The Secret of Appeal - Understanding Perception of Realistic and Stylized Faces

Eduard Zell

Abstract: Stylized characters are highly used in movies and games. Furthermore, stylization is mostly preferred over realism for the design of toys and social robots. However, the question of what makes a character appealing remains still open. In this context, computer graphics algorithms enable the creation of highly controllable stimuli, simplifying the examination of specific features that can strongly influence the overall perception of a character. This thesis addresses both issues: how to create highly controllable stimuli and how to improve the understanding of the crucial factors for achieving character appeal across different stylization levels.