After careful review of “The Ernest Hemingway Collection,” the texture and appearance without a doubt stand out.  Take the stained wood grain for example.  It’s rich brown color and wood rings set the tone for the site as a whole.  From quick glance, the scattered items off to the left side give the site a very open, intricate, and personal touch.  Almost as if the viewer is looking into Ernest’s living room.  A filled coffee mug, some loose change, a couple of photos, a passport, and name tag all give off a personal touch to the page viewer.

As far as line, shape, light, shadow, and patterns, the layout features many of these elements.  Having the old, torn beige paper right-justified with all of the site’s information and links was a wise choice by the designer.  The shape and color of the torn paper compliments the wood grain perfectly.  The rectangular shape of the paper also flows with the site as the viewer scrolls down.

Going back to the items on the left, the shadows that are given off make the site 3-dimensional.  The coffee for example has a grayish shadow, or “glow,” which makes it not only realistic, but also easy to look at.  The photos, loose change, passport, and nametag all have drop shadows, which make the site seem practical.  It’s realistic and believable if shadows all come from the same light source.  (Whether it’s natural or unnatural.)  And since all these items have proper shadows, with a proper light source, it looks extremely real.

The items and wood grain truly make the website.  Without the grain, and realistic elements/items, the tone of Ernest Hemingway would not be successfully portrayed.  It gives the site a personal touch.  And for the viewer, personality is a key element.