Legendary painter Bob Ross is unrecognizable in shocking resurfaced photos from his past

Throwback pictures of legendary painter and host Bob Ross have resurfaced, and fans can’t believe how different he looks - especially his hair.

The late artist is known for his gentle voice, perm, beard, and inspiring countless viewers with his calming presence and philosophy of making art accessible for anyone with a paintbrush and a canvas.

The first season of his TV show The Joy of Painting aired in 1983 and was filmed in Falls Creek, Virginia. Ross’ first painting was sold a couple of months after the season debuted to raise funds for the local PBS station.

Ross would create 30-minute masterpieces in each episode like mountain ranges, seascapes, forest scenes, and, yes, those infamous happy little trees.

The show ran until 1994. Tragically, Ross died the following year.

Bob Ross was known for his signature look (Acey Harper/Getty Images)

Decades after his death, Ross still inspires millions of viewers around the world, becoming a certified icon among amateur artists and a new generation of viewers, particularly those who enjoy ASMR.

The internet embraced his aesthetic and positivity, turning him into a symbol of creativity, relaxation, and wholesome humor across memes, merch, and media. And it's clear to see why so many people are obsessed with him - his ethos was 'anyone can paint' and that mistakes were just 'happy little accidents'.

But years before his show hit the airwaves, Ross had a very different look.

The famous painter can be seen in recently resurfaced black-and-white images sporting straight hair and a clean-shaven look.

Ross looks unrecognizable in the snaps (Bob Ross Inc)

His perm became part of his iconic aesthetic, and he originally got the hairdo as he was starting out and wanted to save money on haircuts.

His longtime business partner, Annette Kowalski, revealed in 2016 how Ross decided to get a perm.

The painter once had straight hair (Bob Ross Inc)

“He got this bright idea that he could save money on haircuts,” Kowalski told NPR at the time. “So he let his hair grow, he got a perm, and decided he would never need a haircut again.”

Shockingly, Ross was not always a fan of having curly hair, but it became his signature look.

“He could never, ever, ever change his hair, and he was so mad about that,” she shared. “He got tired of that curly hair.”

Ross can be seen with his naturally straight hair while wearing a simple white T-shirt. And in another headshot, he looks directly at the camera, with his straight hair styled in a quiff.