Hybrid filter blending to maintain facial expressions in rendered human portraits

Abstract

Artistic rendering of human portraits is different and more challenging than that of landscapes or flowers. Issues are eye, nose, and mouth regions (i.e., facial features) where we need to represent their natural emotions. Shades or darkness around eyes, or shininess at nose tips may negatively impact the rendering result if not properly dealt with. Similarly, a lighter colour around the mouth region caused by lighting might produce some disturbing artefacts. The proposed computerised method attempts to be adaptive to those sensitive areas by utilising a face analysis module. First, the program detects main facial segments and features. Then it utilises a blending of various filtering parameters aiming at an adequate final portrait that represents the subject’s original facial expression, while still supporting a non-photorealistic artistic rendering as the perceived impression.