FAQ's about the BOB
ROSS TECHNIQUE
The following is a list of frequently asked questions about the
BOB ROSS technique and some instruction about the use and care of the materials.
BLENDING:
This technique
refers to the softening of hard edges and most visible brush strokes by blending
the wet oil paint on the canvas with a clean, dry brush. In blending, an already
painted area is brushed very lightly with criss-cross strokes or by gently
tapping with the corner of the brush. This gives colors a soft and natural
appearance. Not all oil paints are suitable for this technique - most are too
soft and tend to smear. Only a thick, firm paint is suitable for this technique.
MARBLING:
To mix paints
to a marbled effect, place the different colored paints on the mixing area of
your palette and use your palette knife to pick up and fold the paints together,
then pull flat. Streaks of each color should be visible in the mixture. Do not
over mix.
THINNING PAINTS FOR ADDING HIGHLIGHTS:
When mixing
paints for application over thicker paints already on the canvas, especially
when adding highlight colors, thin the paint with LIQUID WHITE, LIQUID CLEAR or
ODORLESS THINNER. The rule to remember here is that a thin paint will stick to a
thicker paint.
CLEANING AND DRYING THE BRUSHES:
Painting with the wet on wet technique requires frequent and thorough cleaning
of your brushes with paint thinner. An empty one pound coffee can is ideal to
hold the thinner, or use any container approximately 5" in diameter and
at-least 6" deep. Place a Bob Ross Screen in the bottom of the can
and fill with odorless thinner approximately 1" above the screen. Scrub the
brushes bristles against the screen to remove paint sediments which will settle
on the bottom of the can.
Dry your larger brushes by carefully squeezing them against the
inside of the coffee can, then slapping the bristles against a brush beater rack
mounted inside of a tall kitchen trash basket to remove the remainder of the
thinner. Smaller brushes can be cleaned by wiping them with paper towel or a rag
(I highly recommend using Viva paper towels because they are very absorbent). Do
not return the brushes to their plastic bags after use, this will cause the
bristles to become limp. Never clean your Bob Ross brushes with soap and water
or detergent as this will destroy the natural strength of the bristles. Store
your
brushes with bristles up or
lying flat.
APPLYING LIQUID WHITE:
Use the 2"
brush with long, firm vertical and horizontal strokes across the canvas. The
coat of Liquid WHITE should be very, very thin and even. Apply just before you
begin to paint. Do not allow the paint to dry before you begin.
PLACEMENT OF OIL COLORS ON THE PALETTE:
I suggest
using a palette at least 16"x20" in size. Try arranging the colors around
the outer edge of your palette from light to dark. Leave the center of the
palette for mixing your paints.
LOADING YOUR BRUSH:
To fully
load the inside bristles of your brush first hold it perpendicular to the
palette and work the bristles into the pile of paint. Then holding the brush at
a 45 degree angle, drag the brush across your palette and away from the pile of
paint. Flipping your brush from side to side will insure both sides will be
loaded evenly.
(NOTE: When the bristles come to a chiseled or sharp flat edge, the brush is
loaded correctly.)
For some strokes you may want the end of your brush to be rounded. To do this,
stand the brush vertically on the palette. Firmly pull toward you working the
brush in one direction. Lift off the palette with each stroke. This will tend to
round off the end of the brush, paint with the rounded end up.
MIXING FOR HIGHLIGHTS:
Place
the tip of your brush into the can of LIQUID WHITE, LIQUID CLEAR or ODORLESS
THINNER allow only a small amount of medium to remain on the bristles. Load your
brush by gently dragging it through the highlight colors, repeat as needed.
Gently tap the bristles against the palette just enough to open up the bristles
and loosen the paint.
LOADING THE PALETTE KNIFE:
With
your palette knife, pull the mixture of paint in a thin layer down across the
palette. Holding your knife in a straight upward position, pull the long working
edge of your knife diagonally across the paint. This will create a roll of paint
on your knife.
WHAT IF I HAVE NEVER PAINTED BEFORE?
There
are no great mysteries to painting. You need only the desire, a few basic
techniques and a little practice. lf you are new to this technique, I strongly
suggest that you read the entire section on "TIPS AND TECHNIQUES" prior to
starting your first painting. Consider each painting you create as a learning
experience. Add your own special touch and ideas to each painting you do and
your confidence as well as your ability will increase at an unbelievable rate.
WHAT PAINT SHOULD I USE?
The
BOB ROSS technique of painting is dependent upon a special firm oil paint for
the base colors. Colors that are used primarily for highlights (Yellows) are
manufactured to a thinner consistency for easier mixing and application. The use
of proper equipment helps assure the best possible results.
This technique is a wet-on-wet method, so normally our first step
is to make the canvas wet. For this, apply a thin, even coat of one of the
special base paints (Liquid White, Liquid Black or Liquid Clear) using the 2"
brush. Long horizontal and vertical strokes assure an even distribution of
paint. The (Liquid White, Liquid Black or Liquid Clear) allows us to actually
blend and mix colors right on the canvas.
The (Liquid White, Liquid Black or Liquid Clear) can also be used to thin other
colors for application over thicker paints much like odorless thinner. The idea
that a thin paint will stick to a thick paint is the basis for this entire
technique. This principle is one of our Golden Rules and should be remembered at
all times. The best examples of this rule are the beautiful highlights on trees
and bushes. Your Liquid White/Black is a smooth, slow drying paint which should
always be mixed thoroughly before using.
Liquid Clear is a particularly exciting ingredient for wet-on-wet painting. Like
Liquid White/Black, it creates the necessary smooth and slippery surface.
Additionally, Liquid Clear has the advantage of not diluting the intensity of
other colors especially the darks which are so important in painting seascapes.
Remember to apply Liquid Clear very sparingly! The tendency is to apply larger
amounts than necessary because it is so difficult to see.
Should your (Liquid White, Liquid Black or Liquid Clear) become
thickened, thin it with odorless thinner. Never thin your Liquid White, Liquid
Black or Liquid Clear with turpentine or other substances which could damage
your brushes.
All of the paintings displayed on this site were created using
only 13 colors. With these 13 colors the number of new colors you can make is
almost limitless. By using a limited number of colors, you will quickly learn
the characteristics of each color and how to use it most effectively. This also
helps keep your painting cost as low as possible.
The 13 colors we use are listed below:
*Alizarin Crimson, *Sap Green, Bright Red, *Dark Sienna, *Pthalo Green,
Cadmium Yellow, Titanium White, *Pthalo Blue, *Indian Yellow, *Van Dyke
Brown,*Midnight Black, Yellow Ochre, *Prussian Blue
(*indicates
colors that are transparent or semi-transparent and which may be used as under
paints where transparency is required.)
HOW DO I MIX COLORS?
The mixing of colors can be one of the most rewarding and fun parts of painting,
but may also be one of the most feared procedures. Devote some time to mixing
various color combinations and become familiar with the basic color mixtures.
Study the colors in nature and practice duplicating the colors you see around
you each day. Within a very short time you will be so comfortable mixing colors
that you will look forward to each painting as a new challenge.
Avoid over mixing your paints and strive more for a marbled
appearance. This will help keep your colors "alive" and "vibrant". Try
brush-mixing most of your colors, and loading several layers of color in a
single brush. This double and triple loading of brushes creates effects you
could never achieve by mixing color on the palette. Pay very close attention to
the way colors are loaded into the brushes and onto the knife.
SHOULD YOU USE JUST ANY ART PRODUCT FOR THIS METHOD OF PAINTING?
Possibly the #1 problem experienced by individuals when first attempting this
technique and the major cause for disappointment revolves around the use of
products designed for other styles of painting or materials not designed for
artwork at all (i.e. house painting brushes, thin soupy paints, etc.).
All of the paintings for this technique were created using Bob Ross paints,
brushes and palette knives. To achieve the best results from your efforts, I
strongly recommend that you use only products designed specifically for use with
the Bob Ross wet-on-wet technique.
HOW LONG WlLL IT TAKE MY PAINTING TO DRY?
Drying time will vary depending on numerous factors such as heat, humidity,
thickness of paint, painting surface, brand of paint used, mediums used with the
paint, etc. Another factor is the individual colors used. Different colors have
different drying times (i.e., normally Blue will dry very fast while colors like
Red, White and Yellow are very slow drying). A good average time for an oil
painting to dry, when painted in this technique, is approximately one week.
SHOULD I VARNISH MY PAINTINGS?
Varnishing a painting will protect it from the elements. It will also help to
keep the colors more vibrant. lf you decide to varnish your painting, I
suggested that you wait at least six months. It takes this long for an oil
painting to be completely cured. Use a good quality, non-yellowing picture
varnish spray. I personally spray my paintings after about 4 weeks and have not
had any problems.
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