#arh

It felt like refreshing relief, like a nice nap.

So... the 10-year anniversary reprint of Always Raining Here is coming out soon, so here is my little fluff piece in celebration! There are no fics in this fandom on AO3 since 2020 and I think that is a crime. I love this webcomic and everyone should read it (and then read this)

1. DESCRIBE THE ARTWORK'S PHYSICAL QUALITIES:

The painting I chose is named, "Annunciation." It's a whopping 323 x 198 cm in dimensions. When walking into that specific room, it is eye-catching and takes up an entire wall. It is vibrant with a lot of warm colors. II Guercino, the artist, uses a lot of gold. The frame and in the center of the piece, there is golden crest that separates the left and right. The size of the angel compared to Mary are the same size, giving balance to the piece. The angel leaning toward Mary showing a gesture shows a certain motion in the piece, I believe giving it rhythm as it diverts your eyes from one side to the other.

2. SUBJECTIVE EXPERIENCE OF THE ARTWORK:

When looking at this piece it was a little overwhelming. Mainly just due to its size. I felt drawn to Mary on the right. Mary is giving almost a humble yet accepting gesture from the angel. Soft and welcoming.

 RESEARCH:

This painting was painted for the Oratorio dell’Invenzione della Santa Croce, Reggio Emilia. Initially sold around 1787 to Francesco Parigi. Then through many other inheritances and auctions, it was sold to Ringling around 1866–1936. There are many renditions of the "Annunciation." During the reformation, this concept of the angel Gabriel, Mary, and the Holy Spirit was an important doctrine of the Catholic church; so many were made. When looking a bunch of them up, this was the only one with an altar in front of Mary. Looking at the resources, Mary is also seen with gestures that exhibit many qualities and symbolisms of her virgin status, which are conturbatio, cogitatio, interrogatio, humiliato, and meritatio.

YOUR FINAL THOUGHTS:

Unity - Way of making the piece come together as a whole. An example of this would be a bed of flowers. All different but when together it's like one single message.

Variety - The specific elements of a piece that help convey the impact. An example of this would be the framing of a fireplace. It's normally a high contrast of framing that gives off its location.

Balance - Like what gives the aesthetics to a piece. An example would be like "Yin and Yang."

Emphasis - Giving attention to a certain part of the piece. An example would be like a wedding and the white wedding dressing to show off the bride.

Subordination - Addresses balance and coordination in a piece. An example of this would be like the parameters programmed into a medical equipment to prevent medication errors.

Directional forces - Guides the flow of the piece. Easiest example would be a wave.

Repetition & rhythm - Creates a flow of elements and unity throughout the piece. An example of this is like the vasculature of a placenta. It's almost like a tree of life, each one similar to another.

Scale & proportion - Creates depth and perception. This example would be like the Skyway bridge.

2. CONNECTING ART TO YOUR WORLD:

Color has affected me in multiple ways. As a gay man, I have seen and experience a multitude of colors. Hues can be quite funny as people like me tend to be a little too specific on what kind of purple it is. When going out to parades, the floats, drinks, and costumes portray many shades of color of all intensity. Value varies between each person. Whether they like an all-black outfit, or white.

3. ART PROJECT:

Main piece:

Progress photo: