Ross was well known for the catchphrases he used while painting such as "happy little trees".In most episodes of The Joy of Painting (The origins of the TV show, The Joy of Painting, are unclear), Ross would note that one of his favorite parts of painting was cleaning the brush. Occasionally he would strike the brush hard on the trashcan, and say he "hit the bucket") and easel. He would smile and often laugh aloud as he said to "beat the Devil out of it".He also used a palette that had been lightly sanded down, which was necessary to avoid catching the reflections of the strong studio lighting. He also used a minimalist set and spoke as if he were only addressing one viewer.
Many people had a major concern about Bobs’ ability to be so happy and easy-going all the time. When asked about his laid-back approach, and his calm and contented demeanor, he commented,
I got a letter from somebody here a while back, and they said, "Bob, everything in your world seems to be happy." That's for sure. That's why I paint. It's because I can create the kind of world that I want, and I can make this world as happy as I want it. Shoot, if you want bad stuff, watch the news.’’
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