'm hanging out in the living room this morning, thankful for the events that I've participated in lately because of all the wonderful people I met as a result. I'm also thankful that I don't actually have to go anywhere or do anything non-Turkey related today! It's nice to just sit and relax. ... wait... I have to finish vacuuming the upstairs... well, AFTER that, I can sit and relax!

So, what have I been up to lately? Well, the Wedding Show at the Sheraton Hotel was my "big" event and I'm thinking of what to say to get in touch with the brides who registered with the show. Just a little "Hi, how are ya, do you remember meeting me and loving my work and wouldn't it be great to have a special piece of artwork to commemorate your wedding, etc etc..." If you're one of them, you'll soon be hearing from me.

The last two Sundays were spent here in beautiful Torbay at the Farmer's Market at the Kinsmen Centre on Bauline Line. It was a much smaller venue, but it was so wonderful to visit with some of the people I know from the area! I had the chance to meet with the other vendors during the lulls, sampling their food (Shalimar, la Doyene, Outport Fudge... ) and admiring their wares...

I'll be attending the Healthy Living show at the Sheraton the Sunday after this one, (October 23rd). Spread the word!

I've been working on a piece of artwork during the past week, and the little darling dog is so nearly done! Just a few more tonal value changes, then a day of intense "Looking" and presto! Done!! It's so exciting. :D

The drawing of Casey, the "Cat in the Window" was picked up yesterday at the Farmer's Market. Kerry and the girls were so happy with the work. I had started it as a graphite piece, but thanks to the un-asked for attentions of my little guy, Igor, I had to start over again. This time, I drew it in coloured pencil. Just as beautiful, but in a different way.

Because my portraits actually belong to the people who commission the work, I have to resort to borrowing the artwork. However, I did draw a few pieces just for me to keep. Some of those were remarked on during the past couple of weeks. Somebody suggested that I make prints of those and sell them. I wonder if that's just a pipe dream or if it would actually work... I must look into that.

Just out of curiosity, if you're reading this, perhaps you could take a look at my finished portraits and tell me which, of all of them, you'd be interested in owning if it were available. Not a "specifically yours" portrait, but a copy of one of the completed ones. More will be upcoming, so keep an eye out and mention them as you think of it. I'll be asking... but bear it in mind as a possibility.

Another suggestion made was to do some sort of landscape scene that I could have scanned and printed. So, what sorts of things can you suggest? Out of all the "touristy" photographs you've seen, and there are so many of them, which would you like to see as a hand-drawn piece of artwork?

The Five Sisters? ... c'mon... give me your thoughts.

I'm also wondering about some miniatures of wildflowers and such that we take for granted as we walk along the trails...

Well, the pie smells like it's nearly done and that means it's time to stuff the turkey and tuck it in the oven for *ahem* safekeeping.

Happy Thanksgiving!



Wednesday, September 28, 2011

I've been giving it some thought...

Why would people want to commission a hand-drawn Portrait when they can just get a photograph? 


Well, here's just a few ideas!

  • It makes a unique and thoughtful gift ... (gift certificates are available!)

  • Consider a hand-drawn portrait as a complement to your wedding photography!

  • What about a beautiful one-of-a-kind engagement picture?

  • How about a unique embellishment to your wedding invitations?! 

  • Remember: The traditional First wedding anniversary gift is Paper!

  • Celebrate the special moments in your life!

           ***   Weddings   ***   Birthdays   ***   Proms   ***   Graduations   ***   Births 
           Pregnancy    ***   Christenings   ***  Family Reunions    ***      Sports Moments

  • Revive your parents' or grandparents' precious wedding photos with a bold modern statement

  • Bride and Mother    ***     Bride and Grandmother

  • What about your mother as a bride together with you as a bride?!

I still do pet portraits! I'd never give that up!!! But there's just so many other possibilities to explore and I'd LOVE to talk to you about your ideas. 




Saturday, September 24, 2011

Cat in the Window

The finished piece. Coloured pencil
I'm drawing this handsome little marmalade fellow as a thank you to Kerry Tibbs, the lady who put me at 100 Likes on my Charmed by Christine Pet Portrait page on Facebook.

Kerry says that he likes to spend his time napping here, so they call him the Cat in the Window.



Sadly, Casey passed away only 2 days after the family picked up his portrait. One of the girls set up a "shrine" for him. His collar, some pictures of him, the portrait. They really loved their little guy. :( 

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Bride

Original b/w photo



Step 1
Step 2
Step 3
Step 4
Step 5

8 hours so far...


Again, the quality of the light affects how the photographs look, but I'm usually in too much of a rush to look around for just the right spot to photograph my work. I'll do better once I'm photographing the finished piece. Promise!
The Bride


Well, as far as the b/w goes, she's done! However, IF I decide to add colour to the flowers, and the fall colours are gorgeous, I'll be able to add them in later. Decisions, decisions.

This portrait was done specifically for the Wedding Show. It's an 8"x10" portrait, worth $300. It's pretty intense work! Usually I'll sit down to work for 20 minutes and come up for air 2 hours later. I've started logging the time spent so I get a better idea of how much time I'm spending per portrait. Sometimes I really don't want to know how much time has passed! 

Stretching is a necessity!!

Thank you so much, Linda, for allowing me to use your very gorgeous wedding photo for this project.

~ Christine Norman, of Charmed by Christine - Pet Portraits
                                                                                               (More than just pets!)


Leah

Original Photograph     
Step 1

Step 2

Close-up of face


I have to apologize for the lighting on the photos. I keep taking them when there's no proper daylight, forget to take another one later... *sigh* Artistic license?

Just started the ballet tutu


So nearly done! Must be careful not to overwork it from here on.
I have to tap back on the top's seams and expand the tonal range throughout.

September already!!! Where has the time gone?!

Apparently I've been busy. Too busy to be on the computer?! *gasp* Yes. I guess so.

Skipping ahead a few months, I've still not completed Zoey and the goldfish. But I painted the bathroom! The turkeys are still hanging out on the easel. But I painted the bathroom!  lol...

I'm gearing up for the Wedding Show in St. John's, NL, which will be held on Sunday, Sept 25th at the Sheraton Hotel. I received a surprise e-mail from one of the organizers asking if I'd be interested in a booth at the show. It seems she'd noticed my Charmed by Christine Facebook Page on a friend's wall and was intrigued by the idea of pet portraiture as it may pertain to a wedding.

Well, I do people, too! The portrait of Karen & Sean was very happily received by the now Newlywed couple. I'm working on a very adorable portrait of Leah the ballerina (Thanks, Kimberly!), and recently began work on my Bride. Thanks, Linda, for allowing me to use your photo for this very gorgeous portrait.

I'm going to post the photographs individually, labelling them "Leah" and "Bride."

I hope you enjoy the progress photos. :D

~ Chris