A Guide to Using Wooden Panels with Oils, Acrylics, Gouache, and Fine Liners

 

Our ARTdiscount brand of wooden panels offer a versatile rigid and trustworthy support for your artwork. They are a great alternative to our pre-primed canvases and they are available in 13 different sizes and in Multi packs. They are a great affordable option as prices for multi packs are without doubt unparalleled! They are one of our best sellers and have great customer reviews. At ARTdiscount our manufacturer is FSC accredited and the timber used in the construction of our cradled panels are sourced from sustainably managed forests. They are a perfect choice for the beginner artist and professional painter alike!

Our Wooden Panels have an untextured, smooth surface already sanded, however if using acrylic, oils or gouache there is a little preparation you must address first.

Before working on our wooden panels for this series of work, I prepared them with two coats of size and three or four coats of white matte gesso. See this article for more info.  

WHY You Should Prepare a Wooden Panel

1. Prevent Warping or Cracking
    Unsealed wood absorbs moisture unevenly, which can cause the panel to warp or crack over time.
   

2. Protect Against Paint Soaking In
    Raw wood will absorb paint and binder, leading to poor adhesion and dull colour saturation.
   

3. Prevent Discoloration
    Wood contains tannins and natural oils that can leach into paint layers and discolour them if not sealed properly.
   

4. Promote Adhesion
   Prepping gives your paint a slightly toothy surface that helps the paint bond properly.

5. Increase Longevity
   Proper sealing and priming can make your artwork last for decades or even centuries.
   

Wooden panels have a long and distinguished history within the art world, prized by artists across numerous eras for their inherent stability and unwavering support. Unlike more flexible supports, wood offers a firm and unyielding surface that accommodates a diverse range of artistic media. Oil paints, with their rich textures and extended drying times, benefit immensely from the rigidity of wood, preventing cracking and ensuring the preservation of brushstrokes over time. Acrylic paints, known for their rapid drying and potential for layering, also adhere exceptionally well to properly prepared wooden surfaces.

Gouache, a water-based paint celebrated for its opacity and matte finish, maintains its integrity and vibrancy when applied to a stable wooden base. Beyond traditional painting techniques, wooden panels serve as an ideal substrate for flatbed printing processes, providing the necessary flatness and resistance to pressure. The smooth surface welcomes the intricate details of pen and ink drawings, allowing for fine lines and nuanced shading. Moreover, the robust nature of wood makes it an excellent foundation for collage work, securely holding various materials in place.

The ARTdiscount wooden panels are meticulously crafted with a substantial 7/8th inch (23mm) deep cradle. This structural feature is not merely an aesthetic detail; it plays a crucial role in enhancing the panel's overall rigidity. The depth of the cradle provides significant resistance to the forces that can cause warping, twisting, and unwanted movement during the artistic process. This stability is particularly advantageous when working with wet media, which undergo dimensional changes as they dry. The inherent strength of the cradled panel minimizes stress on the artwork, thereby contributing significantly to its long-term preservation.

Beyond their direct use as painting surfaces, these wooden panels offer versatile support for other artistic endeavours. They can serve as a rigid backing for mounted watercolour paintings, preventing buckling and maintaining the flatness of the delicate paper. Furthermore, they can provide temporary or even permanent support for oil or acrylic paintings executed on canvas, offering an extra layer of stability and preventing sagging. 

The inherent presentability of these ARTdiscount wooden panels is another significant advantage. Their clean edges and substantial cradle often eliminate the immediate need for traditional framing, allowing the artwork to be displayed directly upon completion. This ready-to-display characteristic offers both convenience and a contemporary aesthetic.

For this article we decided to paint four  wooden panels  with different types of paint. Oils, Acrylics, Gouache and finally Pen and Ink. All the paintings are inspired by particular Van Gogh paintings.

Painting Number 1 - 'Blossom Tree' using ARTdiscount's own brand oil paint and inspired by Vincent van Gogh's 'Pink Peach Tree'. Painted on an ARTdiscount's wooden artists panel.

 

Vincent van Gogh 'Pink Peach Tree' 1888 oil on canvas, 73cm x 59.5cm (Kroller-Muller Museum) 

 

The application techniques employed in this painting drew inspiration from both Impressionism and Divisionism. Embracing the broken strokes characteristic of Impressionism allowed for a dynamic interplay of light and shadow across the canvas, while the deliberate dabs of individual colours, a hallmark of Divisionism, facilitated an optical mixing of pigments, resulting in a nuanced and delicate representation of the foliage and blossoms. This combination of techniques proved exceptionally effective in harmonizing the various elements of the composition.

The Studio Artist Oil Paints themselves exhibited a rich pigmentation, enabling the subtle optical mixing that was crucial for achieving the desired ethereal quality of the blossoms and leaves. Their soft and creamy texture proved to be a distinct advantage, allowing for the seamless application of thin, translucent glazes in the initial stages, followed by the confident build-up of thick, impastoed areas, adding a tactile dimension to the artwork. This versatility in application allowed for a tangible depth and dimension within the painting. To ensure the longevity and vibrancy of this piece, 'Blossom Tree' will be carefully varnished at a later stage, providing a protective layer and enhancing the richness of the colours for years to come.

 

The set contains 40ml metal tubes of oil paint in a broad spectrum of colours perfect for practicing the tenants of colour mixings and general oil painting techniques. All tube labels feature permanence rating and list pigment mixes for the artist's convenience. See full colour range here.
 

Painting Number 2 - '13th and 14th' using ARTdiscount own brand acrylic paints and inspired by Vincent van Gogh's 'Cypresses'. Painted on an ARTdiscount wooden artists panel.

 

Vincent van Gogh 1889, Oil on canvas 93.4cm x 74cm 'Cypresses' (Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York). 

 

 

Ellie Jakeman,'13th and 14th' ARTdiscount Acrylic paint on wood panel, 30cm x 42cm.

Ellie Jakeman,'13th and 14th' detail ARTdiscount Acrylic paint on wood panel, 30cm x 42cm. (Close up side view)

Inspired by Van Gogh's depictions of Cyprus trees, this second tree painting, '13th and 14th', features Scots pine trees with rich textures and jewel-toned colours. Created using ARTdiscount Acrylic paints, known for their high quality and excellent value, the composition was first established with block colours. Textures were then layered in the foliage and landscape using varied lengths of dabs and daubs in the Impressionist style, mimicking dappled light with diverse brushstrokes.

In keeping with Van Gogh's affinity for yellow, Lemon Yellow, Cadmium Yellow, and Primary Yellow were used to enhance the palette, creating significant contrast and visible brushwork. This painting, which will be varnished subsequently, utilized our own ARTdiscount Acrylic paints, a fantastic option for beginners, schools, colleges, workshops, and home studios, available in a set of 10 x 22ml tubes. More information about these paints can be found here.

 Painting Number 3 - 'Blue pot with Red Blossom' using Winsor & Newton Designer Gouache and inspired by Vincent van Gogh's 'Vincent van Gogh 'Almond blossom'. Painted on an ARTdiscount wooden artists panel.

 

 

 

Vincent van Gogh 'Almond blossom' 1890, Oil on canvas, 73.5cm x 92cm. (Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam)

Ellie Jakeman, 'Blue pot with Red Blossom' 30cm x 42cm Winsor & Newton Designer Gouache painting on Wooden Panel.

Ellie Jakeman, 'Blue pot with Red Blossom' 30cm x 42cm Winsor & Newton Designer Gouache painting on Wooden Panel. (Close up)

Inspired by Vincent van Gogh's 'Almond Blossom' with its edge-to-edge composition and linear motifs, and drawing influence from the flat detailing and composition found in Japanese woodcuts, this wooden panel painting, 'Blue pot with Red Blossom,' was created using the Winsor & Newton Designer Gouache Introductory Set.

In this piece, the flatness of the negative spaces was a key focus, offering opportunities to introduce further detailing and generate striking contrasts, such as the vivid lime green foliage against the deep ultramarine blues, violets accented with turquoise.

 

Before beginning any painting with a pigment-rich gouache set like this, it's crucial to understand how the paints will mix, how their colour might shift upon drying, and how they behave with dilution. Creating a colour chart to practice and test colour mixtures beforehand is highly recommended.

The matte finish of the gouache worked effectively on the gessoed panel, resulting in a velvety, almost chalk pastel-like surface. The panel will be varnished subsequently.

The Winsor & Newton Designer Gouache Introductory Set includes 10 x 14ml tubes, making it an excellent choice for beginners. More information about this gouache set can be found at this link.

A selection of 10 x 14ml tubes. Makes an ideal starter set. Follow this link for more info. on this Gouache set.   

Painting Number 4 - 'Winter tree study' using Fine liner and acrylic ink on ARTdiscount wooden panel board and inspired by Vincent van Gogh's  'Pollard Birches'. Drawn on an ARTdiscount wooden artists panel.

Vincent Van Gogh, Pollard birches, 1884, Pencil, pen in black ink on wove paper, 39cm x 54cm ( Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam)

 

 Ellie Jakeman 'Winter tree study' Fine liner and acrylic ink on prepared ARTdiscount wooden panel, 30cm x 42cm.

Ellie Jakeman 'Winter tree study' Fine liner and acrylic ink on ARTdiscount wooden panel, 30cm x 42cm. (Close up, side view)

'Winter Tree study', the final piece in my Vincent-inspired tree artwork series, was an experiment exploring the versatility of wooden panels with predominantly dry media. My aim was to demonstrate both traditional and unconventional applications of this surface.

This study was inspired by Vincent's intense and detailed tree drawings, particularly his expressive use of line – including dots, dashes, cross-hatching, and contour hatching – alongside repeated textural marks. These elements not only captured the unique characteristics of each tree but also depicted the broader landscape and figures within it.

Van Gogh masterfully created an atmospheric, monochromatic scene where the flat white sky reflects in the stream, and figures casually guide their sheep home. In homage to his deep appreciation for nature, my 'Winter Tree' study employs similar line qualities and descriptive mark-making to detail the tree structures, landscape, and surface textures. Fine liners and inks performed exceptionally well on the gessoed wood panel, offering a drawing experience akin to working on thick, semi-absorbent watercolour paper.

For 'Winter Tree', I utilized the following materials: Staedtler pigment liners (0.05, 0.5, 0.3 Black), Staedtler Permanent Lumocolor fine Black, Faber-Castell Pitt artist pen fine liner Black (199***), Uni Pin Fine line water & fade-proof pigment ink (0.08), and Liquitex acrylic ink carbon black.

As previously discussed, wooden panels offer boundless creative potential. Artists can prepare the surface in numerous ways using acrylic gesso medium – achieving rough or smooth textures, and opting for transparent, black, or white grounds. A coloured ground can also be created by adding pigment to the gesso.

For this artwork series, connecting the panels to trees felt like a natural and fitting exploration, honouring their origin while simultaneously presenting both the artwork and the medium itself!

Wood Painting Panels conclusion!

In conclusion, ARTdiscount's Wooden Panels offer artists a versatile and reliable surface for various mediums, including oils, acrylics, gouache, and fine liners.

Their smooth, untextured surface, combined with the stability provided by the cradled backing, ensures a durable and warp-resistant foundation for your artwork. ( we recommend that you size and gesso them first).

Additionally, the use of sustainably sourced timber reflects a commitment to environmental responsibility. Whether you're a beginner or a professional, these panels provide an excellent alternative to traditional canvases, accommodating a wide range of artistic techniques and styles.

If you're an adventurous artist who works in various scales and sizes, and who wants to take their art to the next level, these wood panels are a great way to generate new and exciting art work! We hope you have been inspired by this blog and will try our wood panels.