Looking for an inspired way to capture a memory? A portrait by Rachelle Kuehl is a one-of-a-kind gift that will make grandparents beam with pride. It's a way to celebrate the precious young souls of your children for all the years to come. Rachelle's hand-painted creations bring out the essence of her subjects' personalities with exquisite detail and a distinctive flair. A personalized watercolor portrait by Rachelle Kuehl is unmistakably the most treasured keepsake you'll ever give or own. We invite you to invest in this incomparable artistic experience for your loved ones!

For portraits, Rachelle works from photographs.  Clients generally send Rachelle (preferably via e-mail, in high digital quality) several of their favorite photographs of the subject(s).*  Rachelle studies the photos and determines which, if any, will help make the finest watercolor portrait.  In some cases, she may suggest that clients take more pictures with different lighting, clothing, or background.  Once a photo has been selected, Rachelle will electronically crop the photo (if necessary) and share the final setting with the client.  Over the next several weeks, Rachelle will carefully draw and paint the portrait until she reaches a near-perfect likeness of the person(s) featured.  She will then e-mail an image of the painting to the client for final approval and make any necessary changes before shipping the completed work.  Client satisfaction is a must, and Rachelle will gladly try again or refund money if the client is not completely happy with the finished product. 

When choosing the size of your portrait, please keep in mind the size of the frame you plan to use.  If you choose a four-inch mat, an 8X10 painting will fit within a 16X20 frame.  Mats are also commonly sold in the 11X14 size with a cut-out for an 8X10 picture.  These two types of painting choices are illustrated below.

This is an 8X10 painting surrounded by a 4-inch mat.	This is an 8X10 painting framed within an 11X14 mat.

A portrait of a single individual (either full body, face only, or somewhere in between) typically costs around $500, with extra for taxes and shipping.  Prices vary slightly due to the size requested (an 11 X 14 may cost slightly more than an 8 X 10, for example) or the particular details of the setting.  A complicated background or intricate clothing design takes much longer to paint, so the price of the portrait may need to be adjusted accordingly. 

If more than one person is featured in the portrait, there is generally a $100 charge added per each additional individual. 

Also, Rachelle can paint your pet!  An typical dog or cat portrait costs $300.

Please contact Rachelle at portraits@rachellekuehl.com or 540.345.1941 for a specific quote for your portrait, or to discuss other non-portrait commissioned artwork.

*For clients in the Roanoke area, Rachelle can assist with taking photographs at an additional fee.

A side-by-side comparison shows Rachelle's accuracy in depicting the subject:

Original Photograph	Completed painting

All images property of Rachelle Kuehl 2010