Bob Ross pulls through again!

[cheese3]

For those of you who don't know Bob Ross was a painter and he had a TV show that still comes on PBS. He had a big affro and would talk about happy little critters and such. Well I will get to the point. I have watched his tv shows and learned alot. At first my back drop was going to be plain blue with clouds but I took the plunge and added some trees and stuff. This is over the yard I have been working on so it gives you an idea of my layout progress too.

The quality of the camera is not good and the pictures reflect it. The back drop is not meant to be viewed as close as the pictures were taken but oh well.



believe me this looks much better in person



this picture shows it a little better but not great



this one shows my whole yard so you kind of know what i am doing on my layout and the height at witch the back drop will be viewed. You can see it looks better from a distance

Any suggestions or advice is welcome!

[mecovey]

Good Stuff! I remember Bob - he was the only artist I ever saw who was a likely to paint a landscape with a 3" brush as a fan brush. Glad you took his lessons to heart.

[dave9999]

That's a happy little backdrop![:D] I remember him well... I always thought he was
a little bit psyco, but he sure could paint. Dave

[jacon12]

It looks very good to me. I was thinking about trying something along this line. Care to share the basics of how it was done?
Jarrell

[selector]

Nicely done!! I am in the process of painting my backdrop. I have the background blue drying as I type, but I am at a loss as to how to get the blended whiter horizon. Trial and error, like so much of what we do, I guess.

I always enjoyed watching Ross's shows. He was an artist, to be sure.

[cheese3]

QUOTE: Originally posted by jacon12

It looks very good to me. I was thinking about trying something along this line. Care to share the basics of how it was done?
Jarrell

I painted the area where my back drop was going to be blue. I took a standard 2 inch brush and loaded some brown on it. Wipe it off as if you were dry brushing and dab it on the backdrop in a random fasion making different heights. make sure some of the blue shows through a little. Next take a dark green color and do the same, dab it on, making sure the brown shows through some. Next take the same brown color and a small modeling brush and put in indications of tree trunks, very thin tree trunks. Dab over it lightly with the dark green to tone down the trunks a bit. Next take a lighter green and high light it here and there using the same dab technique. Thats about it. It took me an hour to do that 1 foot by 8 foot space, it goes quick. Have fun with this

[Anonymous]

"We don't make mistakes here, we just have happy accidents. We want happy, happy paintings. If you want sad things, watch the news. Everything is possible here. This is your little universe."

Bob Ross (October 29, 1942 - July 4, 1995)

I just grabbed that off of the internet real quick. I sure do remember Bob. I always thought his show should have been called ..... "Painting with Valium."

You did a great job with that painting ..... maybe I'll give it a shot.

Ken

[Anonymous]

it looks good and your right it looks better in the last pic but its a verry nice job over all

[AggroJones]

Very nice, Adam.

I too looked at Bob Ross for inspiration in painting my backdrop. I used to record his show on PBS back when they used to have good programming. Now its all crap.

[Anonymous]

I never would have even thought about using bob's techniques to paint a back drop.
Nice back drop.
I always had trouble painting the clouds like he did.
I can try to paint his happy little critters up in Alaska.

stocz2

[novicerr]

I was always amazed at how he started with just a little thing and it ended up being such a good painting. I miss his shows. I think you did a great job with your backdrop. Might have to try it here.

[grandeman]

Good job, cheese!

Bob Ross was an inspiration to many an artist. I used to like watching his show.

[wd45]

I, too, used to watch his show quite a bit; in fact, as a broadcasting student in college, I ran his show several times on our TV station. I worked with a guy several years ago who, while a student at Ball State University, got to meet Bob Ross a few times, as that was where Bob recorded his shows. As I recall what he told me, I think Bob Ross was pretty much the same off camera as he was on camera.

Mike

[Anonymous]

"Maybe on your backdrop, there lives a big 'ol tree - and let's give him a friend, everybody needs a friend..."[:D]

Awesome trees, Cheese! I still always watch Bob Ross' show when ever I see it on the tube, and have often thought about how his techniques might be used to paint a backdrop - nice to see somebody has finaly done it!

The guy was truly amazing - he could take a brush I might use for painting a doorframe and do a beautiful landscape in less than 30 minutes.

[SpaceMouse]

First good job on the trees.

You asked for sugestions. Not that I'm a big expert, But what will make what you have really effective is putting 3d trees and similar scenery in front of the painted trees so that it blends into the backdrop. I'm assuming that is what you have in mind.

[Anonymous]

Nice Job, Cheese3!! Bob Ross may no longer be with us in life but he sure did teach well when he was with us. I remember the show well and you look to have payed attention in class. All you need now is a happy little loco and some happy little cars and you will have a really super layout running. (bet you thought I was gonna say 'happy' again, didn't ya!!! L.O.L.) The suggestion of the trees in the foreground blending back into the backdrop is a really good idea too.
Keep up the good work!! (gee, I sound like a grade school teacher) (I'm not though)
Dave

[cheese3]

QUOTE: Originally posted by SpaceMouse

First good job on the trees.

You asked for sugestions. Not that I'm a big expert, But what will make what you have really effective is putting 3d trees and similar scenery in front of the painted trees so that it blends into the backdrop. I'm assuming that is what you have in mind.

Thats exactly what I have planed.

[pcarrell]

I could be wrong about this but I had heard that Mr. Ross was at one time in his carrer Drill Sargent Ross.

Maybe thats why he was so happy all the time. He had stored it all up and had to use it before he met his maker!?

Anyways, he was a great painter and cheese3's backdrop reflects that. It looks great!

[TrainFreak409]

I used to watch Bob Ross all of the time when I was little. Bob Ross, and This Old House were my favorites. Along with another carpentry show that I can't recall the name of. "Someone's Wood Shop" or something like that.[:p]

Everytime someone mentions Bob Ross, I think of The Master of Disguise with Dana Carvey. "Let's paint a moustach on the mean little bald guy's face here."[:D]

Great job Adam, it looks excellent.

~[8]~ TrainFreak409 ~[8]~

[cheese3]

QUOTE: Originally posted by TrainFreak409

I used to watch Bob Ross all of the time when I was little. Bob Ross, and This Old House were my favorites. Along with another carpentry show that I can't recall the name of. "Someone's Wood Shop" or something like that.[:p]

Everytime someone mentions Bob Ross, I think of The Master of Disguise with Dana Carvey. "Let's paint a moustach on the mean little bald guy's face here."[:D]

Great job Adam, it looks excellent.

~[8]~ TrainFreak409 ~[8]~

You mean the new yankee work shop, i watch all of those on PBS all the time

[randybc2003]

It looks like you have one HAPPY LITTLE ACCIDENT!![^]
I have watched Bob Ross on the local PBS, and got a couple of his books on landscape. Also I rember the Walter Foster programs. Got some of them too. Not mucth in the way of Desert Landscaps, but between these two fellows, and D. Frary, I have a reasonable approximation of the Arizona Desert. Best thing about that - NO GRASS!! Much is "Desert Armor". I started with some of D.F's techniques, and used Ross's "Broad Brush" tech., for a reasonable landscape - albeit "abstract" - and no detail (yet - need to add cacti.) Photographs help for color matching, and Ross's tech. for blending and perspective a whiz.
Don't worry about being perfect! That's what his lessons were all about. Between Bob Ross and Randy Hood I intend to do a stormy snowscape one of these days.
Heres to Happy Little Accidents!! [:D]

[Rotorranch]

A very nice, "happy" ( sorry, couldn't resist! ) backdrop! It looks great! You really took his technique to heart!

My Mom and my son both enjoy his shows! When my son was little, he and my Mom would wait all day for Ross' show to come on, so they could paint with him! [:D]

I never thought about using Ross' techniques for a backdrop! Thanks for the idea! Maybe I'll turn my Mom and The Kid loose in my train room!

Great job, Cheese!!!

Rotor

[JohnT14808]

Geez, is this Bob Ross guy the one I used to watch where he cold paint a complete landscape with mountains in the background, a huge pine tree on the left side, and a meadow with a meandering stream....all in under 30 minutes??!?! ....and it would look absolutely astounding when he was done??!?
What an artist!! Cheese---your backdrop looks really good. Keep up the good work!!

[Big_Boy_4005]

QUOTE: Originally posted by TrainFreak409

I used to watch Bob Ross all of the time when I was little. Bob Ross, and This Old House were my favorites. Along with another carpentry show that I can't recall the name of. "Someone's Wood Shop" or something like that.[:p]

Everytime someone mentions Bob Ross, I think of The Master of Disguise with Dana Carvey. "Let's paint a moustach on the mean little bald guy's face here."[:D]

Great job Adam, it looks excellent.

~[8]~ TrainFreak409 ~[8]~

You might be thinking of the Woodwright's Shop, which was another PBS series. That show specialized in old world projects using all 19th century and earlier tools and techniques. Norm and the New Yankee Workshop made old sytle projects with all the modern tools.

As for Bob Ross, the name didn't ring a bell at first, but after reading Adam's post inside, I knew right away. I remember watching some of those shows and thinking that some of those techniques might work for backdrops. Ive just never gotten to that point with any layout. This one will.

For those of you who are thinking of trying this, check your local craft or art supply store. I think Bob had books too. It is possible that the shows are on video as well. At one time there might even have been a kit with colors and brushes.

[Anonymous]

I have a 9yr-old daughter who hates school, but loves doing oil paintings/pastels and has the talent to go with it. This might be exactly the thing for me to get her involved in my hobby![8D]

[Anonymous]

I remember Bob. And your backdrop looks great! Blending scale trees as suggested by Spacemouse is the ticket here to selling the realism of the backdrop. I'm inspired by your work.

TrevorG[:)]

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by wd45

I, too, used to watch his show quite a bit; in fact, as a broadcasting student in college, I ran his show several times on our TV station. I worked with a guy several years ago who, while a student at Ball State University, got to meet Bob Ross a few times, as that was where Bob recorded his shows. As I recall what he told me, I think Bob Ross was pretty much the same off camera as he was on camera.

Mike

Hey, Mike! I'm an ex broadcaster. Everything from disc jockey to station manager and everything in between. I'm in the insurance business now, but still have fond memories of the industry. email me off list sometime and we'll swap radio and tv station stories!!

Ed Briley
Independence, MO
[e-mail] OR
[e-mail]

[deevs]

Bob is still being shown in grand Rapids ,Mi every week.

[Anonymous]

Looks good. And I'm glad I'm not the only one who uses Bob's light-hearted lessons. Nothing but trees and mountains (and some track, of course) on my layout, which are very challenging. Bob encouraged everyone to give it a try, so I did. There were more than a few "do-overs" before I got the hang of it, but what he said was true. Anyone can do it.

SRT.

P.S.: I almost forgot. Yes, he sold books. I own two of them. - SRT.