Trekell Pro Team Artist Stephanie Rabideaux shares her simple process for prepping and painting on an oval floater panel and why this surface works well for mixed media.
Choosing a Panel for Mixed Media
As a mixed media artist, Stephanie needs a surface that can handle different materials without warping or breaking down. She prefers birch panels because they are smooth, durable and respond well to a variety of media once they are sealed and primed.
In this project, she works on an oval shaped floater panel. The oval shape and the routed frame around the painting area give the piece a finished look, but the focus of her process is how to prepare and work on the wood itself.
Step 1: Seal the Panel with Gesso
Stephanie starts by sealing the raw panel with gesso. Even though the wood comes pre sanded, sealing is an important first step, especially for mixed media work. It helps protect the wood and creates a ground that will accept different kinds of paint and drawing materials.
She applies gesso over the entire surface, including the central oval and the surrounding frame area. After coating the panel, she lets it dry for about 24 hours. Allowing enough drying time helps prevent issues later when more layers are added.
Step 2: Transfer the Concept
Once the gesso is dry, Stephanie transfers her concept onto the panel. The smooth birch surface makes it easy to draw directly or use transfer methods without fighting heavy texture.
Working on a floater style panel means she can think about how the image will sit in the center and how the surrounding area will support the composition. The routed gap and frame act as a natural border that she can choose to emphasize or keep subtle.
Working with Different Media on Wood
With the drawing in place, Stephanie begins painting and adding mixed media elements. Because the wood has been sealed and primed, she has the flexibility to use different materials on the same surface.
Properly prepared birch panels can work with many media, including:
- Oil and acrylic paint
- Watercolor and gouache when an appropriate ground or paper is used
- Ink and enamel
- Pastel, pencil and charcoal
- Pyrography and other mark making techniques
For Stephanie, this flexibility is part of what makes panels a good choice. She can adjust her approach partway through a piece without needing to change surfaces.
Thinking About Presentation While You Paint
Because the panel has a built in frame shape, Stephanie can consider presentation as part of the painting process rather than a separate step. The raised outer edge and gap around the image create a boundary that naturally sets off the central artwork.
She can choose to keep this frame area minimal, add decorative elements or echo colors and shapes from the main image. Either way, the relationship between the painting and its border is something she can design as she works, not something that has to be solved later with a separate frame.
Stephanie’s Simple Panel Workflow
Summarizing Stephanie Rabideaux’s approach:
- Seal the birch panel with gesso and allow it to dry thoroughly.
- Transfer or sketch the concept onto the prepared surface.
- Build the artwork using mixed media, taking advantage of the smooth, rigid support.
- Use the panel’s shape and border to support the composition and final presentation.
What Artists Can Take from This Process
Stephanie’s workflow shows how thinking about surface, preparation and presentation early can make the rest of the painting process easier. A well prepped panel gives room to experiment with different media, and a floater style design lets you consider framing decisions while you paint instead of after.
If you enjoy working in mixed media or want to try painting on wood for the first time, following her sequence of sealing, drying, transferring and then building layers can help you get more predictable results while still leaving space for creative decisions along the way.
