Bob Ross: 30 Things to Know About the Painter

Bob Ross: 30 Things to Know About the Painter

The world has had several exceptional painters in the past but one man became an icon in modern-day painting; his name was Bob Ross. Born Robert Norman Ross, Bob Ross became the face of the painting world and one of the most famous men in the world. His unique style, character traits, and approach to life are what made him stand out in his field of work. However, what made him more famous is his television show The Joy of Painting which aired on television for more than a decade. his journey to becoming a globally recognized artist began when he was a little boy and carried on with the same passion through serving in the United States Air Force and finally finding himself fully immersed in the world of art. There are a lot of things that we can learn about the famous painter whose life was full of joy. Apart from being a painter, Ross was also a positive-minded individual whose advice would help many people take on life with a positive mindset. His selflessness was unmatched as he dedicated his life to helping grow upcoming artists through his famous television show. There is a lot to know about the once-in-a-lifetime humans.

These are thirty things to know about the famous American painter Bob Ross:

1. Bob Ross Left his Job at the United States Air Force to become a full-time Painter

Image by Pexels from Pixabay

While serving in the United States Air Force, Bob Ross discovered his deep passion for painting and enrolled in art classes. Dropping out of school in ninth grade opened an avenue for him to join the Air Force when he turned eighteen. However, life took a different turn when he was in the art class in Anchorage. He realized that he loved art more than he had ever imagined- even more than his job in the Air Force. In two decades, Ross left the army to pursue his career in painting as a full-time job. He admitted that leaving the Air Force was relieving because he did not have to be mean and tough anymore.

2. His Signature haircut was not one of his Favorite Looks 

Serving in the Air Force taught Bob Ross how to keep his hair short and neat at all times. However, after leaving his job and began teaching art classes, Bob Ross decided to let his hair grow to save money on haircuts and have more time for his job. The hair grew so fast and he made an afro hair out of it- but he did not like it, yet he could not cut it because it had become the face and part of his brand. Therefore he had no choice but to keep the hair and would even wear wigs to maintain his looks when he was diagnosed with cancer and had to cut his hair.

3. He is believed to have created More Than Thirty Thousand Paintings in his Career

Ertly, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

One had to be so passionate at his job to create thirty thousand paintings and the number shows just how Bob Ross loved his job. Even though he never sold any of the paintings he made on the television show as they were donated around the country to be used as fundraisers, he had several other paintings he created before starting the show. The number of paintings he created puts him among the top painters in history. Most artists spent several years in the industry but would never reach half what Bob Ross created.

4. He was on the Television Show and did not make a Cent from his Television Series

Bob Ross created the television show The Joy of Painting back in 1983 and managed to run it until 1994. However, he did not make money from his ten-year television series because the show was more of an advertising agent for his art lessons. Nonetheless, his television series was not very expensive to shoot as he would make an entire season in just a few days. Considering he did not spend a lot of time shooting the series and needed little money for the same, he chose to do the shows for free.

5. Bob Ross was Missing one of his Fingers from Childhood

Bob Ross has been an adventurer’s person since he was a kid and would love to take on new challenges. He even worked as a carpenter when he was a teenager alongside his father. However, his left index finger was not as lucky during his time as a carpenter as he lost it when he was working. However, he carried on with life without one of his fingers and many people did not notice because he used his right hand to hold the brush.

6. He would do a Maximum of Three Paintings on Every Television Show

SrA Dan Saylor, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

During the 1983 to 1994 television show The Joy of Painting, Bob Ross would do three paintings in every show. The show airing on almost every PBS station showed the man who made the painting look simple. However, he rehearsed everything he did and said on the show. He created three paintings; one off the camera before the show for reference purposes, the second one he did during the show, and the last painting was done after the show. The third painting was more detailed than the previous two and would go on to be used in his art lessons.

7. Bob Ross’s Laid-Back Demeanor was Something he did Intentionally 

Despite having quick panting skills, Bob Ross was a man who spoke softly with a soothing voice that would put people to sleep. Many people did not know but this was an intentional move for the artist who chose to be soft after having a rough journey in the past. His years in the Air Force taught him valuable lessons to become calm and kind to people. Often in the Air Force, Ross was required to be tough and loud because of the nature of the job. However, art came to his rescue as he never had to shout at people and be mean anymore. He chose to use a soothing voice which became people’s favorite.

8. He was Inspired to Pursue Art by a Painting Program hosted by Bill Alexander

Among several reasons for Bob Ross turning to art as a full-time job was an inspiration from another instructional painting television program. He came across the program while he was still in the Air Force. The Magic of Oil Painting was hosted by the German painter Bill Alexander who became Ross’s inspiration. Ross learned the wet-on-wet style of painting from Alexander’s program and perfected the skill in the shortest time possible. The style involved placing wet paint on top of another paint that had not completely dried until one achieved something remarkable. After a few sessions of constant practice, Ross was able to generate paintings in the same style in less than half an hour.

9. Bob Ross kept Pets that are not welcome by many People

Image by Dim Hou from Pixabay

When Bob Ross was young, he did not just love painting but animals as well. His compassionate heart drove him to take home several of the injured animals he came across when he was in Orlando, Florida. His natural love for animals continued with him in adulthood where he cared for different animals at his home. He loved squirrels, snakes, and alligators and would go on to have some of them as pets in his home.

10. The Painter had a Deep Love for Painting Trees 

Bob Ross did not have anything against people but his love for painting trees made him prefer painting trees over people. He would paint green forests and landscapes in Alaska, often the places where he spent most of his time in the Air Force before turning into a full-time painter. He would paint wooden forests, mountains, and lakes but never depicted people in his famous paintings on the television show. Even though the Five Thirty-Eight readers suggested that they found chimneys in Ross’s pain tinting depicting the presence of people, the painter intentionally omitted any form of smoke to show that the place was inhabitable.

11. He Dedicated Part of the Show to his mentor Bill Alexander

During the second season of the famous television show The Joy of Painting, Bob Ross dedicated the show to a man who helped him begin his brand and grow in art. Bill Alexander created a promo with Ross where he handed over the painting ‘mantle’ to the new star in the industry marking the beginning of a new era of painting. Although Ross was still using Alexander Art to supply his paintings, he received word to start his line of supply from his former boss. That was the beginning of Bob Ross Inc. which grew into a multimillion company.

12. Bob Ross’s Love For Animals Pushed Him to Keep An Alligator in His House

Image by Paul Brennan from Pixabay

The famous painter’s love for animals from childhood was undeniably incredible and he carried on when he was a grown man. Nursing wounded animals were his hobby and he nursed and kept an alligator in his home as a member of the family. Even though many people are scared of alligators because they can be dangerous to humans, Bob Ross loved these animals more than he was scared of them. He also kept an epileptic squirrel in his Jacuzzi as he attempted to restore the animal’s health.

13. He Painted Pans While at the Air Force Before Turning Around 

When Bob Ross was still serving in the United States Air Force stationed in Alaska, he would often engage in painting. However, he had not developed fully into a painter and did not have a specific pattern of painting which led him to paint the landscape onto golden pans. He sold the paintings for twenty-five dollars each but the items can sell for thousands of dollars in today’s market. Therefore painting pans was his original idea which changed over time leading the painter to love painting trees.

14. Bob Ross was Personally Chosen by Bill Alexander as his Successor 

When Bill Alexander reached retirement age in the 1980s, he appointed the upcoming painter Bob Ross as his rightful successor. Alexander chose after spending some years with Ross and teaching him the best painting techniques. Without a doubt, Ross mastered the skills including the wet-on-wet painting technique. He also set out to teach people the techniques he had learned from Alexander which turned out to be a quick success.

15. Bob Ross was Famously ‘Discovered’ by one of his favorite Student 

Although Bill Alexander was the man who got Bob Ross’s career starting on a high note as an artist, it was one of his students who helped Ross rise above his imaginable dreams. Kowalski is the woman who is credited for making Bob Ross a famous figure in pop culture and across the world. After attending his painting classes for a week in 1982, the focused student left the class with determination to succeed. She became fond of Ross’s calming voice and positivity. Kowalski went on to become his manager and helped ensure that his show The Joy of Painting had a fair deal with PBS.

16. The Television Show The Joy Of Painting was a Globally Recognized Show

Image by imageworld from Pixabay

Bob Ross’s television show was a famous hit in the United States of America showing on more than ninety percent of public televisions and reaching more than ninety million homes. However, besides being loved at home, the show was also a hit on international television. The Joy of Painting was aired on television in European countries including the United Kingdom, Germany, Belgium, and Switzerland. The show was also popular in Asia showing in South Korea and spreading all over the world today.

17. He worked alongside his favorite Pet- A Small Squirrel named Peapod

The Joy of Painting star would often be seen with a tiny squirrel in his pocket on several occasions. He said that Peapod, the squirrel, loved hiding in his pockets and he could not help but walk around with his loved pet. His undeniable love for animals made it easy for people to understand the presence of the happy little animal.

18. Bob Ross Loved Trees and His Expression for them was in his Paintings

Image by Mister S from Pixabay

Apart from his expressions of ‘happy little’ trees, the painter had a genuine love for the trees. When research was done by Five Thirty-eight in 2014, they discovered that more than ninety percent of Bob Ross’s paintings featured at least one tree. Their study was done on the paintings that Ross created on the television show The Joy of Painting.

19. Bob Ross did not  Appear in Many Interviews Throughout his Career

In today’s world, people invite celebrities for interviews on an almost daily basis to try and know everything about their favorite person. However, Bob Ross’s situation was different because he did not have many interviews in his life. Although he was shy, he did not appear in interviews because many people did not invite him. He said that he would never turn down an interview invitation and the reason why he never appeared on interviews is that he was just not invited on many interview requests.

20. Nintendo wanted to Create a Video Game Based On His Television Show 

The famous video game developer company Nintendo had plans to make a video game but the plans did not succeed. The news spread fast but many people did not believe the news often thinking it was a hoax. However, the rumors were true and the company would have created one of the people’s favorite video games if the plan had not encountered problems in the process.

21. Bob Ross Lost More Than a Dozen Paintings in One Session

While on the second season of his show, someone entered Ross’s van and stole thirteen paintings. Even though Ross did not sell his works, many people saw the potential for money. The thirteen paintings would fetch a few thousand dollars for the thief. The paintings would be sold on the black market at a lower price despite being the reference paintings that he would use for the show.

22. He had plans to Teach Children about Nature before He Died

A few years before he succumbed to cancer, Bob Ross had plans to leave art and venture into wildlife. He wanted to create a show and name it Bob’s World where he would educate children about nature and wildlife. His love for nature and animals would make him a suitable candidate for such a show.

23. Bob Ross Said that his Painting Popularity is Similar to a Drug Addiction

Image by Rudy and Peter Skitterians from Pixabay

While on a television show, Bob Ross once likened his popularity in the art industry to a drug addiction. “We are like drug dealers,” Ross said in the interviews referring to his popularity. According to him, it takes little to get a multitude of people addicted to painting wherever he goes. Once one becomes attracted to painting, it is hard for them to stop because the addiction has no remedy.

24. Fellow Artists Were Disgusted by His Teachings

Unlike his viewers who loved the show, Bob Ross’s fellow artists did not like him at all. Many artists thought that Ross was not an ideal artist and he was on the show to mislead people who wanted to become artists. One of the artists Richard Pousette-Dart said that Ross was a non-artist teaching other non-artists and that his television show was just a commercial exploiter. Several other artists never accepted what Bob Ross did and maintained that he was not doing the right thing on the television show.

25. Some Art Supply Stores did not like Bob Ross’s Paintings 

Even though his paintings were exceptional, many people were not interested in buying or even seeing the works. While touring around art supply stores in the country, the New York Times visited Pearl Paint Company and asked for Bob Ross’s paintings. To their surprise, the paintings were in the store but never on display. One employee explained that the ‘happy little trees’ are kept in hidden places so that they do not offend the general public. Many people will be surprised that their favorite artist’s paintings are hidden when they get to the art stores.

26. Bill Alexander was not Happy with Bob Ross’s Success 

While Bob Ross expected Bill Alexander to be happy for Ross’s success, the exact opposite happened. Alexander was not happy for Ross because he thought Ross betrayed him and copied his wet-to-wet style of painting and eventually claimed he could do it better than Alexander. While speaking to the New York Times, Alexander said “I invented the ‘wet on wet’. I trained him and he is copying me. What bothers me is not just that he betrayed me, but that he thinks he can do it better.” many would have wished that bill alexander turn out the happiest man for his protégé’s success but he was not happy.

27. He managed to Air a Record of Four Hundred And Three Episodes of The Joy Of Painting

Image by Markus Winkler from Pixabay

Some of the longest know television shows in history including Dallas, Grey’s Anatomy, and Murder She Wrote among others did not manage to complete three hundred and sixty episodes. Dallas is the longest with just three hundred and fifty-seven episodes. This just how ridiculous The Joy of Painting is. However, considering Bob Ross did not spend a lot of time and money shooting the show, he would always shoot several episodes compared to other time-consuming shows.

28. His Television Shows helped put many People to Sleep

Although many people would not admit it, they would turn on the television to Bob Ross’s show when they wanted to take a nap. However, the painter did not mind at all and loved the fact that he would help people sleep. When interviewed by the New York Times, the media director for Bob Ross’s show explained that Bob knew about it and he did not mind at all.

29. Bob Ross Only Lived a Little Above Five Decades 

Unfortunately, the man who was loved by many people around the world died at just fifty-two years. The cause of his death was the cancer that he had battled for a few years, lymphoma. He left behind a big company worth more than fifteen million dollars as reported by New York Times. His connection with his fans was so deep that many people did not believe that he had died and would call the company number to confirm the news.

30. The Famous Painter is more famous Today Than Ever Before

Image by Jake Heckey from Pixabay

You can watch Bob Ross on his television show The Joy of Painting today if you want because the show appears on television. The discovery of the internet also made things easier as you can go into archives and find all of Bob Ross’s shows and paintings. Several of the episodes of his shows are available on YouTube and other social media platforms which has increased his fame across the world even though he is not alive.

We can all agree that Bob Ross is one man who can only be on the face of the world once a century. A man with wisdom and a selfless heart who took the time to make sure that the world of art and painting had many artists. His soft-spoken words not only warmed people’s hearts but also spread love and convinced several young people to fall in love with art. Ross’s artistic skills left a legacy that made him an icon to be remembered for generations to come. He inspired more people through his iconic television show which has aired for more than a decade. His message to us was to cherish the moments and remember that “there are no mistakes. Just small happy accidents.” therefore, despite Bob Ross’s journey on earth coming to an end in 1995, his influence and legacy remain in people’s hearts. Those who watched him still remember his afro hair and soft voice which would sometimes put people to sleep. Looking back at his life reminds us to be kind and love whatever we do passionately.