I gazed through it, but very few brands have liquid white. You can look up mediums, it may be similar, I've seen a bob ross guest use it.
Amazon has it though https://www.amazon.ca/Weber-R62-07-Martin-236-Ml-Liquid/dp/B0027A3F6W/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1490930033&sr=8-1&keywords=Liquid+white
I think there are a few eps that are in the stickied post at the top that are suitable. Grandeur of Summer is also kind of a classic "first effort" too (I think because it's an hour-long ep?).
You can easily buy a pack of cheap pallets on amazon. Something like this would be fine for a party.
I don't know how Amazon would work for you, given that I'm only familiar with doing this for the US.
Baby oil is a cheap alternative to Spirits if you want to avoid the smell and potentially anyone sensitive to it. Get some fairly large disposable containers (plastic cups? old sauce jars? anything really) to put it in for cleaning the brushes. With baby oil, they can just dip the brush in and then pinch\pull clean the bristles with a paper towel.
You'll need some big brushes like Bob's 2", but those are not easy to find cheap. Everything he does iwth a big 2" can also be done with a 1", and you might be able to find some cheap alternative brushes to the 1".
You'll probably have to pause frequently, but for a party that probably won't be too bad. Everyone can just have fun with it and move at their own pace.
There's a website you can use to flip youtube videos (which I assume is what you're using). I started doing this after my 3-4 attempt because I was also confusing myself trying to contort my hand to match Bob's motion since I'm left handed too. This was a real life saver for me.
Wellllllllll, I used Duck Brand zebra print contact paper, 20" x 22'. Unfortunately, I don't think they make that any longer... I can't find it on Amazon (for a reasonable price), at Walmart, or heck, even on Duck's website. If I was a betting man, I'd say this would probably be a reasonable alternative here. Let us know if you go with that product and it works out for you!
i usually buy bulk from amazon; my most recent purchases were 20 pack practica 20x16 and these ones which are 7 pack 12x12
I haven't painted with any "cheap oils" before, but if you're planning on doing a lot of painting i find the 200ml winsor newton tubes to be an excellent value, I can usually find them on amazon prime for about $12.
What is Gesso? Its acrylic paint, specifically formulated to allow oils to seep into it amazon link. You can try painting without gesso'ing first, but its a crap shoot whether the manufacturer's primer will absorb your oil paints or whether paint will wipe off like water off of a duck's back.
How long does the Gesso need to dry 15 minutes or so.
Assuming I reach a point where I'm ready to complete a full painting When I "complete" an oil painting I remove it from the canvas and hang it on my "drying wall" for a week or so, enough that the paint is dry to the touch. Then I take it back to my paint room and paint the edges with black gesso (two coats, two adjacent edges at a time, allowing them to dry fully between coats). if you actually want to paint gallery edges (you oil paint wraps around), then process is the same you just have much longer dry times as it is oil and not acrylic.
Will the canvas move is it's just resting on a ledge I've had a gust of wind from closing my paint room door knock over several wet paintings before when I had just leaning agains the wall before. So, yes?
Have you watched /u/wild4games starter videos? You probably should.
Just wanted to follow up and say that the tackle box works great. I got one off amazon for like $15 and it fits the Windsor and Newton 37ml paints perfectly in the 2nd and 3rd tier of the box and the bob Ross brand paints perfectly in the top tier. I am keeping my brushes in the bottom, main compartment.
Just leaving this info in case someone else has the same question as me. Here is the tackle box I bought: (sorry for poor formatting, I’m on mobile)
Plano 3-Tray Tackle Box with Dual Top Access, Dark Green Metallic/Off White https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FPQRJWQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_ggXHAbY5ERE7T
I guess there aren't great cheap alternatives, at least not in 18x24. The cheaper canvases I bought have a super annoying cross bar. I cut them out with a coping saw, but the canvas is also too loose.
If you don't mind 16x20, I bought a pack of 5 for $27 of the daveliou canvases from Amazon, and I am impressed how tight they're stretched. Sounds like a drum when you tap! Funny, though, some ppl complain that they're too loose in the comments, so maybe quality isn't consistent.
That would be awesome. I’ve been purchasing this paint thinner from amazon and basically going through a whole bottle every time I paint.
You are very kind! I think it's because I've taken quite a bit of life drawing, so I have some experience with depicting objects exactly as they appear in 3-dimensional perspective in a 2-D plane. A lot of adults who are novice artists tend to draw "symbols" for objects instead of realistic replicas; the Betty Edwards' definitive art course "Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain" explains it really well. I spent a lot of time outdoors and try to observe everything I can.
I am offering the Bob Ross as a stretch goal reward for my kickstarter. If my KS goes over 4000 (currently at 2865 with 14 days to go) everyone that pledges 18 or more will get also get a Bob Ross in addition to their other rewards (figure of their choice, poster and postcard).
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1725508178/actionless-figures
There are a combination of reasons this could happen, and, not to worry, it’s something everyone has dealt with.
Firstly, Bob’s golden rule of wet-on-wet oil painting was that “a thin paint will stick to a thick paint”. In short, sometimes you need to thin your paint down when it’s not sticking well. There are two ways to thin a paint—paint thinner, and liquid medium. Paint thinner often dulls a colour down, so many people prefer to use Bob’s Liquid White or Liquid Clear. In this instance (I’m presuming you’re asking about the trees), you could put a tiny amount of Liquid White in with a highlight colour to make it apply more… crisply.
Secondly, you might not have the right sort of brushes. Some brushes are too soft, some are too stiff, and only certain brushes are a perfect middle ground. Sadly, I bought Bob Ross branded brushes before I knew of the scandal regarding his brand and legacy, but Steve Ross has recommended these brushes as an alternative.
Let me know how you go.
Hey there. Here is the cheap DalerRowney set we got to try it out before deciding if we liked it. It's $6.38 for a 12 pack online, but in store it was around $8.
These will be VERY oily and not firm at all so you'll need to squeeze a bunch of paint out in globs onto newspaper and let them sit for a few hours before trying to use them. This will suck the oil out of the paint and leave it thicker and more pigmented like the real deal.
The worst colors about oiliness in our pack was the black, green, brown, and blue so they may need to sit out longer.
I highly recommend DickBlick for the actual Bob Ross brand stuff - the brushes and paints are SO much cheaper than other stores! We had a problem with our order and DickBlick shipped us replacements immediately... best customer service ever and the order was packed with great care.
Good luck and happy painting!
EDIT: Thank you for the gold, anonymous gilder!
I really like it, nice job! MS Paint is very quaint, and sort of provides for a certain minimalist digital style... I wonder, do you have any interest in going for something more photorealistic in Photoshop? If you don't have PS (and it's expensive!), do you know about Gimp? It's a free, cross-platform, open-source alternative to Photoshop that is extremely mature and powerful.
Wow your paintings are incredible! The trees and sky have so much detail. These are the brushes I used but you seem to be doing more than fine on your own.
1" and 2" are pretty hard to replicate, though you could go with ones from Brandon Thomas, as he, with zero subtlety, tries to be the next Bob Ross/Bill Alexander. No idea on the quality, but they do appear to be solid. Same for Kevin Hill, while he doesn't go for quite the same style of painting, I've seen nothing but positive stuff about his brushes.
Fan brushes, I just went with these as they were pretty cheap and haven't caused me any issues yet.
Pallette knife, you can legit just throw one together yourself if you're comfortable with that. If not, do note that most pallette knives have a lot more bend than the Bob Ross/Bill Alexander/whoever is doing wet-on-wet supplies, so getting the effects could be more challenging.
As for the script liner, just find a cheap one made of natural bristle brushes. Shouldn't be more than a few bucks.
You are right, that is not the correct liquid white. This is the one you need: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B000YQKHNA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_imm_22MWBPNQS3P2HBX7YKPX
Acrylic paints are usually only used to prime the canvas before painting.
As for the oil paints you linked to, I don't know the brand but any oil paints should work as long as they are reasonably firm. This is especially important for the white, as well as the darker colours. I have good experience with Lefranc & Bourgeois and W&N Winton paints.
I made eight of them out of hardboard with a jigsaw for a Bob Ross painting party, covered the top with cellophane, and taped the edges (outside and finger holes) with masking tape. If I'd had more time, I would have treated the pallettes with multiple coats of tung oil and foregone the cellophane.
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(The cellophane is very finicky and it tears extremely easily in the wrong direction, but once you get your pattern cut and taped without tears, it easily lasts for an hours-long painting session, and even stands up fine to a pallette knife. I didn't try cleaning the paint off the cellophane and re-using the surface. I just sliced the taped edges to remove the cellophane, and threw it away.)
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For the pattern, I downloaded the picture currently on this Amazon listing: https://www.amazon.ca/Martin-U-BR6000-Acrylic-Painting-Palette/dp/B000NBAQSC/
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I used Paint.net to cut the pattern into quarters and printed them on legal size (8.5"x14") paper, and then I taped them together, cut out the pattern, and traced it on the hardboard with a felt marker. It was the perfect size, almost exactly the size stated in the Amazon listing. My printer's minimum margins are about 1/8". (Sorry not to use metric.)
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It was perfect, and I think it would be a fine solution for your current level of commitment. If I were making my own for a somewhat serious endeavor, I'd definitely go the hardboard and tung oil route, or I'd even use thin plywood and tung oil (with some serious sanding).
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Even if you go with plexiglas, I think the pattern that I used, and my transfer method, would work well for you. (The last time I tried to cut plexiglas, the saw melted the edges and left hardened blobs stuck there and I wasn't satisfied, but it was generally okay. I never did try to sand the edges.)
It's not bad but also remember when looking that you may want to try and find an easel that holds the canvas differently.
I personally went with the actual bob ross branded one (~$230) and while the build quality could be better, it works well and I like how it holds the canvas so you can paint the entire thing without having something overlap and hold it.
I originally tried using a cheaper one that didn't have much stability, and while i was able to finish the painting, i had to put sandbags around it to hold the legs still while doing backgrounds.
If you do get a wood one, you may be able to connect another small piece of wood and put a few screws pointing down so that holds the top (and bottom) of the canvas (was something i thought about doing), as that's how the branded one works.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000OHKFBS/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_L8.vFb39VFCHG
Good luck!
“Talent is a pursued interest. Anything that you’re willing to practice, you can do.”
i don’t think i’m in a position to give tips as i’m just a beginner myself, so i’m just going to tell you what worked for me.
i did a little bit of research and i found natural bristle brushes work best. i use these ones. they’re not too big but i don’t have big canvases so it’s fine with me. i also believe liquid white is every important if you’re trying to achieve a bob ross style painting, but BE VERY CAREFUL. you can very easily use more than you actually need! i think you’re supposed to have a super thin coat, so thin you won’t even see it’s there but if you put your finger on the canvas you get a tiny white stain. i used more than i should’ve by accident because i got carried away, which is why my painting doesn’t have many details. everything kept blending together in a mushy mess.
you need to have quite a few different brushes so you won’t have to clean and dry the same ones all over. sometimes the paint thinner that remains on your bristles could ruin the effect you were going for. (only speaking from experience). i also use A LOT of paper towels. i keep a roll in my room and just during this painting i used 1/3 of it.
my main advice would be: don’t give up in the middle of the process. it may not look how you want it while you’re working on it, but keep going! i wanted to stop many times during this painting. i got so frustrated with myself because i hold myself at very high expectations and i wasn’t meeting them. i decided i wouldn’t stop until i put everything there was to put on the canvas.
and if you do all that and you still don’t like the end product, don’t worry! we’re just beginners. you know what that means? it means there’s only room for improvement!
i wish you best of luck and i look forward to seeing your paintings in this subreddit! ❤️
I use these paints after I ran out of the ones that came with the master set and have been happy with the quality: https://www.amazon.com/Winsor-Newton-Winton-Colour-Paint/dp/B002E9GUZ4/
They might not have the exact same consistency as the Bob Ross paints but that hasn't been an issue. And they're a heck of a lot cheaper!
a variety of brushes, but if i had to name one it'd be the dagger brush; just that one brush can make a variety of leaf-like marks.
It’s the bob ross master painter set, and after checking it does come with a brown! Gonna try to paint again, but it’s hard finding paintings that are limited to these:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B015TB5RDE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_OhqVCbCGCRRJD
Oddly, it didn’t come with a round brush either.
>Get a bigger palette.
Thanks, I definitely will :)
>I use a nylon bristled 2" and 1" brush.
Is the nylon not too soft for the oil paint? I guess it doesn't make a huge difference for background work, but I thought I'd ask.
Are there any brushes you use frequently that are missing from the set I found?
>Jerry's Artarama Online
Wow, that's a way better price than other stores I found online. That's awesome, thank you so much! Link for the curious.
>I'm documenting my progress on youtube
I took a look, your paintings look great! I'm excited to get started too, hopefully someday soon. Thanks for all your help!
First of all do not use soap and water for natural bristle brushes as the soap will deteriorate the hairs and water doesn't really clean oil brushes anyway. You will need to invest in something like this:
https://www.amazon.com/Martin-F-Weber-Cleaning-System/dp/B002WBYZOC
A screen to separate the brush hairs and paint thinner to remove the paint. I've heard of some people using baby oil to remove paint but I have no idea how well or if it works.
I'd recommend the Bob Ross 3 hour workshop DVD. Here's an Amazon link Bob Ross Joy of Painting Series: Beginner's 3-Hour Workshop DVD English https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000CIF3U2/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_apa_i_b1zdCbGZMR6MY
If you guys are tired of waiting so long for your paint to dry you can mix this into your paint. I use it all the time, makes it dry in less than 2 days.
> What do you paint on?
16x20 stretched canvas; i buy them in bulk on amazon, usually i can get them at around $2.50/each.
You might find niel's video helpful, he started painting on hardboard near the end and he says he just sanded it and then did four coats of gesso (no primer), but off the cuff it sounds like what you did would be fine as well.
After painting our dining room and reducing some other items along the way, wifey made me hang my first few.
The 3M Command strips worked quite well, more for better hold for larger I suppose. Held the canvases and panels just fine.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B073XV1P16
Bonus, I can take them off and not have to spackle holes yet again.. because wall painting isn't as happy as oil painting. ;)
This is the one I use:
It's a very large palette and clear. Probably very similar if not exactly what Bob uses. You have plenty of room for mixing your paint and putting 8-12 colors on it like Bob.
Looks like it's a bit expensive, but the set is on Amazon.
That seller has some other brushes, paint, and turpenoid too.
I couldn't find the same pallet knife on Amazon, but people have said you can try one of the other shapes. It might just be a little different.
This is the gesso I'm looking at, will it work? All the ones on amazon say acrylic, is that what I want? Or is there some sort of 'oil gesso' available that I'll be needing?
Got that tip from the Two-Inch Brush page in the sidebar! Got some "Wooster Softip Paintbrushes" off amazon for guests, since Bob's 2-inch is expensive.
Don't forget a paint thinner bucket and easels! These easels came out pretty cheap in bulk, but can be a little flimsy. Not horrible though! It worked well for me. If you can find bulk canvas, you can save money there too, be I noticed a significant difference between "value" canvas and the nicer grade ones. Good enough for a paint an sip, and the right bundle could bring them down to $4 a pop! (Check Amazon, Michaels sales. "Cyber Monday" is STILL going!)
It could end up being expensive to front the costs of supplies, but I had each of my friends pay $20 for entry -- still half price of an actual paint and sip -- and with one more class, I should be back in profit. From then on, the entry fee would cover the cost of using my paint and maybe upgrade tools. :)
I use art advantage gesso. I have also tried art alternatives gesso, but it is very liquidy whereas the art advantage gesso is almost creamy by comparison; in short, i like the way it coats better and generally only need one coat with it.
Technically gesso is just acrylic, but if that means any old acrylic will work work well i can't answer that as i haven't really tried more than the two i mentioned.
I order all my stuff from Amazon.
I had a shopping list picked out across some craft stores, Amazon, and even Home Depot (for a bucket, drop cloth, and mineral spirits). I wasn't planning to get Bob Ross brand for anything. Is there a reason you think I should get the Bob Titanium White? I was going to start cheap and small, like https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01B181B1G
For brushes, I was going to use a local craft store with good prices. An example brush I would get is https://jerrysartistoutlet.com/items/142237-69287
The Mahl Stick seems like a cool tool I didn't even know existed. I'll start without one, but if I have a problem with my arm tiring or shaking, I'll get one.
Thanks!
As for the thinning, I was planning to buy Boiled Linseed Oil (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B006PGEQ2G) to make my own Magic White and I can put a drop in to the highlight colors if needed. My first painting or two would be a mess but I'll figure it out.
If that's still a problem, any transparent yellow can be used instead -- it may alter the final color of the painting but that's your choice.
I generally prefer French easels but A/H frame easels are better for wet on wet painting styles. The best easels I have is one I made, but it took me 6 hours for one and 3 for another plus I had power tools. But it's hit or miss on making a easel in short amounts of time so this is one I'm going to get. https://www.amazon.com/Tangkula-French-Wooden-Portable-Folding/dp/B01DW0A4FA/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1495569674&sr=8-4&keywords=French+easel
white spirit or any odorless thinners is absolutely fine! i keep a bottle of "emergency" white spirit around just in case i run out of thinners! LOL
if you are really struggling then look for a product called Turpenoid: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Weber-Natural-Turpenoid-16oz-Other-Multicoloured/dp/B00274V5DS
this isnt odorless but smells really nice actually and will clean and condition your brushes and is completely reuseable.
but to answer your question; white spirit, thinner, turps etc are all ok for oil painting.
there really is no need for a mask even without odorless thinners...if the smell really plays you up then just make sure you paint in a well ventilated area and take a breather every 15 mins or so. i paint in my house, usually for an hour or so if im doing a video and it doesnt bother me at all. i actually like the smell of oils and thinners etc
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bob-Ross-Finishing-Spray-Aerosol/dp/B000YQGSB0 finishing spray varnish can be applied directly to wet paintings says so on the tin! and ive used it myself with no issues. I dont bother these days though.
I use mason jars, and I have the Bob Ross brush cleaning bucket.
Wait till that is on sale because that price right now is ridiculous.
As the previous poster mentioned, I pour the used thinner into mason jars with lids, leaving the sludge in the bucket. I pull out the brush screen and wipe that down, then I then close everything up and let it settle. Later, I wipe out the sludge out of the cleaning bucket with paper towels and throw them away, and reuse the thinner once the paint has settled to the bottom, adding more clean thinner as I go.
Disposal I don't know, I was asking that same thing in my other thread. So far I'm just keeping it in mason jars until I find out what to do with it. https://www.reddit.com/r/HappyTrees/comments/5vd6ds/specific_questions_on_bob_ross_painting/
You definitely don't need the cleaning system, a box with a secured wood pole works fine.
It's cheaper to buy the 200ml paints instead of Bobs 37ml paints per ml.
Thank you! I've done a few on canvas pads like this https://www.amazon.com/Fredrix-3501-Canvas-Pads-16-Inch/dp/B000YQGG3A
But this was my first on a stretched canvas. Also I won't be selling this one... (it was my Christmas gift to my mom!) Hopefully I can paint some that will sell in the near future though!
I started with synthetic brushes and ended up getting bristle brushes afterward. It's the type that Bob Ross uses. They pick up more paint and are a bit stiffer: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N0J37MT
I highly recommend staying away from Turpentine. It's known to sensitize the body resulting in skin reactions such as eczema, difficulty breathing, irreversible kidney damage and even nerve damage.
It's just not worth the risk in my opinion. Check out odorless mineral spirits or terpenoid as a much safer alternative.
CDC Occupational Health guideline for Turpentine: https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/81-123/pdfs/0648.pdf
oh i didnt realize how fast gesso dries.
I do want to do the whole thing (with oils) i just didn't realize how expensive these four brushes were. I can't find a fan brush under 10 dollars! where is a good place to find them online. I'm trying to get everything (2 sets of the brushes, the paints, spirits, etc) for 60-90 dollars if possible.
this one keeps popping up in my searches and is super tempting but its nylon :(
I have heard that people are generally attracted to either drawing or painting in a polarized fashion. If you aren't finding yourself gravitating toward drawing, painting might interest you. I also spend a lot of time on the computer for work and gaming, so having painting is a nice outlet that is quite different. I will warn that painting can be still pretty physically taxing.
If you are looking at equipment, that sticky post on this subreddit has an amazon wishlist: Wishlist. I'd say that one thing I wish I had gotten first was a Bob Ross pallet like the one he uses in the show: Pallet. Its easier to clean than a wooden one, and its got lots of room for mixing paints. I'd also invest in the "Bob Ross Beater Rack" as this is probably the best way to set up a way to clean your brushes at home. Putting the beater rack into a small office trash can ($5 at some hardware store) contains a lot of the paint thinner. You can just use a (new) empty paint can to contain the paint thinner and the screen. I do also use the Bob Ross paint thinner.
These brushes are yielding me very good results. These are not as thick as the Bob Ross brand brushes but still very good.
You probably don't need the chip resin brush for either of those paintings, but it wouldn't hurt to own one. The master set comes with a #2 script liner so you don't really need to buy another one. It also comes with a 1" landscape but if you have the money to spare it's really convenient to have two 1" and 2" brushes so you don't have to constantly clean them. (one with the darker shadow color and one with the highlight color, usually).
The only thing I don't see on your list is the beater rack and a trash bin to set it in. The beater rack is what dries the brush, unless you paint in an area where you don't care about paint splattering and can just dry it on the eisel like bob does. It can also be bought in a combo pack that comes with the screen, bucket, and thinner.
There are also some colors that don't come with the master set that bob uses often. You can definitely get by with the colors in the set, but you may want to check the beginners guide and see if you want any other colors.
The mountains are all about the knife, and I know he does some of them with brushes, but for me it makes sense to do a sharp edge with the knife.
For the trees, I highly prefer the fan brush. Pushing in to bend the bristles is really the only way I can make trees that I like. He does his shades of grey trees with a knife, but that's just cause bob is a badass.
Bushes are, as always, a 1 inch brush. He loads his better than I do, so thats how he gets really distinct colors for his bushes. Me not loading enough makes them all not quite as bright white as his. But I feel like when I load them as heavy as he does I don't get quite the pretty hundreds of leaves in one press effect that he gets. I'm still really trying to figure that out.
If I had to choose, I'd do fan brush, 2 inch, and knife. I guess my favorite is the fan brush. I feel like I achieve the effects I want easiest and most consistent with it.
Rereading your question, this was all done with the bob ross basic paint set, except for the canvas which is a 16X20. Link to amazon for the paint set here. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000IK0EIA/ref=s9_simh_gw_g201_i2_r?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=desktop-1&pf_rd_r=0EG7RCCPSM8MY9YR8V6N&pf_rd_t=36701&pf_rd_p=2079475242&pf_rd_i=desktop
Honestly, It's a great kit to get and play with. I've done maybe 3 or 4 of these paintings and just now had to buy some more paints. It's a great way to try it out and see if you'll love it as much as I do.
The Master Paint Kit is fairly inclusive. It doesn't come with canvases or mineral spirits, but it's otherwise a decent launching point.
8 paint colors at 37mL are roughly $40, each brush is roughly $8. Piecemeal might be cheaper. If you can get it under $70, it's a decent bargain.
Avoid the "basic" paint kit with 5 colors and the "deluxe" kit that comes with a $35 relatively useless wooden box
On amazon they're closer to $10 each
Magic White is now sold as "Bob Ross Liquid White Oil Paint" I have included two links bellow from amazon for purchase. One is for just liquid white and the other is for a starter set. If you don't want to purchase the Bob Ross product you can take titanium white oil paint and mix a little refined linseed oil into it, all "magic white" is, is a thinned out white oil paint. You apply the white to the canvas in a thin layer to work Bob Ross's wet on wet technique, it allows the colors to flow. LINKS: http://www.amazon.com/Ross-R6214-473-Ml-Liquid-White/dp/B000YQKHNA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1423637238&sr=8-1&keywords=bob+ross+liquid+white
White gesso is awesome, it is usually used to prime a canvas. If you purchase a white canvas at the store it has generally already been primed with white gesso so you can paint on it. If you are stretching your own canvas you will either have to buy primed canvas or a regular roll of canvas for painting, stretch it, and then prime it with white gesso. The gesso acts as a layer so paint will stick to the canvas. Liquid white is a form of oil paint you put on top of a white gessoed canvas to paint with a wet on wet technique.