Lost Lake. Painting #3. My 3rd Attempt at Painting with Bob Ross.

June 23, 2018

“I think each of us, sometime in our life, has wanted to paint a picture.”
― Bob Ross

The oil painting train keeps rolling. Lost Lake is my third oil painting in which I painted with Bob Ross. I painted it a mere 48 hours after my very first oil painting and less than 24 hours after my second painting.

Painting my first two oil paintings was so much fun that I wanted to keep going. I took advantage of the holiday time off and really enjoying my new Christmas gift, the Bob Ross Master Paint Set.

Join Bob and I as we discover a barely visible lake being hugged by snowy mountains and some of nature’s finest greenery.

Let’s Get Started

This post will be about my version of Lost Lake. First, I’ll talk about the inspiration for this painting. When I talk about inspiration in this blog, it will normally be why I chose a certain subject or Bob Ross episode to follow. Then, I will go over the colors and equipment I used and that you will need if you decide to give it a try. Next, I will expound a bit about my process and how to paint Lost Lake even if you are a beginner and new to 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 this trip down memory lane as I recap my third oil painting.

The Inspiration

The inspiration for this oil painting was The Joy of Painting episode from Season 13, Episode 13. I chose this episode to follow primarily because of the sky. This painting would give me a chance to try a different type of sky. It also would give me a chance at painting a different tree type. Up until now I had only painted evergreens and the large bushy trees. A couple other new things to try would be the grass, the little stones, and the path.

I didn’t realize it at the time but after only two paintings, I was already trying to find something new to paint and improve my skills.

Materials Required

Here are the colors and equipment I used. Everything needed to do this painting comes with the Bob Ross Master Paint Set.

Whether you want to continue on your journey after painting your first masterpiece from the Bob Ross Master Kit DVD or painting for the first time, here are the colors and equipment you will need. All of this is included in the kit linked above. 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.

Colors (included in the master kit)

Additional Colors (not included in the kit)

Equipment

There are a few colors Bob uses that are not included in the kit so I couldn’t use them. In most areas of the painting, you can barely tell so they’re not crucial to the composition of this painting.

For example, he uses Prussian blue in the mountain color and for the shadow color though, you can use Phthalo Blue here and it won’t make much difference. That’s what I did.

Bob also uses a different brush in this episode. It’s a newer one in his Bob Ross brand of brushes. He uses the new oval brush which doesn’t come in the kit so of course I didn’t use it. You can improvise like this throughout many Bob Ross episodes.

Additional Items to Get Started

If this is your first time painting, you’ll need a few essential items. 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 This Painting and Lessons Learned

Lost Lake was my third oil painting. I painted it on New Year’s Day 2017. 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 and the feelings associated with it. So let’s take it step by step.

Liquid White

How to apply 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. I did a lot better with the liquid white in this painting than I did in my first one. However, I’m not quite sure if I added enough. Having the right amount of medium on the canvas will help lighten your value in the sky and aid in blending everything together.

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 applied 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

The sky was the primary reason I chose to follow this episode. I wanted to try my hand at a more colorful sky. The sky color is nice but it’s clearly not blended well enough. I can’t recall what may have gone wrong. It could have been due to not enough liquid white. It could have been that I was simply too cautious.

To avoid the white gap that I have here, don’t be afraid to bring the different colors together on the canvas. In this case, start out with the alizarin crimson then move to the pthalo blue. You’ll notice that Bob doesn’t even clean the brush before going into the blue. That’s because the blue is so much stronger and will completely consume the crimson. Use this to your advantage on the canvas.

Here’s a tip. When applying the crimson part of this sky, paint in a slightly larger area than you intend to finish with. Then, when you go into the blue, get right up on the edge of that crimson and overlap on the edge of that color. The blue should overpower the crimson leaving you a seamless transition of color.

Mountain

When I originally wrote this post in 2018, I thought at the time that my mountain highlighting improved ever so slightly from Peaceful Waters. Looking back now, I think the highlighting was about the same. The only thing that came out better was the shadow color. At least it’s all one value.

Take a look at the bottom of the mountain. You might notice that the snow doesn’t come down all the way. I either didn’t bring the highlights down far enough to cover the entire mountain or I tapped the canvas too hard with the two inch brush and wiped the snow away. If you paint this one, take your time. Pay attention to where Bob places features and be aware of where you’re painting your features.

Trees/Bushes

I don’t really have a lot to say about my trees and bushes in this one. I think they came out solid and I got to try out painting a different type of tree which was fun. Another reason I chose this painting was because of all the dark paint you get to slather all over the canvas. Bob says that you can put it on with a shoe. If you want to just put a bunch of paint on a canvas, this one’s for you.

If I had one minor critique, it would be my grass. There are a few areas which lack depth. The cause of that is by not leaving dark areas or variation of value. After loading the brush and gently tapping the canvas, the value of color should get darker as the canvas takes paint off the brush. This will help create contrast. You can also leave small areas of the dark color underneath to create some variation. However, if you’re not careful, you can create too much.

Additional Tips

These are the little details you have to pay attention to when painting with Bob Ross. It gets fun while following along so you tend to rush and move on to the next part of the painting. I’m not pointing out these ~~mistakes~~ happy accidents to criticize myself. I’m pointing these out for you or anyone who may want to start oil painting with Bob Ross. Take your time, pay attention, but most importantly, have fun. Don’t torture yourself trying to make it perfect. If you find that you enjoy oil painting, you’ll eventually keep doing it and want to improve. Learn from my mistakes and make your first paintings even better than mine!

Final Thoughts

This was only my third painting. I’m thrilled with what I was able to accomplish at that time. I probably sound like I’m beating myself up a bit at times. .Artists tend to be critical of themselves. Even Bob says that dissatisfaction is a good thing because it pushes you to be better. He’s right too. Although, at this point, I had no idea how far I would go with this hobby.

This is not the highest of quality photos. I took it on my old iPad in a poorly lit garage. I don’t have another picture because I no longer have this painting in my possession. This one ended up as a gift to a friend/co-worker.

I hope you enjoyed this oil painting and find the tips useful.One thing I’ve come to realize is that everyone sees art so much differently. I’d love to know your thoughts. Tell me what you like about each painting. Have a question? Leave a comment. Subscribe to my blog to see more of my artwork and learn more about the Bob Ross method and how far it can take you as a new artist. You can also follow me on all my social media sites.

Good luck and happy painting!