I use Panels, in my case thin plywood of either luan or sande plywood, 1/8" thick which are glued to 1 inch by 2 inch (3/4 inch by 1 1/2 inch actual) pine backing boards, The backing boards keep the plywood panels from warping and provide some protection for the edge of the painting.
There are several reasons I use this as my painting foundation :
- The plywood is relatively strong, rigid and more permanent than canvas or linen. It may warp but only a very tiny bit. It will never need re-stretching, will not rot or be attacked by insects.
Canvas or linen will continually stretch over the years. That's what happens to a fabric that is tightly fastened to a wood frame. If you look at really old paintings or even some newer paintings on stretched fabric, you will see the painting "sags" from the corners. Re-stretching a canvas or linen painting is best done by a professional and it is not cheap.
- Plywood provides a stable painting surface. What I mean here is that when I apply a paint brush to the plywood, the plywood does not "give". Canvas, no matter how tightly stretched, gives when a paint brush is applied. This makes it hard to apply detail accurately.
- Plywood surfaces can be sanded and primed to my exact requirement. No matter how it is prepared, canvas or linen will always have a fabric "pattern". This can be difficult to work with when doing detailed work.
- Plywood on the supporting frame does not need to be framed. When I do a trompe L'oeil, I don't want to add a frame since I have usually already added a frame within the painting itself. Some people prefer unframed pieces of art. Framing is expensive. But at the same time, my paintings on panel can be framed if desired.