It's not all about cost and quality of canvas v panels. I like to work on the very smooth surface of a primed and sanded panel. I'm lucky that my son-in-law is a carpenter and he can accurately cut the panels of either 16" or 14" square. Once cut, I dust them off and prime both sides to ensure the panel won't warp in the future. I prime them with a roller so they aren't smooth to the touch at first. Using fine sand paper, I sand them by hand to get a nice smooth surface to work on. Most of my paintings in oils aren't raised on the panel and the layers are fairly thin. The smooth surface of the panel, I think, helps with fine blending of oils and glazes. I use MDF rather than natural wood as there is little or better still no chance of it warping in the future. By working on the easel they are simple to secure with no bounce that you tend to get with a canvas. If I use a canvas the reason would be the piece would to too large and heavy to use a panel.
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