Leo Martínez
Bob Ross is best known for his landscape paintings, which he would create on his show, The Joy of Painting, in 27-minute segments. Ross would paint mountains, lakes, snow, and log cabin scenes, inspired by his time in Alaska while serving in the Air Force. While landscapes were his specialty, Ross did paint other subjects, including buildings and portraits, such as an Indian girl. Ross himself admitted that he did not have a talent for portraiture and that his technique would not have worked well for humans or animals.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Painting style | Landscapes |
| Painting subjects | Mountains, lakes, snow, log cabins, trees, sunsets |
| Painting technique | Wet-painting method, large brushes, painting knives |
| Painting time | 27 minutes per painting |
| Number of paintings | Tens of thousands |
| Portraiture | Did not have a talent for it |
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What You'll Learn
Bob Ross's TV show, 'The Joy of Painting'
Bob Ross's TV show, *The Joy of Painting*, aired from 1983 to 1994 and was a huge hit, broadcast on 300 stations to 80 million people every day. In each 27-minute episode, Ross would paint a landscape from start to finish, guiding viewers through his process with a soothing voice, entertaining commentary, and the occasional guest appearance by his pet squirrel, Peapod. Ross himself never got paid for his shows, but Bob Ross Inc.—which he partially owned—used the platform to sell paints, art supplies, workshops, instructional videos, and merchandise. By 1991, it was a $15 million/year ($29 million today) enterprise.
Ross's landscapes were typically of mountains, lakes, snow, and log cabins, inspired by his time in Alaska, where he was stationed for the majority of his Air Force career. He would paint three versions of almost every painting featured on his show: the first was painted before taping and sat off-camera during filming, which Ross used as a reference to create the second copy during the episode. After filming, he would paint a more detailed version for inclusion in his instructional books.
Ross believed that everyone has inherent artistic talent and could become an accomplished artist given time, practice, and encouragement. He famously said, "we don't make mistakes; we just have happy accidents." This encouraging philosophy, along with his calm and relaxed demeanour, has made his show a popular source of comfort and relaxation for many viewers.
While Ross primarily focused on landscapes, there were a few episodes where he deviated slightly and included buildings, cabins, or silhouettes in his paintings. In some episodes, he even attempted portraits, painting an Indian girl and a few other subjects. However, Ross himself admitted that he did not have a talent for portraiture and that landscapes were his specialty.
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Ross's wet-painting method
Bob Ross's wet-on-wet painting method, also known as 'alla prima', is a technique in oil painting where the artist applies a new layer of paint on top of a still-wet layer, instead of waiting for each layer of paint to dry. This method allows artists to complete paintings quickly, which was a significant part of the appeal of Ross's TV show, 'The Joy of Painting'.
Ross was inspired to use this technique by TV painter Bill Alexander, whom he credited during the first episode of the second season of his show. Alexander's slow-drying medium base, "Magic White", allowed Ross to layer and mix colours right on the canvas without waiting for each layer to dry. This simplified the painting process, removing the need for fine drawing skills and extensive colour mixing and blending.
Ross combined the wet-on-wet technique with the use of large one- and two-inch brushes, as well as painting knives, to quickly complete his landscape scenes. Each painting would start with simple strokes that appeared as coloured smudges, which would gradually transform into intricate landscapes featuring elements like mountains, lakes, snow, and log cabins.
To compensate for the problem of the underlying paint mixing with the fresh paint, Ross employed two techniques. Firstly, he would apply the paint very thickly, so that the underlying paint couldn't contaminate the fresh paint. Secondly, he would mix a colour of such high chroma that even if the underlying colour mixed with it, the resulting colour would be very close to what he desired.
Ross's wet-on-wet method has become popular among artists, with many painters starting with this technique to develop their skills and operations, such as creating a sky.
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Why Ross didn't paint animals or people
Bob Ross, the TV painter, is best known for his landscapes. He inspired many with his soothing voice and gentle demeanor, encouraging viewers to create their own "happy trees".
Ross's landscapes were inspired by his time in Alaska, where he was stationed for most of his Air Force career. He once said: "I got a letter from somebody here a while back, and they said, 'Bob, everything in your world seems to be happy.' That's for sure. That's why I paint. It's because I can create the kind of world that I want, and I can make this world as happy as I want it."
Ross did not often paint anything other than landscapes, and there are several reasons why he may have chosen to focus on this subject matter. Firstly, Ross himself acknowledged that he did not have a talent for portraiture, and his technique was not suited to painting people or animals. Portraiture requires intricate brushstrokes and a high level of detail, which would not have been possible within the 27-30 minute timeframe of each episode of his show, "The Joy of Painting".
In addition, Ross's landscapes were thickly painted with a 1980s sci-fi-calendar-art-looking tree line, a style that may not have translated well to other subjects. His wet-painting method, using large brushes and painting knives, allowed him to work quickly and complete a landscape scene within the time constraints of his show. This method would not have been suitable for painting people or animals, which require a high level of detail and precision.
Finally, Ross's landscapes were a way for him to create a happy and peaceful world, free from the trauma of war. By excluding people and animals from his paintings, he could imagine a world without conflict or suffering.
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Ross's paintings of buildings
Bob Ross, the famed TV painter, produced an estimated 30,000 paintings during his lifetime, the vast majority of which were landscapes. Ross was inspired to paint landscapes by his time in Alaska, where he was stationed for most of his Air Force career. He often painted scenes featuring mountains, lakes, snow, and log cabins.
While Ross primarily focused on landscapes, he occasionally included buildings in his paintings. These buildings were typically depicted as small, rustic structures nestled within the natural environment. For example, in one painting described in an old newspaper clipping, Ross included a depiction of a tranquil lake surrounded by towering evergreens and a "beautiful sunset sky," with "majestic snow-covered mountains" in the background and a log cabin in the foreground.
In another instance, Ross painted a scene with mountains and the blue northern lights, which was purchased at an Anchorage fair in 1980 by a flight instructor named Larry Walton. This painting also included a log cabin, showcasing Ross's affinity for including rustic buildings in his artwork.
While Ross's paintings were not his primary source of income, and he was more interested in teaching others how to paint, his artwork has become highly sought after. However, finding an original Bob Ross painting for sale is extremely rare, and his paintings often fetch prices upwards of $10,000 when they do appear on the market.
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The scarcity of Ross's artwork for sale
Bob Ross is best known for his landscape paintings, and his work has become synonymous with idyllic scenes of nature, featuring mountains, lakes, snow, and log cabins. While he is known to have painted a few portraits, including that of an Indian girl, his landscapes remain the most recognisable and sought-after.
During his lifetime, Ross produced tens of thousands of paintings. However, only a handful of his works have been available for sale in recent years, and they often attract high prices and multiple bids. This scarcity of Ross's artwork on the open market is intriguing, given his prolific output.
One reason for the scarcity could be the nature of Ross's career and the way he chose to sell his paintings. Before he became a TV star, Ross sold his paintings at local markets, flea markets, fairs, and malls, often for small sums of cash. This meant that his artwork was accessible to everyday people, and many of these paintings likely remain in the hands of private owners who have no desire to sell.
Another factor contributing to the scarcity could be the ownership rights to Ross's artwork. After his death, there was a legal battle over the rights to his estate and likeness. Ross's son, Steve, and half-brother, Jimmie Cox, were left his estate and rights by Ross in his will. However, Bob Ross Inc., the company Ross partially owned, claimed that his work was a work-for-hire, and thus, they had the rights to his artwork. This dispute may have created uncertainty and legal complexities around the ownership and sale of Ross's paintings, further reducing their availability on the open market.
Additionally, it is worth noting that Ross's artwork was not the primary source of income for him or Bob Ross Inc. during his lifetime. Instead, the company focused on selling art supplies, instructional videos, and merchandise. This business model may have contributed to the scarcity of his original paintings for sale, as the focus was on promoting the tools and techniques rather than the final artwork itself.
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Frequently asked questions
Bob Ross was known for his landscape paintings, and he did not often paint anything else. He once said on his show that he did not have a talent for portraiture. However, he did paint an Indian girl and a few other portraits.
Ross's technique would not have worked well for painting humans or animals as it would be challenging to get the proportions right. He also had to finish a painting in 30 minutes for his show, and painting landscapes was a quicker and easier technique to teach others.
Bob Ross typically painted mountains, lakes, snow, and log cabin scenes inspired by his time in Alaska, where he was stationed for most of his Air Force career.
