Bob Ross setup using water soluble paints - mhulse/mhulse.github.io GitHub Wiki

Read this first: WATER-MIXABLE OILS: VIBRANT COLOURS, EASY-CLEANUP AND THEY NEEDN’T BE STICKY

Documenting art supplies, tips and techniques one could use in order to replicate Bob Ross painting style using water soluable oil paints.

Tips

  • In order to replicate Bob’s “wet on wet” technique, just add linseed oil to the titanium white and use that as a base.
  • If you stick with the water mixable linseed oil medium, you can just use dish soap and water.

Paints

Brands

There are several major paint manufacturers of water-mixable oil paints:

Each brand seems to have its quirks. I use a mix of Max, Cobra, and Duo paints.
Outdoor Painter: Working Out the Kinks of Water-Mixable Oils

  • Note: “Hue” paints are cheaper than the non-hue paints! A hue indicates a color that is made up of different pigments than the original. Even being made up of different components, hues are very close to the true color.

Winsor & Newton Artisan

Bob Ross Brand Winsor & Newton Brand
Alizarin Crimson Permanent Alizarin Crimson
Burnt Umber Burnt Umber
Cadmium Yellow Cadmium Yellow Light
Dark Sienna Burnt Sienna
Indian Yellow Cadmium Yellow Hue
Midnight Black Ivory Black
Permanent/Bright Red Cadmium Red Hue
Phthalo Blue Phthalo Blue (Red Shade)
Phthalo Green Phthalo Green (Blue Shade)
Prussian Blue Prussian Blue
Sap Green Permanent Sap Green
Titanium White Titanium White
Van Dyke Brown Raw Umber
Yellow Ochre Yellow Ochre

Medium: Artisan Water Mixable Oil Linseed Oil

Wishlist: Winsor & Newton Artisan Water Soluble Oil Paint Supplies via Dick Blick

Holbien Duo

Bob Ross Brand Holbien Duo
Alizarin Crimson Alizarin Crimson
Burnt Umber Burnt Umber
Cadmium Yellow Cadmium Yellow
Dark Sienna Burnt Sienna
Indian Yellow Indian Yellow
Midnight Black Ivory Black Hue
Permanent/Bright Red Cadmium Red
Phthalo Blue Phthalo Blue
Phthalo Green Phthalo Green
Prussian Blue Prussian Blue
Sap Green Sap Green
Titanium White Titanium White
Van Dyke Brown Raw Umber
Yellow Ochre Yellow Ochre

Medium: Holbein Duo Aqua Linseed Oil

Wishlist: Holbein Duo Aqua Water Soluble Oil Paints

Brushes & Palette Knives

Wishlist: Brushes & Palette Knives

Canvases

Bob Ross uses a standard 18" by 24" (3:4 ratio):

  • 3" x 4"
  • 6" x 8"
  • 9" x 12"
  • 12" x 16"
  • 18" x 24"
  • 30" x 40"
  • 36" x 48"

Panel/canvas options

Easels

Note that these are easels and pochade boxes that I’ve found and appreciated:

Artist tutorial links

Thanks to Neale Quenzel for all of the above artist links!

Resource links