Comments on: Happy Little Clouds

Happy Little Clouds

bondcliff — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 10:35:56 -0800

Happy Little Clouds (Bob Ross remixed) (SLYT)

By: stbalbach

stbalbach — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 10:41:23 -0800

Compare Ross to Thomas Kinkade, what a difference.

By: gilrain

gilrain — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 10:52:33 -0800

I didn't know this, from Wikipedia:

Ross enlisted in the U.S. Air Force at age 18 and was living in Florida early in his military career when the Air Force transferred him to Eielson AFB (in Alaska), where he first saw the snow and mountains that later became recurring themes in his artwork; he developed his quick-painting technique in order to be able to create art for sale in brief daily work breaks. Having held military positions that required him to be, in his own words, "mean" and "tough," "the guy who makes you scrub the latrine, the guy who makes you make your bed, the guy who screams at you for being late to work," Ross decided that if he ever moved on from the military, "it wasn't going to be that way any more," "vowing never to scream again".

He certainly kept that promise. Miss you, gentle TV friend.

By: COD

COD — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 10:54:20 -0800

I simply can't imagine him as a D.I. type of person, screaming at somebody to drop and give him 20 and then clean the latrine.

By: bondcliff

bondcliff — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 10:59:31 -0800

Now I want to see a painting show hosted by R. Lee Ermey.

By: inturnaround

inturnaround — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 11:04:15 -0800

Bob talked a lot about his love of Alaska (he said he lived there for "a dozen years"). But he didn't develop the "wet-on-wet" technique he's best known for. Ross was an acolyte of William Alexander, the "Happy Painter" best known for his German accent and his love of the "almighty brush". There's a few things I like to adopt as life philosophies from Bob Ross, though. 1. In life, there's no such thing as a mistake, only happy accidents. 2. It's your world. You can do anything. 3. Every tree has to have a friend.

By: stormpooper

stormpooper — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 11:11:48 -0800

Mr. Ross, I believe but my paintings still look like shit. Now what?

By: NoMich

NoMich — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 11:14:32 -0800

As long as it's happy shit.

By: freakazoid

freakazoid — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 11:14:42 -0800

A great show and a great guy. And if you can't sleep. he helps with that too.

By: Godwin Interjection

Godwin Interjection — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 11:15:42 -0800

I'm sorry, but this is still the definitive Bob Ross remix.

By: Alvy Ampersand

Alvy Ampersand — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 11:17:43 -0800

Bob Ross is my anti-depressant; just what I needed today, thanks!

By: KingEdRa

KingEdRa — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 11:22:31 -0800

But he didn't develop the "wet-on-wet" technique he's best known for. Ross was an acolyte of William Alexander, the "Happy Painter" best known for his German accent and his love of the "almighty brush". Patton Oswalt on Bob Ross & William Alexander.

By: Melismata

Melismata — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 11:24:12 -0800

I've said this before: it boggles the mind that 30 years later, long after his death, in this face-paced, overstimulated society, and with television in decline, he's still popular enough to be broadcast on PBS every single day. I can't even wear last fall's outfit without someone saying "oh that's SO last fall."

By: Madamina

Madamina — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 11:32:30 -0800

Loved it. LOVED IT... even though by rights it should end with "God bless, my friend." My brother tried very hard to paint along with him, but a) he was an awkward lefty and b) he only had watercolors :P

By: inturnaround

inturnaround — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 11:37:25 -0800

This remains my favorite Bob Ross tribute: an original song and music video called "Why I Don't Paint People". On behalf of us all here, happy painting and God bless, my friend.

By: Naberius

Naberius — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 12:05:12 -0800

"Why I Don't Paint People" I'm not that familiar with Ross or his work, but I imagine it's much more difficult to get them to stand still.

By: Splunge

Splunge — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 12:35:42 -0800

bondcliff: "Now I want to see a painting show hosted by R. Lee Ermey." You call that a happy cloud, MAGGOT?

By: R. Mutt

R. Mutt — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 13:29:36 -0800

Back when there was no internet, and only half a dozen tv channels in the U.S., William Alexander was a pretty useful artist role model to a kid.

By: ob1quixote

ob1quixote — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 13:57:00 -0800

If I had an original Bob Ross, I'd hang it front-and-center in my living room. As my friend used to say, "aircraft carrier, unicorn, and all".

By: kjh

kjh — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 14:08:42 -0800

This is nice.

By: balistic

balistic — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 14:52:58 -0800

An early love of Bob Ross led to my only gallery sale; a landscape I'd painted while watching his show, at the age of six. It fetched $75, and the gallery was kind enough to waive its usual commission. I often wonder if it's still hanging on someone's wall. I credit Bob as the prime factor in my decision to become an artist. His work is just brush tricks, but it got me painting and thinking visually.

By: goodnewsfortheinsane

goodnewsfortheinsane — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 15:20:48 -0800

Naberius: ""Why I Don't Paint People" I'm not that familiar with Ross or his work, but I imagine it's much more difficult to get them to stand still." Stand still like clouds do, you mean?

By: theplotchickens

theplotchickens — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 16:30:53 -0800

SO needed this today! And of course, my 14-yr-old son walks by while I'm watching, contemplates, and proclaims, "He looks like Chuck Norris. Chuck Norris with a 'fro."

By: Joey Michaels

Joey Michaels — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 18:22:13 -0800

I have really enjoyed all of these PBS remixes so far. They really have managed to remind me of why I loved Carl Sagan, Mr. Rogers and Bob Ross in the first place. "There are no limits here." God, I almost teared up and I never had an emotional reaction to Bob Ross before.

By: mubba

mubba — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 18:46:17 -0800

This "autotuned remix" you speak of — I do not think it always conveys the same "respect for a beloved figure" that you think it does.

By: flyingsquirrel

flyingsquirrel — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 19:13:40 -0800

Does anyone else remember when he did a show with a squirrel tucked in his pocket while he painted? I just tried to find it, but I could only find this clip of him feeding a squirrel. Thanks for posting this. Happy little memories.

By: Splunge

Splunge — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 20:17:26 -0800

mubba: "This "autotuned remix" you speak of — I do not think it always conveys the same "respect for a beloved figure" that you think it does." Actually I agree here. I don't dislike the video. But nothing is as soothing and pleasant to me as Bob Ross. Just Bob Ross. To be quite honest, Bob on Sunday, on PBS was one of my favorite hangover remedies. His show, a greasy breakfast and a huge bottle of ice cold water. I stopped worrying about the world. I just got into the zen of Bob. Me and my Black Lab. her licking my face, knowing I was in pain. And we watched the happy clouds and the trees just being there. And everything was right where it should be...

By: roger ackroyd

roger ackroyd — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 20:47:39 -0800

This made me so happy.

By: inturnaround

inturnaround — Fri, 27 Jul 2012 06:56:12 -0800

Does anyone else remember when he did a show with a squirrel tucked in his pocket while he painted? Peapod, the pocket squirrel. He'd bring a bunch of "little critters" on the show and he would speak of supporting the various bird ladies in your local community who take care of injured birds.

By: BrashTech

BrashTech — Fri, 27 Jul 2012 14:32:00 -0800

My thought process on seeing the thread title... "Please be melodysheep. Please be melodysheep. Please be melodysheep. Awwwww yeassssssss." This "autotuned remix" you speak of — I do not think it always conveys the same "respect for a beloved figure" that you think it does. I believe that melodysheep brings out everything we love about our beloved figures, including the fact they are sometimes more than a little bit dorky. In our current culture, a straight-up tribute without a little nod to irony can, in its own right, be mocked. The inclusion of some gentle mockery inoculates the work so that it isn't dismissed. melodysheep is like, "Yeah, Carl Sagan whooped like a dolphin. You got a problem with that?"