Today’s watercolor experiment:

Today is another sketch in my ‘brain series’ (Brain Teasers, Memory Fades, Untitled).

In keeping with tradition (that I started yesterday), I did not assign a meaningful name to this sketch.  It qualifies as part of the brain series because it was inspired by a structure in the brain called the hippocampus.  The hippocampus is involved in memory. It is also the edge of the cerebral cortex, sometimes described as the ‘hem’ of the brain. The 7-cell-layer composition of the cortex thins out to 3 layers and eventually the axons, which act as a cabling system, are generated that make connections to all parts of the brain.

One can identify the hippocampus in cross section by an interlocking ‘C’ pattern.  This was the starting point for my sketch.

Abstract 9814
9″x12″ 140# Cold Pressed Watercolor Block

You might notice a silhouette of a sea horse. The word ‘hippocampus’ is actually from the Greek, which means ‘sea monster’ or ‘sea horse’.  Aside from the curl of the seahorse tail, which resembles the spiral-like cross section, I don’t see why this part of the brain is named as it is.

Colors:

In this study I used ultramarine blue, quinacridone purple (which blends very nicely with the blues), lemon yellow, spectrum yellow and red gouache, chrome green and Winsor red.