Have you ever seen a rolling memorial to talented and prolific TV artist and art instructor Bob Ross?
Well, I’m about to make that a verifiable yes, because talented creators Martina and Hansi over at Nerdforge (They are awesome! Follow them!) have done just that.
See, they have this van they’re converting into a camper but it needed something. Hmm…a van, big open expanses of painted-but-unadorned van side…what to do, what to do?
Well, obviously you select a Bob Ross tutorial and follow it carefully to paint a surreally beautiful forest-scape and waterfall that could not be any more perfect for the outside of a camper. It works!
The painting Martina selected is called Blue Ridge Falls (Season 30 , Episode 13) and its dark beauty is perfect for the black van. After taping off the area designated for the painting, Martina gives it a good sanding. And yes, once you start sanding an automobile you have definitely crossed the Rubicon and must trudge bravely forward. She follows up with a nice coat of white primer … and then Martina watches the video.
Don’t do that. Always watch the entire video first.
Through the rest of the painting she just follows Ross step by step and it is amazing to watch the painting emerge.
There are definitely happy little trees. And a happy little waterfall. We get only brief moments of Bob’s dulcet tones and glimpses of his glorious coif, but we can feel him coaxing the art from Martina’s brush.
The automotive (traditional acrylics will fade from the intensity of the sunlight) paints mixed with a thickening gel that Martina uses hold their colors very well and she ends up with a rich, saturated paint job.
It is absolutely as cool as can be and throws a nostalgic nod back to the wizard painted vans of the ‘70s. Plus, how easy will it be to spot this van in a parking lot?
Brilliant and beautiful . All the way around.
Watch and be amazed here:
