Camper’s Haven. Painting #94. They Can’t All be Winners.

Camper’s Haven is my 94th oil painting. Warm skies, pleasant valley and purple misty mountains – the perfect place to pitch your tent and enjoy the view.

Let’s Get Started

This post is about my version of Camper’s Haven by Bob Ross. 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 want to try your hand at it. Next, I will expound a bit about my process and how to paint Winter Frost 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 94th oil painting. 

The Inspiration for Camper’s Haven

The inspiration for Camper’s Haven came from S19E9. I chose it because of the distant majestic mountain. I also wanted to try painting that distant snowy effect.

It was just around the end of winter 2020. I had been doing a lot of mini paintings at the time. There was also a gap in streaming art on Twitch. The Covid-19 pandemic was just sort of ramping up. I decided to get back to streaming and art. This was shortly after painting Hint of Springtime. I just needed to get back into the swing of painting. It’s something I usually do after a short hiatus.

Materials

Here are the colors and equipment I used to paint Camper’s Haven. All of the colors are included with the Bob Ross Master Paint Set. 

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

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. Check out my “Getting Started” page for everything you need.

Before We Begin

Every Bob Ross painting begins by covering the canvas with a medium. In most paintings he starts off with the medium known as Liquid White. Liquid White is a thin, fluid paint. Much thinner than the normal oil paint. This makes it easy to apply and mix with other colors right on the canvas. For more on applying Liquid White and other mediums, have a look at my “Applying Mediums” tips page.

Thoughts

I am going to be completely honest. I’m not a big fan of this painting. I can’t recall doing the painting but I recall that I just wasn’t feeling it at the time. I’m not sure why. Maybe it was because it was painted at a time of uncertainty with the pandemic ramping up or maybe because I was streaming it and Twitch wasn’t cooperating. Either way, the bushes look mud mixed and there’s hardly anything in the foreground. I didn’t achieve the effect I was after either. Maybe I can go back and rework it.

If you happen to like this painting, let me know what you like about it in the comments. If you’re looking to try something relatively simple to try out, this is a great one to do.  It’s fairly simple.  No complicated elements or colors to mix.  Have a question? Comment below.  Follow me on Twitter to be notified when a new post is live and learn more about the Bob Ross method and how far it can take you as a new artist. Want this painting for yourself? It is available in my my Etsy shop. You can also follow me on all my social media sites.

Happy Painting!