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In a decade of video games, neon colors, pop music, and MTV, Bob Ross stood out as an 80s icon who bucked the trend. Known for his calm, laid-back, and positive demeanor, Bob Ross inspired people to paint through his TV show - "The Joy of Painting". This set was created as a tribute to the joy that Bob Ross brought to painting and the joy that LEGO brings around the world.
The Main Build
For this build, I wanted to reproduce one of Bob Ross’s paintings from “The Joy of Painting”. I chose “Mountain Reflections” from season 12, which aired in 1987. I selected this particular painting because it includes many of Bob Ross’s signature elements including big snowy mountains, colorful bushes, fluffy clouds, reflective water, and, of course “happy little trees”.
I was inspired by prior LEGO sets “The Starry Night” and “The Great Wave”. However, rather than creating a relatively flat “painting,” I wanted to extend it into a 3D world. Bob Ross didn’t paint existing landscapes; instead, he created his own worlds and brought you into them with each brushstroke. In the same way, I wanted this build to bring you into the world created in the painting.
The scene is atop a base which also doubles as an art drawer. This drawer pulls out and allows you to store a few of your own brushes, paints and other art supplies.
Additional Components
“I really believe that if you practice enough, you could paint the ‘Mona Lisa’ with a two-inch brush.” – Bob Ross
In addition to the main painting and base, the set also includes a Bob Ross minifigure and a LEGO piece printed with his famous quote, “We don’t make mistakes, we have happy accidents.”
As part of the build, you will also create some of Ross’s favorite painting tools:
- The 2-inch brush – Bob Ross’s most famous painting tool.
- The “fan” brush - Perfect for making happy little clouds and trees.
- The palette knife - For creating mountain ranges and shorelines.
Why Bob Ross?
“You can do anything you want to do. This is your world.” – Bob Ross
Bob Ross is the perfect theme for a LEGO Ideas set. Both LEGO and Bob Ross have inspired millions of people to use their imagination, be creative, and most importantly to have fun while doing it. The quote above demonstrates Bob Ross’s approach to painting but feels just as at home describing how people play with LEGO.
Thank you for checking out my build, and I hope you will consider supporting it.