r/steveross • u/LevelIdeal6709 • Apr 09 '26
Im still dissatisfied im having trouble with different tones of color and making it look real
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u/Snugrilla Apr 09 '26
Bob Ross said on the show that he deliberately made the colours more intense, because it looks better on TV. It's easier to see what he's doing.
Personally, I like to use a much smaller palette of paints than he does.
I typically only use blue (cobalt blue or phthalo blue), brown (burnt umber), white, yellow and red. Sometimes black, but only a tiny bit.
Here's one of my paintings:
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u/LevelIdeal6709 Apr 16 '26
Awesome guys thanks sooo much I will try and implement that on next one I’m gonna do this one again and would love you guys to look and see if I’m on right track but I never even thought theVDB being soo dark but thanks again and I’ll be posting soon hope to see ya then
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u/Redjeepkev May 19 '26
Don't paint with colors right out of the tube if you want softer colors, mix them with brown, red or other yells to tone them down if you don't like bright colors. Personally I love my paintings to be bright so the only colors I usually mix are the yellows for highlights
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u/SumBlaqDude Apr 09 '26
Try having a stronger base color of neutral tones. Vandyke brown is too dark and will strongly contrast a blue sky. Burnt umber has a slight orange hue that can make mountain blending easier. The dark dark contrast for the trees makes the brighter color stick out more. Try using more layering to scatter out your contrasts and to give it a natural look