Abstract
This study examined if there is a difference in viewer perception of computer animated character facial expressions based on character body style, specifically, realistic and stylized character body styles. Participants viewed twenty clips of computer animated characters expressing one of five emotions: sadness, happiness, anger, surprise and fear. They then named the emotion and rated the sincerity, intensity, and typicality of each clip. The results indicated that for recognition, participants were more slightly more likely to recognize a stylized character although it was not a significant difference. Stylized characters were on average rated higher for sincerity and intensity and realistic characters were on average rated higher for typicality. A significant difference in ratings was shown with fear (within sincerity and typicality) having realistic characters rated higher, happiness (within sincerity and intensity) having stylized characters rated higher and stylized being rated higher once for anger (stylized) and realistic (typicality) being rated once for anger. Other differences were also noted within the dependent variables. Based on the data collected in this study, overall there was not a significant difference in participant ratings between the two character styles.
Keywords
Computer animation, realistic, stylized, computer animated character, perception, character body style
Date of this Version
8-1-2013
Department
Computer Graphics Technology
Department Head
Marvin Sarapin
Month of Graduation
August
Degree
Master of Science
Head of Graduate Program
Marvin Sarapin
Advisor 1 or Chair of Committee
Nicoletta Adamo-Villani
Committee Member 1
Nicoletta Adamo-Villani
Committee Member 2
Mihaela Vorvoreanu
Committee Member 3
Melissa Dark