Evaluation of visual impact of multiple image characteristics observed in edge-grain patterns

Abstract

Twenty distinct computer-generated softwood-like monochrome edge-grain patterns were printed on matte paper. Four image characteristics including mean growth ring width, growth ring width fluctuation, growth ring contrast, and shading contrast were embedded in the patterns. These image characteristics were expressed numerically by line profile and multiresolution contrast analyses. Five visual impressions, varied, agreeable, vague, showy, and natural, of these patterns on 30 subjects were evaluated by ranking. To determine the importance of each image characteristics on the impressions, a multiple regression analysis was conducted by attributing a criterion variable to an impression and predictor variables to all four image characteristics. This analysis revealed the impacts of the four image characteristics on each impression quantitatively. The results suggested that shading contrast was one of the useful indicators to evaluate surface harmony or homogeneity related to varied impression. Although growth ring width fluctuation had been considered as an important visual feature of wood, its influence on the impressions was extremely small compared with the other three characteristics.