During high school days, his interest in animals guided him to study veterinary medicine, but the pull of art proved stronger.  After graduation, he studied fine arts at Ohio Wesleyan University for a year and a half and then returned to his native New York.  There he studied illustration at Pratt Art Institute.  After graduating he worked in commercial art and design.  During this time he also did postgraduate study in portrait painting at Pratt and the Art Students League in new York.
     Originally, portraits were the main focus, but requests gradually expanded his work to include equestrian portraits.  The challenge was exciting.  There was much to learn about show horses; the breeds, their confirmation and their way of going.  Bob was soon doing equestrian portraits all over the south.
     Then something new happened.  A publisher asked Bob to do a series of four hunting dog paintings for his print market.  Another door opened with a great deal more studying to do.  New people were met, more questions were asked and woods and fields were trekked through. Bob was "bitten" by the dog.
     In creating compositions, his proficiency with the camera as well as the brush helps to solve problems.  For every painting, many many pictures are taken, followed by some extra shots to make sure.  All of these are studied and drawn from to make up the painting.  It is often the case that animals are reconstructed from parts in different pictures to create a desired pose.  People have been photographed in their homes or on their grounds and then placed in the background of activity.  The possibilities are endless.  With this sort of freedom, he compares the photographs to the many keys on a piano that he can play to make his total composition. 
                                                                                                                        Copyright, Robert Christie, 1994

We, at Fine Art Dog Prints, are extremely pleased to have Robert Christie
join our studio of Fine Dog Artists.

New Releases by Robert Christie
"My Pride"	"First Hour"		"My Turf"
	"Beating Wings"
"Out in the Open"	"Variations On A Breed"		"First Fetch"
Night Song	Flash Point		High Point
Corn Patch Point	The Coon Hunters		Point And A Dunk
Deux Papillon	Field Masters		Three Of A Kind
Looking Back	Run For Cover		I Said I Was Sorry
When Last Seen	Two Pointers and a Peek on Knees		Pickup Covey
Common Scents	There's No Hiding		I've Got It
Triple Flush	The Runners		"Ready When You Are"
"Waiting Vizslas"	"Locked In"		"Down By The Riverside"
Golden Retriever Puppies, Set of Four
The Huskers		All Strung Out
Give Me a Call		Cold Duck

Breed Directory to Limited Edition Fine Art Dog Prints