Friday, January 6, 2012

Friday Art & History Feature - Bob Ross


Bob Ross
  I remember watching Bob Ross half-hour painting specials when I was in junior high school and high school. I've always been interested in art and have been painting watercolors since I was about seven or eight. The magic of Bob Ross finishing beautiful oil landscapes in meager half hour. I was absolutely fascinated.
Recently, I found out that my husband also loved watching the Bob Ross show and we both held our breath every time Bob made a "happy little mistake" and then all of a sudden it turned into a cloud, a lake or a few trees.



Bob Ross was born in 1942 in Florida. He was an artist and an instructor, hosting the Joy of Painting show for 12 years on PBS. In his earlier years, Bob enlisted in Air Force at the age of 18. He didn't finish high school past the 9th grade. While in the Air Force, Bob was stationed in Alaska, where he fell in love with the snowy landscapes he was so fond of painting later on. Bob was married twice and had a son from the first marriage. His son Steven appeared on the Joy of Paining a few times as an instructor as well.
Bob Ross died in 1995 after losing the fight with lymphoma.



Bob Ross used a technique in his painting called "wet-on-wet". Because this technique allows the painter not to wait for the first level of paint to dry, Bob was able to create the paintings very fast. He used 2" and other brushes, as well as painting knives, to create trees, lakes, mountains and clouds that looked realistic in a matter of minutes. Part of the excitement of watching Bob paint was to see in-distinctive smudges take shape and become realistic objects.



Many of phrases that Bob used on his show have become famous - "happy little trees", "happy accidents" and "beat the devil out of it" (referring to the beating of brushes against the easel to dry them off).


12 comments:

  1. I love watching Bob Ross's show! He makes everything look so gosh-darn easy!

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  2. I've seen his show and he is amazing! If only I could paint like that! And he makes it look so easy!

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  3. Yes, I think that was part of his popularity - he made it seem so easy!

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  4. Oh, my gosh-- I LOVED Bob Ross and his happy little accidents! I, too, would watch in fascination. He was amazing. I bought his book a lot of years ago and have loved it.

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  5. Peggy, he really was amazing. I actually want to pick up one of his books.

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  6. I adored him. I was so sad when he died. I wonder where you can get an original Bob Ross painting. That would be something to own.

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  7. "he made it seem so easy"
    Because his method of painting was easy...

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  8. All I can say is Wow! I wish I had such a gift. Wish I could use some of these for wall paper.

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  9. I have done 25 and am no artist but have been amazed with some of the results and get many compliments. So thanks to all those joy of painting episodes Bob found the artist in me!

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  10. I have done 25 and am no artist but have been amazed with some of the results and get many compliments. So thanks to all those joy of painting episodes Bob found the artist in me!

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  11. Love the Bob Ross method it has made an artist out of me and allowed me to understand the joy of painting!

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  12. Bob Ross etait un artiste extraordinaire qui aimait tellement la nature,.......dommage qu'elle ne le lui ait pas rendu !!!!!

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