“Mountain Summit” Painting #1. My First Oil Painting.

Mountain Summit
Date Painted: December 30, 2016 
Size: 16 x 20 canvas

“All you need to paint is a few tools, a little instruction, and a vision in your mind.”
― Bob Ross

This is it! This is the one that started it all! Mountain Summit is my very first Bob Ross oil painting. It’s my first oil painting, period. In this scene, snowy peaks point toward the heavens as Bob Ross surrounds all of this with a happy gathering of landscape finery. If you want to know how I came to this point, read a little bit more about me.

In this post, I will cover this particular painting, my version of Mountain Summit.  First, I will explain why I chose this subject. Then, I’ll go over the colors and equipment required or what I used. I will also talk a little bit about the process and how to paint Mountain Summit even if it’s your first time painting with Bob Ross. Finally, I’ll wrap up with some lessons that I learned from painting this picture and things I could have done better or wished I had known. So join me on a journey down memory lane as I recap my first ever oil painting. 

The Inspiration

What inspired me to paint Mountain Summit as my first Bob Ross painting?  It’s simple.  This episode is the one that came with the Bob Ross Master Kit. The kit contains a DVD instructional video as well as written visual step by step instructions to complete the painting from this episode.  I have to admit, I didn’t watch the video.  For all I know, it could come with more detailed instructions. I simply followed the written instructions which contained visual guides along with it. If you don’t have the kit and still want to do this painting, you can follow along with Bob on YouTube.

Materials Required

Have you ever wanted to paint like Bob Ross? I know I sure have. I’ve wanted to paint like him since I was ten years old! But all this time, you never went to art school and don’t have the slightest clue where to get started.  Does this sound about right? 

Well getting started is easy with Bob guiding you. The best and easiest way to give this a try is to get the Bob Ross Master Kit. The kit includes everything you need to paint this painting in particular as well as many other spectacular Bob Ross masterpieces. Getting this kit will eliminate the anxiety of buying the right brushes made of the right materials or the right oil paints with correct firmness or pigment ratios. Everything you need is there and ready to go. 

Here is a full color list as well as equipment required to complete your first masterpiece. It’s all included in the Master Kit but if you already have some colors and need to top up, here’s what you need. I’ve included extra colors that Bob uses in the episode but they’re not required and I did not use them since they didn’t come with the kit. 

Colors

• Alizarin Crimson
• Bright Red
• Cadmium Yellow
• Midnight Black
• Phthalo Blue
• Sap Green
• Titanium Hwite
• Van Dyke Brown
• Don’t forget the Liquid Hwite!

Additional Colors

• Yellow Ochre
• Indian Yellow
• Dark Sienna

Equipment

• 2 Inch Brush
• 1 Inch Brush
• #6 Fan Brush
• Large Palette Knife
• Script Liner Brush

Additional Items to Get Started

I have to confess.  I told you a little fib.  The Bob Ross kit doesn’t include everything you need to get started painting. It does include all the brushes and paint you need but in order to paint your own masterpieces you’ll need a few more things. I have you covered however.

Canvas

Stretched canvas is optimal here. You can paint on many surfaces but if you’re just getting started, I advise you to go with a basic stretched canvas.  Most already come ready to paint on right out of the packaging.  Above all, avoid canvas boards with this technique.

Easel

You’ll want a sturdy easel to hold your painting surface. The kit I mentioned above does include a carrying case which I used as a makeshift easel.  Beware if you do this, however.  The canvas is not secure.  You could also lay the canvas flat on a desk or table. With that being said, you don’t require an easel but it sure makes life easier!

Palette

The kit I keep mentioning over and over? There’s a reason.  It really is a great starter kit to kick start your new painting hobby.  You’ll need something to squeeze your paint onto. The kit comes with a small wooden palette. You can squeeze the paint directly onto it. However, if you want to keep your palette clean and smooth, you can put some palette paper on it. If you don’t have the kit, you can use paper plates or a piece of glass or Plexiglas. However, I highly suggest not using paper plates and use a hard flat surface. Therefore, a nice large palette will be useful.

Odorless Paint Thinner

The only small drawback with oil painting is the solvents required. You need to clean your brushes and odorless paint thinner or odorless mineral spirits work the best. To keep it contained, you’ll need a bucket. The Bob Ross company has the perfect thing. This bucket and screen combo will keep your thinner contained and secure. Surely after you clean your two inch brush, you’ll want to beat the devil out of it! But you certainly don’t want to do that in your home. Bob comes through again with a brush beater rack. Put this inside a box or waste basket and you can beat the devil to your heart’s content! 

How I Painted my First Painting and Lessons Learned

I started this painting not expecting much. I approached it as a practice piece, which essentially it was. The canvas I used had a rip in it from shipping. I bet you can’t see it, however. There were some happy accidents that occurred along the way. I’ll talk about them shortly.

Mountain Summit was my first ever oil painting.  I painted it in late 2016.  This post was first published in summer of 2018.  Then I updated it in 2020 to add more substance and give you some more tips and encouragement to start painting. With all that being said, I have to go back and try to recall how I painted this one. So let’s take it step by step. 

Liquid White

The first thing to do with any Bob Ross painting is to apply the liquid hwite. The trick is to not apply too much.  In my painting, something didn’t come out quite right in the sky. I can’t remember if I put on too much liquid white or too much Pthalo blue on my two inch brush.

I learned later that the best way to apply the liquid white is to dip your brush into the white then dab it all over the canvas. After you’ve dabbed it, then you start to spread it around. But, you don’t paint it on like you’re painting a fence. With this medium, you have to spread it around and scrub it in. Really get tough with it.  Don’t worry, you’re not going to hurt your brush. 

Make sure the medium is spread evenly. To do this, I use the light of the room or outdoors.  For example, I look at the canvas at different angles to pick out dry spots.  To check if you have the right amount, lightly press your fingers on different spots on the canvas. You should be able to see your fingerprint.  If you can’t, then you’ve put too much on.  Don’t worry.  Simply take a paper towel and lightly wipe the canvas.  The liquid white you need will remain on the surface. 

Sky

As I mentioned above, I’m not sure if I put on too much liquid white or too much Pthalo Blue on my brush. One of these things caused my sky to come out a bit dark. It doesn’t look all that bad but it is a bit darker than the sky in Bob’s painting. It’s your world though. You can make the sky as dark or as light as you want. 

I think my clouds came out great! I didn’t have any troubles with that feature.  As long as you keep your brush moving, your clouds should be fine. If you need to reload with more Titanium hwhite, be sure to wipe the brush before reloading. Don’t forget to blend the bottoms gently with the corner of the two inch brush. I managed to create big, fluffy clouds and even managed to give them some depth!

Mountain

Mountains are fun to paint! I had so much fun making the first one that I made a second big almighty mountain right next to it. The second mountain isn’t put in there in the video or the instruction but it’s my world and I wanted a second mountain. That was all great fun until started painting in trees. I’ll explain that in the next section. 

The trick with the mountains is to scrape off excess paint once you have the shape in then wipe a bit more with the two inch brush. With the snow highlights, use a light touch and don’t move too slow. Then just go with the angles of the mountain shape. After that, you do the opposite with the shadow color. You may not nail it the first time but that’s okay. Like everything, it takes a little practice. 

Trees/Bushes

These are not the best Bob Ross trees that I’ve done. However, I am pretty pleased with them for my first time. The lesson here, which I learned after painting for a few more years, is to use the corner of the fan brush and use varying degrees of pressure. Use more pressure the further down you go and alternate sides of the trunk. 

You may notice that big fat evergreen on the right. The reason it is so side is because of that second mountain I put in. You can do anything you want to on the canvas.  But like life, just because you can, doesn’t mean you should. Because of all the white paint on the mountain, I couldn’t get the dark color I needed for the tree. I had to keep going over it with dark paint until you couldn’t see the white anymore. Additionally, I ended up covering up that mountain anyway. 

As for the rest of the bushes, I was surprised how they came out! I didn’t have the extra yellow colors to make them pop more but I think the shape and form came out pretty good for the first time. The trick is liquid white to make the paint thinner. Additionally, be sure to leave a little dark color here and there. After all, You need the darkness to show the light! 

Final Thoughts

Overall, I was quite pleased with my first oil painting! My wife was shocked when I showed her.  I had never attempted an oil painting in my life.  If I can do it, anyone can.  I had zero art training. The key, if you’re going to give it a try, is to watch Bob Ross a lot and pay attention. Pay attention to the way he loads the brushes, where he places certain things, and how he applies the paint. Before attempting to follow along with an episode, watch it a couple of times. You’ll be surprised how much information sticks with you throughout the process. I even did dry runs before applying my first brush stroke! I practiced the major brush and knife strokes that Bob uses. Sounds silly but it works! 

One Final Piece of Advice.

If you really want the full Bob Ross painting experience and set yourself up for success if you’ve never painted before, I highly recommend using Bob Ross paints and materials, if you can afford them.  They’re not a necessity if you just want to put something on canvas one time but if you want this to work for you fully, the Bob Ross paints will definitely help and give you the confidence to keep going. I know it did for me! 

That was a fun walk down memory lane. What inspired your first painting? How did it turn out? I’m not sure what I did with the DVD from the kit.  If you watched it, I’d love to know what’s on it. Is it just the episode from the Joy of Painting or is it a more detailed instruction? Let me know in the comments below. 

I hope you enjoyed this painting and find the tips useful. Subscribe to my blog to see more of my artwork and learn more about the Bob Ross method. You can also follow me on all my social media sites. 

Good luck and happy painting!