And when they came to the sword that the hand held, King Arthur took it up

surface prep

The canvas should be properly primed to accept oil paint. While specific priming recipes for Wyeth in 1922 are not detailed in the sources, traditional practice involves a gesso or oil ground to prevent the oil from rotting the canvas fibers. The surface should be smooth enough to allow for detailed rendering but textured enough to hold the brushstroke, consistent with the expressive capacity of oil paint (Source 1).

underdrawing

Begin by sketching the subject onto the canvas using charcoal or thinned paint (Source 1). This step is crucial for establishing the 'mass drawing'—reducing complicated appearances to simple masses rather than relying solely on outline drawing (Source 5). The artist should focus on the felt shapes and forms of the figures and objects, ensuring the composition is balanced before applying color.

underpainting

Apply a monochrome underpainting (grisaille) to establish the values of the scene. This layer should be lean (mixed with more solvent than oil) to ensure it dries quickly and provides a stable base. The goal is to translate the scene into values, mentally extracting specific colors to focus on form and light (Source 2). This layer must be completely dry before proceeding to color glazes.

Fat over Lean

A basic rule of oil paint application where each additional layer contains more oil than the layer below to allow proper drying and prevent cracking.

Glazing

Applying a transparent coat of color over a dry underpainting to adjust hue and value without obscuring the underlying form.

Scumbling

Using semi-opaque paint over a darker ground to create texture or cool tones, allowing the underlying painting to show through.

Mass Drawing

Reducing complicated appearances to simple masses to express the form and volume of objects, rather than relying on outline.