We all remember the late Bob Ross as host of the PBS show The Joy of Painting which aired from 1983 to 1994. Ross endeared himself to viewers with his soothing voice, perpetually happy outlook and perfectly spherical perm hairdo. Ross taught us to paint "happy little clouds," and it was impossible not to crack a smile at the sight of this joyful man creating his soothing landscape art. Ross had a whole life before he arrived on PBS -- in fact, he served in the U.S. Air Force for 20 years. He developed his interest in art during his time in the military, attending art classes put on by the USO. It was the '60s and '70s, though, and he disliked his instructors' emphasis on abstract painting -- Ross wanted to paint recognizable landscapes. He finally learned to paint landscapes in the Italian alla prima (also known as "wet on wet") style, and could finish a landscape painting in an hour. He left the Air Force in 1981 at the rank of master sergeant, because he found he could make more money selling his art than he did in Air Force salary. Two years later, his TV show debuted.
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