Bob Ross Oil Painting Technique - Frequently Asked Questions

The following is a list of frequently asked questions about the BOB ROSS Oil Painting Technique and some instruction about the use and care of the materials.

BLENDING:

This technique refers to the softening of hard edges and most visible brush strokes by blending the wet oil paint on the canvas with a clean, dry brush. In blending, an already painted area is brushed very lightly with criss-cross strokes or by gently tapping with the corner of the brush. This gives colors a soft and natural appearance. Not all oil paints are suitable for this technique - most are too soft and tend to smear. Only a thick, firm paint is suitable for this technique.

MARBLING:

To mix paints to a marbled effect, place the different colored paints on the mixing area of your palette and use your palette knife to pick up and fold the paints together, then pull flat. Streaks of each color should be visible in the mixture. Do not over mix.

THINNING PAINTS FOR ADDING HIGHLIGHTS:

When mixing paints for application over thicker paints already on the canvas, especially when adding highlight colors, thin the paint with LIQUID WHITE, LIQUID CLEAR or ODORLESS THINNER. The rule to remember here is that a thin paint will stick to a thicker paint.

CLEANING AND DRYING THE BRUSHES:

Painting with the wet on wet technique requires frequent and thorough cleaning of your brushes with paint thinner. An empty one pound coffee can is ideal to hold the thinner, or use any container approximately 5" in diameter and at-least 6" deep. Place a Bob Ross Screen in the bottom of the can and fill with odorless thinner approximately 1" above the screen. Scrub the brushes bristles against the screen to remove paint sediments which will settle on the bottom of the can.

Dry your larger brushes by carefully squeezing them against the inside of the coffee can, then slapping the bristles against a brush beater rack mounted inside of a tall kitchen trash basket to remove the remainder of the thinner. Smaller brushes can be cleaned by wiping them with paper towel or a rag (I highly recommend using Viva paper towels because they are very absorbent). Do not return the brushes to their plastic bags after use, this will cause the bristles to become limp. Never clean your Bob Ross brushes with soap and water or detergent as this will destroy the natural strength of the bristles. Store your brushes with bristles up or lying flat.

APPLYING LIQUID WHITE:

Use the 2" brush with long, firm vertical and horizontal strokes across the canvas. The coat of Liquid WHITE should be very, very thin and even. Apply just before you begin to paint. Do not allow the paint to dry before you begin.

PLACEMENT OF OIL COLORS ON THE PALETTE:

I suggest using a palette at least 16"x20" in size. Try arranging the colors around the outer edge of your palette from light to dark. Leave the center of the palette for mixing your paints.

LOADING YOUR BRUSH:

To fully load the inside bristles of your brush first hold it perpendicular to the palette and work the bristles into the pile of paint. Then holding the brush at a 45 degree angle, drag the brush across your palette and away from the pile of paint. Flipping your brush from side to side will insure both sides will be loaded evenly.

(NOTE: When the bristles come to a chiseled or sharp flat edge, the brush is loaded correctly.)

For some strokes you may want the end of your brush to be rounded. To do this, stand the brush vertically on the palette. Firmly pull toward you working the brush in one direction. Lift off the palette with each stroke. This will tend to round off the end of the brush, paint with the rounded end up.

MIXING FOR HIGHLIGHTS:

Place the tip of your brush into the can of LIQUID WHITE, LIQUID CLEAR or ODORLESS THINNER allow only a small amount of medium to remain on the bristles. Load your brush by gently dragging it through the highlight colors, repeat as needed. Gently tap the bristles against the palette just enough to open up the bristles and loosen the paint.

LOADING THE PALETTE KNIFE:

With your palette knife, pull the mixture of paint in a thin layer down across the palette. Holding your knife in a straight upward position, pull the long working edge of your knife diagonally across the paint. This will create a roll of paint on your knife.

WHAT IF I HAVE NEVER PAINTED BEFORE?

There are no great mysteries to painting. You need only the desire, a few basic techniques and a little practice. lf you are new to this technique, I strongly suggest that you read the entire section on "TIPS AND TECHNIQUES" prior to starting your first painting. Consider each painting you create as a learning experience. Add your own special touch and ideas to each painting you do and your confidence as well as your ability will increase at an unbelievable rate.

WHAT PAINT SHOULD I USE?

The BOB ROSS technique of painting is dependent upon a special firm oil paint for the base colors. Colors that are used primarily for highlights (Yellows) are manufactured to a thinner consistency for easier mixing and application. The use of proper equipment helps assure the best possible results.

Liquid Clear is a particularly exciting ingredient for wet-on-wet painting. Like Liquid White/Black, it creates the necessary smooth and slippery surface. Additionally, Liquid Clear has the advantage of not diluting the intensity of other colors especially the darks which are so important in painting seascapes. Remember to apply Liquid Clear very sparingly! The tendency is to apply larger amounts than necessary because it is so difficult to see.

13 colors we use are listed below:

*Alizarin Crimson






*Sap Green, Bright Red






*Dark Sienna






*Pthalo Green






Cadmium Yellow






Titanium White,






*Pthalo Blue,






*Indian Yellow






*Van Dyke






Brown






*Midnight Black






Yellow Ochre






*Prussian Blue (*indicates colors that are transparent or semi-transparent and which may be used as under paints where transparency is required.)

HOW DO I MIX COLORS?

The mixing of colors can be one of the most rewarding and fun parts of painting, but may also be one of the most feared procedures. Devote some time to mixing various color combinations and become familiar with the basic color mixtures. Study the colors in nature and practice duplicating the colors you see around you each day. Within a very short time you will be so comfortable mixing colors that you will look forward to each painting as a new challenge.

SHOULD YOU USE JUST ANY ART PRODUCT FOR THIS METHOD OF PAINTING?

Possibly the #1 problem experienced by individuals when first attempting this technique and the major cause for disappointment revolves around the use of products designed for other styles of painting or materials not designed for artwork at all (i.e. house painting brushes, thin soupy paints, etc.).

All of the paintings for this technique were created using Bob Ross paints, brushes and palette knives. To achieve the best results from your efforts, I strongly recommend that you use only products designed specifically for use with the Bob Ross wet-on-wet technique.

HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE MY PAINTING TO DRY?

Drying time will vary depending on numerous factors such as heat, humidity, thickness of paint, painting surface, brand of paint used, mediums used with the paint, etc. Another factor is the individual colors used. Different colors have different drying times (i.e., normally Blue will dry very fast while colors like Red, White and Yellow are very slow drying). A good average time for an oil painting to dry, when painted in this technique, is approximately one week.

SHOULD I VARNISH MY PAINTINGS?

Varnishing a painting will protect it from the elements. It will also help to keep the colors more vibrant. lf you decide to varnish your painting, I suggested that you wait at least six months. It takes this long for an oil painting to be completely cured. Use a good quality, non-yellowing picture varnish spray. I personally spray my paintings after about 4 weeks and have not had any problems.

Benefits of Forex Robot Trading Systems

Forex trading can be difficult if you are a layman. It involves fundamental and technical analysis to come up to the right conclusion. Proper understanding of news trading is also required. Most of the times, we are not good enough to understand the technical aspect of trading in forex.

We get confused about currency reversals. We think hard about the quick fluctuations, high volatility. We fail to understand why we are being stopped out so often. Margin trading, leverages, pip placement; all of this becomes too puzzling. Yet, forex is a big pool of money and its revenue potential can not be neglected. So what do we do?

Today, it is possible to trade through automated trading programs or Forex Robots. These are software that can be installed in your computer or laptop. Just as you pay for them, you start getting a screenshot and trading references. The automated trading programs run through various technical tools and find out the best points of currency reversal.

The forex robots also aim to search for right moments when support breaks or currency market offers a correction. This way they can tell us when to place money and at what leverage or stop losses. This is their very first benefit. They also place the pips for you so even if you are a busy person who is out of desk for long intervals, you need not worry.

A forex robot will use its own discretion and place pips for you. This benefit of forex robot trading system allows it to act on your behalf and not only find the correct time for pips but also place it. Better forex robot trading systems register pips with very small drawdown. This means that they only touch a very small margin of your capital even when there is a loss. More generally, the strike rate of pips is very large.

Another benefit of a forex robot trading system is that it can play in very short frames. It will find a buying point, place a pip and move on to another trade in some different currency exchange. So you can look to play Wall Street and Nikkei within a span of 20 minutes. This way, the forex robots allow you to make the most of that liquidity that one country may offer at a time and another may offer at another time.

These are not all. Forex robot trading system has many more benefits. Through the set-up you can look to base your leverage in a way that you do not lose much even when times are not the best. They play for a leaseage of up to 500: 1. This means that you can place a bet of $ 1, 00,000 with as less as $ 200 in your hand. In the circumstance, the maximum you can lose is $ 200.

A forex robot also understands the precise entry and exit point of a trade.

A forex robot can be your one-man forex army. You just need to buy the best one. The software should not have large up time and the internet compatibility should be high. Also look for a forex robot that comes back with an unconditional money back guarantee.

Things You Should Do When Looking For an Auto Repair Shop

Car trouble? Are you sick and tired of the overheating and the non-stop oil leaks? Sometimes there are things that we can not troubleshoot, and well, what mechanics can do - only they can do. You can not always figure out the cause of an oil leak just by your own diagnosis. You would definitely need to see a mechanic in an auto repair shop. But, looking for a good auto repair shop can be a difficult and challenging process. How do you know you're picking the right shop? What are the factors you should consider?

The first thing you should do is that you should drop by the shop to check if they have trained, hardworking mechanics and high end equipment. Of course, there are also other things you need to check out. There is always more than meets the eye. An auto repair shop that looks classy and well maintained does not necessarily mean it can provide you with good customer care, honest work and reasonable prices.

It is best to know something about vehicle repairs so that you are not taken off guard when conversing about the repair. You should also be cautious of the shops that take advantage of an unknowledgeable client. When people sense that you do not know much about something, they may grab the opportunity to rip you off, or worse, tell you to have something repaired that is not really broken.

You should also consider feedback about the shop. Ask around. If you know someone who has any experience with that shop, listen to his or her comments. It always pays to be inquisitive.
Do a background check on the auto repair shop. You need to know if the shop's mechanics are highly trained and competent.

Ask for a written estimate for major repairs. You can compare prices with other auto repair shops by checking them out yourself. You can give other shops a phone call or visit their websites to do the research to save time. You would also want to check into the quality of materials the shop uses for their clients, and the brands of their parts as well.

You would also want to ask for ongoing promotions and offers to save you money. Make sure you find out about their service warranty. Aside from the rates, you also deserve good customer care. Make sure they entertain all your questions and answer you thoroughly.

Knowing all these factors, you can carefully decide which shop to choose. Do not be in a rush though, and do not be impulsive. Doing so can save you hundreds of dollars, or cost you a lot. If you live in Florida, check out a very competent Orlando auto repair shop . Check out their free services and get your own online quotation. So choose wisely before making that big move. When you finally decide and if you are fully satisfied with the auto shops' service, you're lucky to have found an auto repair shop for keeps!

Why It's Better to Hire Laundry Services

Washing the laundry may just be the most difficult of household tasks. Even with a laundry machine, the task still requires a lot of effort: the right detergent must be chosen, items must be sorted by type and color and then there is the long process of drying. Add to that the difficulty of washing certain types of items like silk garments and hard scratchy towels. Now if you're living in London, it becomes doubly troublesome-things move fast in this city and other more important tasks need your attention. So if you feel burdened by your laundry, know that there is a ready answer to this problem-make use of laundry services.

Most laundering facilities are capable, but if you're paying good money, then you should get more than an okay service-you should get the best. One mark of a good laundry shop is that they properly classify items according to their type of fabric, and then they service it accordingly. This is done because some materials are more elaborate than others; lace garment, for example, need a much lighter wash than, say, a denim jacket. With proper sorting, your items will be kept from damage and returned to you in the best condition.

One other thing that good laundry shops have is a repair service. Before an item is washed, they make sure that it does not have any tear, lest the washing will just make the tear bigger. This service may come with an extra charge, but if it ensures that your clothes are not only clean but also good to wear, then it would be worth what you're paying.

When you're looking for a laundry shop, check their facilities if they are kept clean and hygienic. A clean working area speaks of professional service and good standard operations. Do not trust your clothes to a shop that can not keep their own place neat. Also try to know who will be in charge of your laundry: a good laundry shop only hires workers trained on how best to handle the customers' items and what the proper treatment are for each.

You should also know how soon a relaxing facility could return your items. Good laundry services in London know how important time is to their customers, and they make sure to meet their customers' needs. They can accommodate rush, overnight and even delivery jobs.

Lastly, make the most of your chosen laundry services in London. If it's a good one, it should offer not only washing, but also does ironing, carpet cleaning and general home cleanup. A shop that can meet your different needs probably have had a long experience in the business and experience often translating into good service. Finding a good laundry service may not be instant but once you do, you can then breathe easier knowing that your clothes will be cleaned to your satisfaction.

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How to Monitor Accounts Receivable and Accounts Payable

Home based business owners manage many tasks and accounting is one of them. Part of the cycle includes knowing how much money people owe you the products or services you provide. It also includes keeping a tally on the balances you owe to your vendors.

To stay on track here are some ways to help monitor your accounts receivable and accounts payable.

Accounts receivable

Accounts Receivable is the money that customers owe for goods or services that they receive on account. For example, customers who are billed for services may be allowed to pay within 10, 15, or 30 days. The best ways to monitor accounts receivable is to:

• Set up an account for each customer
• Include customer contact information, date, amount, and due date for each invoice. This enables you to gauge the status of the account and follow-up with your customers.
• Mail invoices upon completion of work and include a due date on the invoice.
• Contact accounts that are thirty or more days past due. Typically, the longer balances remain open the less likely it becomes to get paid.

Accounts Payable

Alternately, many business owners realize that stretching out the time to make payment to vendors improvements cash flows. A company accrues accounts payable when it receives goods and services from vendors but allowed to pay at a point in the future. Some examples of when you may have accounts payable include telephone service, payroll liabilities, and inventory purchases. When monitoring accounts payable be sure to:

• Set-up accounts payable for each vendor and include their contact information, amount due, invoice date, and payment due date
• Update balances to reflect payments that you make.
• Allocate funds for future payments within five days of the due date
• To save time, pre-schedule electronic payments through your bank account or set reminders in your accounting system to print checks

Having an accounts receivable and accounts payable system is a benefit to your company. Use the information to prepare weekly reports so that you can observe the inflows and outflows of cash. Learn more about reporting and forecasting at http://www.tbsusa.com

Lamborghini Vs Ferrari - Which Exotic Supercar Is King of the Road?

Many exotic car fans are very opinionated on their dream exotic car. The top of this list usually includes either Lamborghini or Ferrari. These two manufacturers have a completely different legacy, yet they are both very competent supercars. Most enthusiasts formulate their favorite cars at a very young age and they usually vow their continued support for that brand.

Before you start looking at all Lamborghinis and Ferraris for sale, you will need to research which exotic car you like better. Let's take an in-depth look at the history of each of these exotic supercar manufacturers.

Which Company Has More Experience?

Ferrari is the older of the two automakers. Ferrari was founded by Enzo Ferrari in 1929, while Ferruccio Lamborghini founded Lamborghini in 1963. Ferrari has an extended history in auto racing, specifically in Formula One Racing.

Ferruccio Lamborghini was the proprietor of a very successful tractor manufacturing company and he was a very passionate sports car enthusiast. Many people speculate why Lamborghini chose to enter the exotic sports car marketplace. The most popular version includes Ferruccio Lamborghini visiting Enzo Ferrari to complain about a clutch on his Ferrari 250 GT. According to the rumor, Enzo sent him away and Ferruccio Lamborghini took it up himself to improve the design of the clutch. From that moment on, Lamborghini decided to manufacture his own cars.

Available Models

Ferrari typically offers more models than exotic cars for sale during any particular year. Ferrari sometimes simultaneously manufactures between four to five different models, while Lamborghini makes 1 or 2. This strategy has allowed Lamborghini to focus its energy on consistently producing a car superior to Ferrari. This is evidenced by horsepower and top speed claims of the models from each manufacturer.

Impressive Designs

Lamborghini also tends to have more artistic flair to their body designs. Ferrari tends to follow more traditional design architecture. Of course, style is a matter of personal opinion so each enthusiast will naturally have their own impressions of which designs they like better.

Financial Stability

Ferrari has been more stable financially as a company, but the Lamborghini brand is well known and many manufacturers, such as Chrysler and Audi, have purchased the company to keep it afloat while associating their brand with the namesake. Therefore, either company will be around for a very long time to stand behind their products.

Bottom Line

The bottom line is Ferrari has been around for much longer than Lamborghini and has an extensive background in car racing. This background allows them to retain an extremely loyal following. Formula One fans also pledge their allegiance to the brand. Lamborghini was founded to specifically be a superior car to the Ferrari and they consistently outperform and out-design them on a regular basis.