# Starter set?



## dickhutchings (Oct 6, 2015)

I'm looking at Bob Ross master set. Includes: 4 brushes, 1 Painting Knife, 8-37ml paints, 40z bottle of liquid white, 1 hour instructional dvd and color photo with instructions. Less than $50. I would still need an easel and some canvas.

I don't know if this is a good way to start or not but it looks like a good set. What did you start with?


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## TerryCurley (Jan 4, 2015)

My opinion is that it's a good deal if you are not totally sure that you want to pursue oil painting. 

The only thing that seems odd is the 40 oz liquid white. I bought a 4 oz bottle of liquid white when I started with oils last January and I still have more than half of it. 

Here's something you need to know, the liquid white has oil in it. It's actually titanium white and linseed oil mixed together. It works great for it's purpose in that it truly improves blending but it does increase the drying time of the painting. What I do is add a few drops of Walnut Alkyd Medium ($8 at Hobby Lobby) to it when I use it. The Alkyd will decrease the drying time. In fact I use just a few drops of it with my paints as a medium to make them flow better. I'm planning to switch to WFMartins formula but at this stage I don't think you need to get into mixing your own medium.


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## dickhutchings (Oct 6, 2015)

So you're implying this set is more of a childs toy? Please give me some hints on what to buy. Even though I don't have the space right now, I can start building a collection of good tools slowly. Just the colors I'll need to learn to mix and no more.

If I followed Ross or Maz wet on wet painting methods which seems very nice, how long does it take to dry? Days, weeks, months?


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## TerryCurley (Jan 4, 2015)

dickhutchings said:


> So you're implying this set is more of a childs toy? Please give me some hints on what to buy. Even though I don't have the space right now, I can start building a collection of good tools slowly. Just the colors I'll need to learn to mix and no more.
> 
> If I followed Ross or Maz wet on wet painting methods which seems very nice, how long does it take to dry? Days, weeks, months?


Oh No I'm not implying it's a child's toy. No oil painting is a child's toy. It is really a good deal. A surprisingly good deal actually. What I'm saying is there is so much more than just that if you really get into oil painting. I spend over $100 a month on my painting supplies. But then I do around 3 paintings a week. I don't know the quality of Bob Ross paints but when I get a 37ml tube of paint it costs me anywhere from $7 to $18 a tube. The higher the pigment the more expensive the paint. For the flowers I paint I want them to Pop off the canvas with color.

You will need Odorless mineral spirits. You will also need some kind of medium. Like I said in the other post I'm using Walnut Alkyd Medium. You will need brush conditioner, I use Pink Soap. You already know about canvas or canvas board and an easel. 4 brushes is bare minimum, I'm guessing they include a flat, a liner, a scenery brush, and a fan.....But there are so many more and all different sizes? For some areas you will want small and delicate and others you will want big and bold. You will find that you will want brushes of all different sizes if you really get into it. I can not paint with the large brushes that Bob Ross uses. So that's what I was implying. That if you get into oil painting you will be purchasing a lot more than what is in the starter.

As for drying time............A lot depends on where you live. When I was at the retreat in Nevada the air was so dry that the drying time was fast. Pretty much overnight even without using medium.(We did wet on wet at the retreat). Here in Arkansas the drying time is several days without using a medium. If I were to use the liquid white or linseed oil or Walnut oil in Arkansas without a medium to speed up drying I can count on the drying time to be at least a week.


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