For the past few weeks I have painted abstract watercolor studies. Other than my ‘brain series’ (Brain Teasers, Compartmentalization, Untitled, Brain Abstract), where I began with the notion of representing the anatomy of the brain, my usual strategy would be to apply a brush loaded with paint to a wet piece of watercolor paper and see what image or idea would suggest itself.

Today’s watercolor experiment:

This is an offshoot of yesterday’s study that depicted falling objects. I began with a yellow  swoosh of paint. I reddened the blunt edge of the yellow. There were gaps on the paper where the yellow thinned to show white. These lighter patches gave me an idea.  I darkened them with the same blue (indanthrone) with which I outlined the leading edge of the red-yellow shape. For the final step I applied a blur of red in the center of the yellow. This pre-wetted area did not preserve the letter that I wanted to appear at in the center of the blur. In retrospect, I’m glad it didn’t.

When I asked my wife what she thought I should call this study, she barely hesitated before she spoke the exact wording of the title I had already applied.

Faster Than a Speeding Bullet
9″x12″ 140# Cold Pressed Watercolor Block

Great minds sometimes think alike.