A lot of painters want to try the Bob Ross wet‑on‑wet technique without committing to the cost of the official Bob Ross materials. Others simply prefer brands that are easier to find locally or online. And yes, some choose alternatives because of concerns raised in the Netflix documentary about Bob Ross Inc. Whatever your reason, this page highlights dependable, beginner‑friendly Bob Ross alternative supplies that work great for wet‑on‑wet painting without relying on BRI products.
Alternative Painting Materials for the Bob Ross Technique
Some may find the Bob Ross Kit and individual paint tubes to be a bit pricey. It’s true. While not the cheapest, it is the best stuff to get started and will really give you the confidence to paint more. I do not suggest trying this technique with acrylic paint or really cheap oil starter sets. While you may have fun, you will likely be disappointed. Just being honest.
Windsor & Newton.
One alternative brand of oil paints that does work are Windsor & Newton. Those paints may be the firmest paints that will work for the Bob Ross technique. I have even heard that they’re better. In particular, I find that the Titanium white from W&N works exceptionally well for clouds and snowy mountain highlights.
Titanium White (For superior firmness and quality, the Artists Oil Color version is premium but more expensive.)
Gamblin.
This is the brand that Kevin Hill uses for his landscape paintings. I primarily use them for more traditional art and still life paintings I’ve been doing. I could be wrong but I think it’s also the brand Bill Alexander may have used at one point. Either way, Gamblin is a solid brand that will work for this technique and is pretty inexpensive.
Alternative Mediums
Off all the materials needed for painting with the Bob Ross style, mediums may be the most crucial to the wet on wet technique. The most important one and one you will probably use 95% of the time is Liquid White.
But what’s an alternative to Liquid White? Bill Alexander still sells his original formula called Magic White. Bob started out using the Magic White when he was teaching and painting on his show. You can also make your own liquid white by mixing Titanium White and linseed oil in about a 50/50 ratio. You can mix as needed and put it in a little plastic cup or bowl.
Gesso. There are many, many alternatives to the BRI gessos. You can get white, black, or gray gesso from just about any art store online.
Bob Ross Brush Alternatives.
Alexander Art. I have not personally used these but they are the brushes that Bob used when he started his show. For the first 6 or 7 seasons, Bob used to use Bill Alexander products before the distribuitor ran into supply issues opening the door for Bob to create his own line of paints and brushes. Bill Alexander brushes are a bit pricey but if you’re looking for the right tools for this job, they are the original tools for the technique.
Kevin Hill. I own a few of the brushes from Kevin’s line. I have the ¾”, the ¼” and the liner brush. They are excellent! The liner brush is far superior to the Bob Ross liner brush. Far superior. I highly recommend it.
Final Thoughts and Next Steps
No matter which brands you choose, the most important thing is simply getting comfortable with the wet‑on‑wet process. These Bob Ross alternative supplies will give you everything you need to start painting without the higher cost or limited availability of official Bob Ross products. If you’re looking for more guidance, feel free to explore the rest of my blog. There are plenty of tips, walkthroughs, and resources to help you get started. And if you ever want more personalized help, I’m beginning to offer virtual lessons as well. Just reach out through the contact form and we can talk about what you’d like to learn.