These products are typically found in art supply stores and are generally a good option; kiln dried, relatively stable, and engineered for this purpose.
Although, you can draw or paint directly on the wood panel with oils, watercolors, or dry drawing media, we recommend a barrier for most applications.
When painting with any acrylic paint, medium, gesso, or ground, we recommend applying 2 or more coats of Gloss Medium first to reduce support induced discoloration.
For oils, apply 3 or more coats of Acrylic Gesso to reduce oil absorption.
Grounds (including those for drawing media and watercolors), gels, and pastes can be applied to alter the surface’s absorbency, durability, or texture.
Video: Support Induced Discoloration (SID), what is it? and how to minimize it.
Article: Understanding Wood Supports for Art, a Brief History
Tech Page: Support Preparation
