Valley of Tranquility. Painting #77. All the Bob Ross Fundamentals

Towering mountains rise above a quiet green river valley, where gentle waters drift and soft breezes move through the trees. Valley of Tranquility (a Bob Ross study) captures that moment when a fisherman arrives at a lake tucked beneath a snow‑capped peak. Across the water, a small waterfall spills from a hidden mountain stream. You can’t see the stream from this angle, but you know it’s there. The little knoll on the left feels like the perfect spot for a campsite or picnic—somewhere you could sit and listen to the babbling brook and the splash of the falls. This is painting #77

Inspiration

Valley of Tranquility is a Bob Ross replica that I did simply because I felt like painting. I hadn’t done mountains in a while, and this episode gave me the chance to practice adding grassy foothills at the mountain base, as well as some other classic Bob Ross fundamentals. I followed along with The Joy of Painting S19E13.

Materials Needed

Colors

• Alizarin Crimson
• Bright Red
• Cadmium Yellow
• Dark Sienna
• Indian Yellow
• Midnight Black
• Phthalo 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

Notes From the Easel

What I like about this painting.
• The mountain highlights came out surprisingly well, especially after a break from painting mountains.

• The little waterfall has a nice sense of movement and light.

• The grassy areas at the base of the mountains blended smoothly and feel natural.

What Could Have Been Better
• The cloud highlights could have been blended a bit more softly.

• Everything else followed standard Bob Ross techniques without much trouble.

• My biggest mistake—if you watch the episode—is that it was supposed to be painted in portrait orientation. Despite that, the landscape still works and holds together nicely.

Tips & Tricks for This Scene

• Keep the background mountain very light. Even a shade lighter than mine would help push it further into the distance.

• Bring the background highlights down the mountain a bit more, but keep them subtle. Too much detail pulls it forward.

• When painting waterfalls or moving water, mix a touch of liquid white into your highlight color to help it glide.

• If your highlight color feels too thick, thin it with the smallest amount of paint thinner. I used that approach for the grassy foothills.

Final Thoughts

Valley of Tranquility is a classic Bob Ross scene that hits all the fundamentals—mountains, water, trees, atmosphere. It’s a great piece for practice and for adding your own little touches. As always, I’d love to hear your thoughts. And if you haven’t yet, check out the changes to my shop. A dedicated blog page, gallery, and shop (under construction). Let me know what you think of the site and what else you’d like to see.

Happy painting!