Bob Ross + The Joy Of Becoming A Better Content Creator

Newsletter + On This Day

To help make my Substack and YouTube channel bigger and better, I have read too many articles to count and watched so many videos (by supposed “experts” and wannabe “gurus”) my brain hurts.

I learned a few things, but mostly I realized I could’ve had a V-8!

When will I learn that “experts” are just selling their latest (and greatest!) snake oil? Obviously, not soon enough.

Last night, I watched a video that reminded me of one of my favorite quotes I learned after reading one to many books about filmmaking by people who hadn’t made many (if any) films:

“NOBODY KNOWS ANYTHING...... NOT ONE PERSON IN THE ENTIRE MOTION PICTURE FIELD KNOWS FOR A CERTAINTY WHAT'S GOING TO WORK. EVERY TIME OUT IT'S A GUESS AND, IF YOU'RE LUCKY, AN EDUCATED ONE.”
William Goldman = Adventures In The Screen Trade

If you’re on your own “creator journey,” I recommend resisting the grifts and gravitational forces trying to sell you a bunch of repackaged “expert” advice.

“ADVICE IS A FORM OF NOSTALGIA. DISPENSING IT IS A WAY OF FISHING THE PAST FROM THE DISPOSAL, WIPING IT OFF, PAINTING OVER THE UGLY PARTS AND RECYCLING IT FOR MORE THAN IT'S WORTH.”
Mary Schmich = Wear Sunscreen

Something about the experience of listening to all these guys and gals reminded me of someone who shared some actual pearls of wisdom—and did it with a paint brush, a palette knife, and a perm: Bob Ross.

Here are a few things I learned from Mr. Ross that apply to just about anything under the sun. Including living a happier, most colorful life:

• THERE ARE NO MISTAKES, ONLY HAPPY ACCIDENTS.
  Bob Ross’s iconic philosophy encourages embracing imperfections and turning them into something beautiful.

• USE AVAILABLE, OLD TOOLS IN NEW, INNOVATIVE WAYS.
  Ross showed that simple tools like palette knives, fan brushes, and large flat brushes can create incredible effects like mountains, clouds, trees, and water. And when he didn’t have just the right color? He mixed his own from colors he already had on hand.

• EMBRACE BOTH THE DARK AND THE LIGHT.

  His method of starting with darker tones and adding highlights taught how contrast can bring a painting to life.

• WORK WITH THE CANVAS, NOT AGAINST IT.
  Bob often showed how to let the texture of the canvas guide you, embracing its natural tendencies to create effects like texture in mountains and trees.

• MOUNTAINS ARE EASIER THAN THEY LOOK.
  Using a palette knife, Ross made painting mountains accessible, teaching how to create stunning peaks with simple motions.

• CLOUDS CAN BE FREEFORM.
  Bob’s skies weren’t perfect, and that was the point. He taught how clouds in nature come in all shapes and sizes, freeing artists from trying to make them symmetrical or uniform. Same goes for emotions and moods.

• TELL A STORY…YOUR STORY.
  Ross often hinted at stories in his paintings ("Maybe there’s a little cabin in the woods"), teaching that small narrative elements can make art more engaging.

• FIND JOY IN THE PROCESS…NOT THE FINAL PRODUCT.
  Bob Ross emphasized the act of creation as a source of joy, reminding us that the value lies in the process, not necessarily the outcome or “success” of a painting.

• ART AND CREATIVITY ARE FOR EVERYONE!

  Bob Ross’s calm, encouraging demeanor showed that painting isn’t reserved for professionals. Anyone can pick up a brush and create something beautiful.

Personally, I’m working to reduce the number of “experts” and “gurus” in my life and increase the number of creative creators and storytellers.

While Bob Ross passed in 1995, his legacy lives on. And not just in the many licensed products and services that keep his “brand” alive. The Joy Of Painting is available to watch for free, 24/7/365, on Freevee, Pluto, Tubi, and YouTube.

Tonight, I plan to skip “how-to” videos and rewatch Bob Ross: The Happy Painter. It’s a much better, more inspiring use of my time.

While it might be fun to think someone might know all the answers and that the “secret” to our problems is just a credit card swipe away, it’s far more realistic to realize we’re all works-in-progress and that there are no one-size-fits-all solutions.

Here’s to happy accidents and creating/curating more joy!
Clint

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FOUND PHOTOS OF THE DAY

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ON THIS DAY = SEPTEMBER 30

BIRTHDAYS

• 1924 = Truman Capote = American novelist, playwright, and screenwriter

• 1928 = Elie Wiesel = Romanian-American author and Nobel Prize laureate

• 1933 = Cissy Houston = American singer

• 1935 = Johnny Mathis = American singer and actor

• 1943 = Marilyn McCoo = American singer

• 1954 = Barry Williams = American actor

• 1970 = Tony Hale = American actor and producer

EVENTS

• 1791 = The first performance of Mozart's opera The Magic Flute takes place two months before his death.

• 1955 = James Dean dies in Cholame, California, at the age of 24.

• 1958 = The Rifleman premieres on ABC.

• 1959 = The first public action for gay rights takes place after the Paraguayan government arrests hundreds of gay men without warrant and tortures them for being gay.

• 1960 = The Flinstones premieres on ABC.

• 1980 = Ethernet specifications are published by Xerox working with Intel and Digital Equipment Corporation.

• 1982 = Cheers premieres on NBC.

• 1983 = New York State sues a West 12th Street co-op for trying to evict Dr. Joseph Sonnabend for treating AIDS patients. He later receives $10,000 and a new lease.

• 1984 = Murder, She Wrote premieres on CBS.

• 1988 = Elvira: Mistress of the Dark is released in theaters.

• 1994 = Ed Wood is released in theaters.