Guy followed the research interest: Time Perception
Guy started following the work of Eldad Tsabary, Concordia University (Canada), Music.
Guy started following the work of Mikael Pettersson, Lingnan University, Department of Philosophy.
Post-Doc, School of Art and Design
Research Fellow
Thesis Title: Aesthetic Complexity: Production and Perception in Art and Design
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Judith Mottram
Terry Shave Andrew Dunn |
About
My research investigates the aesthetics of visual complexity. The aim is to understand the role of complexity in the practice and perception of visual art and design. I take a computational and empirical approach to this subject, which incorporates methods from information theory, computer graphics, complexity theory and experimental psychology. For testing, I use cellular automata programs to generate images, and borrow other types of visual material from students and professional artists, designers and craftspeople.
I measure the visual complexity of artworks in two ways: Firstly, an objective measure of complexity is based on the compression of digital image files: simple images give small files and complex images give larger files. Secondly, I use psychophysical techniques to measure the subjective complexity of the images. The results reveal an inverted ‘U’ correlation between the two measures which diverges as images approach randomness. It shows that we can understand visual complexity as a mixture of order and chaos. Images that are too simple are boring, and images that are too complex are confusing. A balance of complexity allows for visual exploration and pattern-finding which contributes to aesthetic value.
