Should You Use White or Black Canvas for Bob Ross Painting?

Shojib Hoq | Oct 30, 2023

Canvas color changeable using different color gesso. So turning black canvas to white canvas or white canvas to black is not a big deal.  

Bob Ross mostly uses 2 colors of primed canvas. Those are white and black. Because canvas color as a background plays an important role in painting.  

Go with white canvas if you want to paint daylight, a nice gradient, day scenery, or blend color with the background naturally. And if you want to paint night, dark, serious juxtaposition of bright light, go with black canvas.  

In the article, I explain different types of canvas for Bob Ross’s paintings. You can check.

White canvas vs. black canvas painting: Key Points

What is the difference between Bob Ross Black and White canvas painting?

These 2 canvas paintings are of different styles. However, you can have fun. 

Coat medium

White canvas-based coat medium is liquid white, adding a wet white oily surface to make the paint more colorful. On black canvas, apply clear liquid, the new paint does not change color as white liquid does. You know green + white = light green. 

Opacity

On white canvas painting apply oblique color. On the other hand, black canvas paintings apply different transparent colors. And the transparent color is active with other colors.

Gradient

Any paint with white blending in white canvas creates a cool gradient. Especially water, sky, and other backgrounds. Black canvas painting is not good for gradients. 

Color

Color selection is very important for canvas painting. White canvas painting uses opaque colors, and black canvas painting applies transparent colors. Here is the different oil pigments color list. It may help you.

Opaque

• Bismuth Yellow
• Chrome Green Deep Hue
• Cobalt Turquoise
• Cobalt Green Deep
• Flesh (no one is this color) Tint
• Gold Ochre
• Indian Red
• Lamp Black
• Light Red
• Lemon Yellow Hue (Nickel Titanate)
• Mars Black
• Mars Violet Deep
• Naples Yellow Light
• Oxide of Chromium
• Yellow Ochre Pale
• Cadmium Green
• Cadmium Green Pale
• Cadmium Lemon
• Cadmium Orange
• Cadmium Red
• Cadmium Red Deep
• Cadmium Scarlet
• Cadmium Yellow
• Cadmium Yellow Pale
• Cadmium Yellow Deep
• Naples Yellow
• Vermilion Hue
• Terra Rosa
• Venetian Red
• Winsor Emerald

Sami Opaque

• Blue Black
• Bronze
• Chrome Yellow Hue
• Cerulean Blue
• Cobalt Green
• Copper
• Gold
• Ivory Black
• Winsor Orange
• Winsor Red
• Renaissance Gold
• Scarlet Lake
• Silver
• Pewter

Transparent

• Alizarin Crimson
• Aureolin
• Bright Red
• Brown Madder
• Burnt Sienna
• Burnt Umber
• Carmine
• French Ultramarine ( Ultramarine Blue )
• Indian Yellow
• Indigo
• Indanthrene Blue
• Manganese Blue Hue
• Mauve (Blue Shade)
• Olive Green
• Prussian Green
• Permanent Rose
• Rose Doré
• Vandyke Brown
• Winsor Blue (Green Shade)
• Sap Green
• Transparent Yellow
• Transparent Gold Ochre
• Phthalo Turquoise
• Permanent Alizarin Crimson
• Purple Madder
• Terre Verte
• Viridian
• Winsor Green (Yellow Shade)
• Purple Madder
• Permanent Sap Green
• Rose Madder Deep
• Ultramarine Green Shade
• Ultramarine Violet
• Permanent Green
• Permanent Magenta
• Phthalo Blue
• Prussian Blue
• Purple Lake
• Winsor Blue (Red Shade)
• Winsor Green (phthalo)
• Winsor Violet (Dioxazine)

Sami Transparent

• Charcoal Grey
• Cobalt Blue Deep
• Cobalt Violet
• Cobalt Blue
• Davy’s Grey
• Permanent Green Deep
• Winsor Lemon
• Winsor Yellow Deep
• Winsor Yellow
• Raw Sienna
• Raw Umber
• Yellow Ochre
• Permanent Green Light
• Permanent Mauve
• Payne’s Grey
• Winsor Red Deep
• Yellow Ochre Light

Is black canvas painting hard?

No! Black canvas painting is easier than white canvas painting. You do not give a lot of time to background painting. And it is less time-consuming and simple.