If you grew up in the 80s and 90s you've probably heard that phrase before. I remember reruns of The Joy of Painting in my childhood and trying to follow along as Bob Ross turned an ordinary piece of white canvas into a spectacular snowy winter scene or a misty mountain morning. I was always amazed at how he would use fairly simple techniques and only a few colours and bring life and texture to the canvas.
Ross was an animal lover and would often take in injured and abandoned wildlife. Many of these critters would make an appearance on his show.
He got his start painting by watching German oil painter and art instructor William Bill Alexander. Ross learned from Alexander the wet-on-wet (also known as alla prima) technique of painting; coined in the fifteenth century and used by famous artists such as Claude Monet and Paul Cezanne. Alexander hosted the television show The Magic of Oil Painting on PBS as well as authored many books on the craft of oil painting. Alexander's work inspired and taught Ross to paint a canvas from start to finish in as little as thirty minutes.
"We don't make mistakes, just happy little accidents..."
Ross's show, The Joy of Painting, would go on for eleven years and have a total of thirty-one seasons. Over the years, his painting empire would grow to include books and painting equipment and other painters can become certified Bob Ross instructors and teach others how to paint just like Bob. His unique works never featured people, and it is said that in his lifetime he painted a total of 30,000 paintings. Thanks to the internet, you can watch Bob Ross videos any time on YouTube.
If you're interested in painting, the Essa Public Library has a collection of art books at both branches. Learn different techniques in a variety of mediums regardless of skill-level, all free with your Essa Public Library card. To browse our collection online, just visit our website and use the catalogue search bar.
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