Integration of user-centred evolutionary computation with digital visualisation

This research is concerned with applying evolutionary algorithms to explore the creation and optimisation of authentic and novel human character faces. Utilising computer software to create an authentic three-dimensional character face usually requires a graphic artist to spend a considerable amount of time and attention to painstaking detail to evolve authentic facial topology. Given that character faces share many common properties of proportion and relative positioning of facial components such as eyes, nose and mouth, then perhaps some novel face may be evolved from some standard base face through a user-centred application of a stochastic search process. Further, can such a system support the non-visually creative practitioner in the realisation of his or her own conceptual visualisations of an authentic character representation? An initial investigation applying these ideas within the context of a 3D modelling environment (Maya) to creating a human face and parametrically generate faces with varying characteristics for head shape, eye, nose, and mouth is reported. This work involves the integration of an interactive evolutionary process which utilises user-selected mesh components within the Maya environment.