Series2 #1 - Mountain Lake

This was as much as I could do in 30 minutes. Bob was WAY ahead of me. Next time I'm using the Pause button.

Share the Joy,
Kay

Slow Down, You talk TOO FAST.

OK This is IT. It's official. I've painted along with Bob Ross's first episode and my oddessy begins. After watching countless episodes (well maybe 10) on Saturday mornings and viewing the 3 hour workshop (twice) I was ready to paint along with Bob.

Well I thought I was all ready. Canvas covered in liquid medium, all paint on palette, camera on (with a 30 min disc because after all the show is only a half hour)and DVD player paused on Bob's shinning afro.

He looked so much younger. He was of course. 12-15 years younger than when he died I figure. And while he did develop his own style over the years, in the beginning he was clearly a student of Bill Alexander.  He called the palette knife "the almighty knife" and the easel too was "almighty."  (I have a Bill Alexander DVD too:) At the start of the episode he referenced Bill's work. He thanked Bill for teaching him this style and acknowledged him as teacher and friend.

During this part I was starting with my sky as I figured it couln't hurt to get ahead. Quickly however, even tho I was painting AsFastAsIcould,  I could not keep up. That's when I found myself uttering words to Bob Ross that I doubt anyone has ever said "SLOW DOWN! You talk too fast!"

By the time I got done with my sky, he was fluffing clouds. By the time I was making snow "break" down the mountainside, he was putting land between the water and trees so they didn't just fall into the lake. Whatever you want it's your world.  I can see that in MY world I'm going to have to take advantage of the "Pause" button and slow Bob Ross down a notch.

I have the video on my other computer and will edit and post it later today. I stopped after the disc was full so you won't see me finish the painting, but you can see by the photo I still suck at this.  My mountains are floating, my evergreens are christmas trees, and my other trees always like overgrown bushes. In the end I was just putting highlights all "willy nilly" and feeling very lost.  But it all happened so fast, I'm not to upset that it is horrible. Tomorrow is another day.

PLEASE comment or follow me, or whatever you do to show you are there. I need motivation.

Share the Joy,
Kay

Warming up to the Joy of Painting

I finally did my warm up painting. It's my first video of painting, so I was just playing with camera and placement and post production (how to do as little as possible) and I just sped it up about 400%. I'll do better next time. For example, move my stuff to the left so I don't stand in front of the painting, AND I'll find some music I can publish. You can't just put your favorite song in a video (or play it in the background while you shoot) or YouTube will take it down. But I have tons of royalty free stuff. I'll dig it out.

Share the Joy,
Kay

Why I Don't Paint People

Here's the video I mentioned. I just learned how to embed them. I love this video :)

Painting myself into a corner?

Here I am 24 hours later still thinking I could do this.  I'm going to do a warm up painting today.  I know it sounds silly, a warm up painting.  Since I've already painted a number "warm ups" but this one feels a little different.  So don't judge me :)
Speaking of judging, I'm sure if anyone has found this blog (I don't know why or how, but I'm grateful) there must be some who want to engage in the LOVE or HATE Bob Ross conversation.  Not that there's not room for that.  Art is very subjective and I'm not calling what I am trying to do art.  I'm painting.  Putting Oil on canvas with brushes and knives under the direction of an icon from days past. If it turns out to BE art, then so be it.  I'm not an art critic, or even a student of the arts so I don't claim to have any idea what is or is not classic art.  I (like many others) just Know What I Like.  Period.


Here's a link to another blog that posed the LOVE/HATE question about Bob, and the answers there pretty much include folks from all sides.  Love it or hate it, the conversation is also fascinating, so please feel free to continue, if you're out there.

I'm going to get a little canvas on my easel for a little warming up.  I'll put up a tripod and camera (maybe even comb my hair, in case I get in the frame) and see what works and what doesn't.  Taking pictures of what I'm doing may prove to be the hard part.  I have tons of photo and video equipment (I do a LOT of that too, the details of which would be in another chapter, but you can see my videos on YouTube, just search for Kay Zahn)

See, I wasn't kidding.  I got out a canvas.  Actually it's been out for days. But I did get the camera out.  I'm doing something. Thanks again for reading.  Please comment if you have, so I know if I'm talking to myself and MiMi or not.  Kay

390 episodes @ 1 p/week will take YEARS

Since I recently started watching the Saturday morning classic, The Joy of Painting with Bob Ross (thanks PBS I don't know why I didn't find Bob earlier in life) I did what I always do when I think I want to try something . . I bought the entire package. DVDs, Paint, Brushes, Easel, Canvas, and everything one could ever need to paint along, so I had to try. Lo and behold, Bob was right. I CAN DO IT.

But how to stay motivated to get better.  To produce something actually usable, and or something I'd keep around.  The few I've already done, I'm keeping only to look back at and see how I'm doing but that's about all.  They are fine enough for a beginner, but not what I'd call art.


So what I'm thinking about here is to paint and blog my way through as many Bob Ross television episodes that I can. I'll try to do at least one painting a week and post notes, photos, video, or whatever comes up during my progression.  Who knows I may even get good at it.

Why do this? you may ask.  And even more important, how?
Luckily I have a fabulous husband (the best in the world I've been known to defend) and kids to match.  I'm the CEO of a family business that's been around since 1982 (that's like decades) started by hubby and I that long ago.  Unfortunately since June of 2009, I've also become the primary care giver for his mother.  A woman who took care of me (well did my laundry and helped with the kids for YEARS) and now due to a couple of strokes, she needs me.  So we moved her in with us.  I have worked from home for a number of years anyway so it was pretty natural to move her in.
Back to PBS.  I started watching Saturday morning PBS television while "hanging" around with MiMi.  She doesn't talk much and you can tell she doesn't process everything quickly. So she understands better if we talk slower and more deliberate so she can process things before they "go by" if you will.  So if  you know the late great Bob Ross then you know why he's just what the Doctor ordered.  I've read that folks compare the effects of his voice to the effects of demerol.  She likes to watch, and she frequently comments that "he makes it look so easy."

Today I ordered the First 2 seasons on DVD (happen to be Season 2 and 3) I don't know what happened to number one, no one seems to sell that. 
I'm thinking that I should start this as a New Year's resolution.  You know . . think about it for a month or so . . . and then see if I STILL want to do it.  Of course that procrastination is JUST what my brain wants me to do . . . and so I need to FIGHT. 
Maybe I need to start ASAP. Carpe' Diem.
What does anyone else think?  I'd be amazed if anyone even read this, so really if you are out there and can offer up much needed motivation, please join and follow or whatever you do with blogs.  I promise you, if I keep writing, even if I fail, it will be worth your reading.  But you can be the judge of that.  Thanks for reading this far.  Kay