Algorithms for scene understanding and realistic image synthesis require accurate models of the way real-world materials scatter light. This book presents an introduction to appearance capture and suitable representations, together with a description of selected work that measures the spatially- and directionally-varying reflectance and subsurface scattering properties of complex materials. It covers the basic principles of how materials are described, how the appearance of real-world objects may be measured, and how a knowledge of appearance aids in a variety of applications.

Principles of Appearance Acquisition and Representation is an ideal reference for students, researchers and professionals needing a primer on the topic. It can also be used as a basis for a short course on the topic, as it concludes with a case study on appearance acquisition of human faces and an extensive bibliography of over 200 references.