Bob Ross Wet on Wet Brushes, the difference between success and failure! 

Alexander is one of the brands of brushes I use!! You’re right Alexander was the one who started the wet on wet technique!!

the wet on wet technique existed for billions of years before bob ross and bill alexander

So it began before the planet existed. Bottom line, I was watching Bill in the late 70's and he taught Bob Ross!

great suggestion! thank you for your input on this!

Glad to hear it helped! Please don’t give up. You can find paints and brushes that make this method work well for you! You may have to go thru a number of brushes till you find the ones that best for you! As for paints, also trial and error. The top three are Winsor and Newton, either artist or winton series. Gamblin 1980 or gamblin artist series and finally golden. There are other brands like Rembrandt and m. Graham. I have not tried those yet but I’m sure they’re worth looking at. Also I have not tried bill alexander paints, might also be worth buying a tube of your most used color and give it a try! Again all trial and error until you find the paints and brushes that make this method successful for you!

You are absolutely correct. I was simply trying to show a more beginner technique. The amount of paint applied to the brush is of course key to the outcome.

Absolutely understand how you feel which is in great part why I made this video! I will tell you when I got to paint with Steve Ross last year, he used the alexander brush and the Wooster Yachtsman brush in the 1 inch. I also noticed he was using the Alexander in the fan brushes. As I mentioned in the video, I also have tried Kevin Hill brushes. I have not heard of the other brush you mentioned, I may need to try that one as well. My personal favorites are Wooster and Kevin Hill if that helps. The Alexander is good but I honestly think the results are going to be trial and error. I know that means money, but where I’m getting better results with Wooster and Hill, you might get better results with Alexander. What works for one may not work for others, thus the trial and error thought. Please update us once you find brushes you like!

With these oil based paints it usually takes 3 to 4 days to fully dry. Liquid white being a more linseed oil based paint would take 2 to three days to dry so I would suggest to use it once applied to the canvas within 24 hours. Happy painting!

I’m recommending winsor and newton simply because it’s what bobs son Steve is using. However I’ve good success with golden paints as well. I would also recommend doing what I did in my video using your favorite brush and try different paints and see which ones work best for you! I’ve tried the masters touch as well and I’m sceptical of the quality of those paints so I’m using winsor newton.

@@joewatson8391 Great, I have been wanting to try winsor newton. So its about time I give them a go, and try some new brushes while I am at it. Thank you for the help

Very much appreciate this! thank you!

So magic white or liquid white is an oil based medium. Essentially it is oil based titanium white with linseed oil mixed in to make it thinner. Liquid clear is basically linseed oil. ANY gesso or acrylic should ONLY be used with regard to oil painting as a base color that is dry before painting with oil begins. At that point if gesso is used and is dry as it should be, at that point you would apply liquid clear or liquid white to begin the wet on wet painting process. Alexander used magic white, ross used liquid white. pretty much the same thing. I am also 60 but have discovered between experimenting with various brushes and or brands of oil paints, the outcome or results are worlds apart because the paint and or brushes make all the difference success and failure! please experiment with one brand, one color paint and use different brand brushes until you find the brush that yields the best results for YOU! Then, use your favorite brush and try experimenting with different brands of paint. Most people recommend artist grade paint, but there are also some really good student grade paints out there and you will find they all react different when painting so again, experiment until you find the combination that yields YOU the best results! Happy Painting!

Well my personal favorite is the Wooster Yachtsman! BUT YOU have to try the various brushes because the whole point of this demo is that while the Wooster many work great for me, depending on how you touch the canvas the Wooster may not be the best for you where other brands might be YOUR best option

I hope I didn’t imply that the Ross products won’t work or cause failure, the video was meant to simply suggest, try using other brands of brushes and paints till you find the ones that work best for you. Different brushes and paints will yield different results especially for the beginner. This video is meant to help those that feel they failed at this method of painting and the hope that a different brand of brush or paint will help with success.

thats prob true...but without them there prob wouldn't of been a bob ross show but bob's show wasn't really about painting....you think most people who watch the show are painters?...it was his gentle and calm personality that made the show so popular, he helped people relax, he induced relaxation by the way he talked and the sounds of the knife and brushes, it was about his ability to connect to people...he wasn't the greatest painter...bill alexander was a much better painter but bob was about being mellow and that affected people in a way that nobody else could do...what bob did was unique, listening and watching him is like taking tranquilizers and people need relaxation cause life takes a toll, bob was able to help people relax...i've watched him my entire life and i'm not into painting...almost everyone i know in my age range knows of bob ross and they aren''t painters...the "painting crowd" is prob like .01% of who watch him....his show easily by huge proportions blew away every other painting show in history, there's lots of painting show with very capable painters but bob could of had a cooking show and it would of been just as popular or a woodworking show...it was bob not the painting.

It also works with the Winsor Newton water mixable oils if you can find them in your local stores but they're easily obtainable online. They're even a little stiffer paint so just a little bit of kneeding may be required but i love the consistency and vibrancy of color.