HAPPY LITTLE LESSONS FROM BOB ROSS

by C.A. Sanders

I always wanted to paint like Bob Ross. I used to watch his show, The Joy of Painting, every day after school. He fascinated me, and there was nothing more relaxing after a hard day at school than listening to his voice. It turned out that I had talent as a painter, and my favorite landscapes still decorate my apartment.

Last month, The Joy of Painting came onto Netflix, and I got sucked in all over again. This time, I’m watching it as an adult, and I notice so much more than as a teen. Even though I chose writing as my constant for life and have been writing professionally for 16 years, there’s so much everyone can learn from Bob Ross and apply it to their field of choice.

Prepare Your Canvas:

I used to think that Bob did everything as the show went on without planning. I ignored the part in the beginning when he tells the audience about how he prepared the canvas (usually with a coat of Liquid White or Liquid Clear to make the paint flow). He also said in a few episodes that his ideas don’t come as he paints. He thinks about what he wants to do for days before each show.

“If you want beautiful, magical things to happen when you start writing, you have to prepare the canvas.”

Take notes, sketch out characters, outline your story, and THINK before you write. If you want your writing to flow as smoothly as Bob’s paint over the canvas, you have to start with a general idea and preparation. Otherwise, you’ll be agonizing over each word or going off on tangents that make no sense.

Artwork by Ram Shrestha

Blend On the Canvas:

Bob worked by starting with brighter colors on his palate and blending them on the canvas, mixing with the liquid white or clear until he found the hue and colors that he wanted. He played with the color, unafraid of making mistakes because he knew that he could blend them away. This was the magic of his “wet on wet” technique. Once you’re prepared for your story, don’t be afraid to edit and play with words and structure. There’s always a backspace button, so there’s no need to be afraid that something is permanent. The first thing a person writes down is rarely the best thing. Write it, look at it, and blend it until it’s exactly what you want to say.

Work In Layers:

Part of Bob’s signature style was the depth of his landscapes. He achieved this by “working in layers.” First, he would lay down a base or shadow color. On top of that, he would add highlights. By doing this, he would create the illusion of depth, and he

always made sure not to overwhelm the piece with highlights. To paraphrase him, it’s easy to go crazy with the highlights, but then you lose all of the beautiful shadows.

This is probably Bob Ross’s most famous catchphrases, but I feel that it’s misinterpreted. He doesn’t leave in things that he doesn’t like, rather he uses them as an opportunity for something new. If he doesn’t like the way part of a cloud looks, you can be sure that “a big ol’ tree” will end up in front, adding another layer of depth to the painting. Think of your “mistakes” as opportunities and consider having a separate document with scenes and lines that you decide not to use. Sure, you can edit them out, I do it all the time, but also see if it jolts something in your imagination. I always make sure to save the best stuff is an alternate file. Some of my favorite scenes–even main characters– in my stories have come from errors or moments when my words got away from me, and they’re sometimes from completely unrelated stories.

It’s Your World, and You Can Do What You Want:

I noticed while rewatching The Joy of Painting that he says this in almost every episode. Despite the seemingly free-form appearance of his show, Bob Ross was always in control of his paintings. He painted his landscapes as he saw them. He was the master of the painting, not the opposite. From chapter to chapter, let your imagination go. Start at Point A, know that the chapter needs to end at Point B, and just let it happen, guiding the writing just enough to keep it on track. This gives an opportunity for those “happy accidents” without getting too far away from my plot.

Remember that you are the master of the story. You decide when you let your imagination run, and when to rein it in. But being in control has responsibilities as well. If you’re too tight with the plot, it’ll lack energy and life. Too slack and it will run away on you or fall into a hole. In case you’re wondering, I plotted out the sections titles in advance and then went free form between them. Afterwards, I’ll edit it and add pictures. Obviously, Bob Ross couldn’t edit, but that’s the difference in mediums. Besides, editing is part of the Joy of Writing, sometimes the best part. It’s where you make it shine.