Lazy River. Painting #54. A Bob Ross Speed Study

Lazy River is painting #54. This one came about as sort of an accident. I had started doing a totally different painting with a black canvas. That didn’t work out so I had to ditch it. The only problem is that I had already put out the paint. I couldn’t bring myself to waste that paint—so I grabbed a fresh canvas, picked a Joy of Painting episode to follow and tried to do match that Bob Ross speed.

This painting is from S2E10 of the Joy of Painting.  

Materials Needed

Colors

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

Equipment

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

Quick Notes

Even on a smaller canvas, Bob Ross’s speed is something else. I tried to match it, just for fun. Forty-five minutes later I had a finished painting, a decent workout in brush control, and a bit of awe for Bob’s effortless delivery. He makes it look so easy—it’s not.

Overall, this painting is simple to recreate and surprisingly satisfying. If you’re a painter looking for a challenge, try keeping pace with Bob sometime. It’s nearly impossible, but it’s a great way to stretch your skills and see what unfolds.

The stream turned out nice, especially considering the rushed setup. The foliage highlights were tricky with limited paint, but at least it lowers mud mixing chances. I’d love to revisit this concept again someday with a bit more time and maybe a bigger canvas.

It may not have the backstory of some of my other works, but it’s got heart—and it proves that spontaneous creativity can still land somewhere beautiful. You can find it in my Art Store.

Happy painting!