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
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.
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.
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
“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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
“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.
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.
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
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]