[.ca] Best of the Joy of Painting (ISBN 0688143547)

great for new artists:
I have never personally been a big fan of Bob Ross, but as an art teacher who only spends 2 hrs a week with my students, I can say that this book is perfect for them. My students love his style because they can can complete a very simple, yet beautiful painting in a very short amount of time. I wouldn't recomend it for more advanced artists, but if you are not trying to win any awards, and just want to complete a quick and beautiful painting, this has a lot of great examples.

Not Recommended:
I have always enjoyed Bob Ross' style of painting and am a devoted fan of his television show, but I found this book lacking. Not only are the step-by-step instructions in black and white, but I found that very few of these particular paintings were ones I cared to paint. I believe I'll stick to the television show where I can see and hear the nuances of his painting live.

Did Van Gogh have a 'fro?:
It is ironic that the best recommendation for this book comes from someone who gave it one star! Study this book and you will be able to do what Bob does... Serious growing dynamic artists will surely look beyond this book but maybe they should at least take a peek. If Van Gogh had been as loved and/or recognizable in his time as Bob Ross was, he probably wouldn't have cut his own ear off. As a nearly elderly weekend painter I heartily recommend this book. I think my only visual handicap so far is that it's time for new bifocals though the visually verbose would certainly disagree.

Bob was a wonderful guy but don't listen to a word he said:
I love bob, you love bob many people grew up listening and watching Bob Ross every saturday (or whenever it was broadcasted where you live). He made numerous paintings and with his afro hair and warm demeanor he made for wonderful television, but honestly not good art. If you are at all serious about creating growing, dynamic, personal artworks of any style then reading and taking to heart the writtings of Bob Ross is a mistake. I love Bob and have nothing against him only that his sugestions lead to ruts and visual handicaps that will take a lifetime to forget. His theorys on mark making are so simplistic that if his visual language was translated into a written one it would take all of one page to list the verbs. It is a bad idea to take to heart his style, love him, talk about him, keep him in your heat but remeber that he was making a show that was the same format every time and was catering to a elderly/weekend painter audience. Study this book and you will be able to do what Bob does, pump out a simple landscape painting in one hour or less, and nothing more........ Love him but don't follow him.

A Wonderful Keepsake......:
Professional and (accomplished)would-be professional artists may find this compilation excerpted from Bob Ross TV shows "less than meets the eye". But an interested amateur or non-painter who enjoyed Bob's fascinating half-hour PAINTING TRIPS (no sketches; few "pre-mixed" palettes; (apparently) no "guiding-light" background photos) will find this an equally fascinating, enjoyable coffee-table selection. Not being a painter, I was astonished to watch Mr. Ross "ex nihilo" (from NADA) consistently create beautiful visions of NATURE...realistically proportioned; totally avoiding "expressionistic" (or worse: PM) pretense... without recourse to jargon or excuses. His brush theory and techniques in perspective MUST be helpful to all but the most capable. So what's to complain about? Annette Kowalski presents a labor of love capturing Mr. Ross' thoroughly engaging spirt: JOY IN PAINTING! is a fun book and wonderful keepsake...