Acrylic on canvas board, 12 inches x 16 inches. This is based on Art of painting by the Dutch artist Johannes Vermeer. Vermeer painted this c. 1666. His painting is also known as The Allegory of Painting, or Painter in his Studio. His original was an oil on canvas 47 by 39 inches. This link will take you to a description of the Master’s work.

I’ve painted four other of this master’s paintings (Girl with a Pearl Earring, the Milkmaid, The Astronomer, & The Geographer) and they can be found in this website.

I started this painting with a detailed drawing onto the canvas. To establish darks and lights, I a wash of burnt sienna. I started painting by beginning with the ceiling and then moving down to paint the map, the artist, the floor, and then the woman who the artist is painting. You can see part of the drawing on the artist’s canvas. I then painted the drapery, and detail work. The map. Vermeer included maps and other objects on the background walls of his paintings. I decided to paste a map into the space by cutting and using Tri-Art glazing medium gloss to attach it to the canvas. Here are a few photos of the painting as it progressed from the underpainting to the final canvas.

Burnt Sienna underpainting
Early stage of the painting
Studio view
Close up showing the artist drawing the leaves on the woman’s head.
Vermeer’s Original “The Art of Painting.” Notice that the artist is using a mahlstick to steady his hand as he paints details of the leaves on the woman’s head.