1. Never allow any of your Bob Ross brushes to touch water or wet gesso - water will destroy these natural bristle brushes!

2. A lightly colored canvas (I use pale gray gesso) will make applying Liquid White much easier - you can see how even your coverage is. 

3. To recycle thinner, pour the used thinner into a container and allow the pigments to settle out. You will be left with a clear to straw colored liquid which will still have a paint odor. Filter this liquid through activated charcoal (like you use in fish aquariums) to remove most of the odor.

4. Gesso will build up in drain pipes and eventually clog them. I recommend using a disposable brush and container.

5. If you purchase Fredricks canvas, be sure to select the red label - the blue label is for portrait painting and does not have enough “tooth” to do a good job with the Bob Ross technique.

6.  If you wish to use a "colored" canvas with an oval painting, use acrylic paint to coat the canvas with your desired color and let it dry thoroughly before adding your oval mask.

7.  Want to try one of Bob's book paintings on a small canvas?  It is pretty hard to fit all the elements into a smaller space - try this trick.  Make a "cutout" from a card or piece of paper to the following dimensions: for a 16 X 20 canvas, use a 7" X 8.5" opening, 11 X 14 is a 5" X 6", 9 X 12 is a 4" X 5", and 12 X 24 is a 5" X 10".  Slide that cutout paper over the picture in the book until you find a pleasing portion and paint only that portion on your smaller canvas.  Don't forget to turn the cutout to the opposite style from the painting also - on a horizontal painting, check for vertical scenes.  You will find several smaller scenes in most of Bob's paintings!  This technique will also work outdoors - just paint only the portion you see through your cutout.

8.  Two or three times a year, thoroughly clean all your brushes with Bob Ross Cleaner and Conditioner.  Here's how I do it, and it is amazing how long your brushes will last!  First, either dip your brush in the solution, or pour some directly on the bristles for the larger brushes.  Work this into your brush very thoroughly with your hands, and let it sit for 5 or 10 minutes.  Use new, clean thinner to clean the brushes after the waiting period.  I usually dump that thinner after use, rather than use it for regular cleaning purposes.  I do an average of 12 to 15 paintings a month, and my brushes last for several years by using this conditioning trick.

9.  I use a small diameter drinking straw to cover the tip of my liner brush when not in use.  You will have to hunt for the smaller diameter straws - mine have the "bendy" section in them.  If your straw is regular size, the whole brush will slide right through.  I can get 2 to 3 covers out of one straw, depending on how carefully I plan my cuts.