I PAINTED THIS one hour sketch on the north slope of Tumamoc on a beautiful winter afternoon. Storm clouds were coming and going, dropping a few sprinkles on me and the painting. Lots of plants in bloom–especially Encelia, brittlebush, which literally covers the entire mountain with bright yellow.

For this sketch, I used the same acrylics that I used to paint the Presidio Mural. I’ve found that they are actually great for these quick paintings, although there is a bit of value shift from wet to dry colors. The biggest issue I have is getting a strong opaque yellow without using the toxic cadmiums.

More paintings by Bill Singleton
made on Tumamoc Hill.